in this dynamic, nonfiction graphic novel, Jon Chad illustrates the little-known story of pinball--how it works and why it all matters in an age of special effects and on-screen gaming. In 1976, champion player Roger Sharpe stepped up to a pinball machine in a Manhattan courtroom. The New York City Council had convened to consider lifting the city's ban on pinball--a game that had been outlawed since 1942 for its supposed connections to gambling and organized crime. Sharpe was there to prove that, unlike a slot machine, pinball wasn't a game of chance designed to fleece its players--it was a game of skill that required a measure of patience, coordination, and control. To prove his point, he proclaimed that he would launch his ball into the center lane at the far end of the playfield--much like Babe Ruth famously pointing to the fences. Sharpe pulled back the plunger and released, and the fate of this industry and art form hung in the balance. Thus opens Jon Chad's comprehensive graphic novel to the history of the captivating, capricious--and at times infuriating!--game of pinball. Tracing pinball's roots back to the Court of King Louis XIV, through the immigrant experience of early 20th century America, the post-War boom and bust, right up to the present day, Chad charmingly ushers readers through the myriad facets of this most American of pursuits--capturing not just the history but also the artistry, cultural significance, and even the physics of the game.

A book of fun chemistry experiments has fallen into the wrong hands. Only Mel can use her knowledge of the periodic table to put an end to a maniacal madman's evil schemes. The periodic table helps us quickly understand the 118 elements, those tiny substances that make up everything in the world. By using the periodic table, we can recognize how these building blocks behave, find trends and patterns in the universe, and make predictions about elements that haven’t been discovered yet. Join us in learning about the periodic table, and maybe the next big discovery will be yours!

Introducing a brand-new graphic novel learning series that follows The Solvers, a crew of crime-fighting kid superheroes armed with the power of math! As they battle their evil nemesis, The Solvers teach readers essential math skills, like how to multiply and divide, with step-by-step instructions and tons of visual examples. When the evil Null Void steals the DivMulti Ray (a laser gun that can multiply or divide anything it touches!) the Solvers must learn all about multiplication and division to stop the supervillain in her tracks! Throughout the action-packed narrative, clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrated, superhero-themed examples present essential multiplication and division concepts in an easy-to-understand way. Full of helpful math instruction--and epic superhero action--the first installment of this graphic learning series is perfect for the reader who loves math, the reader who hates math, the reader who needs a refresher, and the superhero enthusiast. Written by a seasoned comics artist and vetted by a math teacher, multiplication and division have never been this fun!

A brand-new graphic novel learning series following The Solvers, a crew of crime-fighting kid superheroes armed with the power of math! As they battle their evil nemesis, The Solvers teach readers about essential math concepts, like fractions and decimals, with step-by-step instructions and tons of visual examples! When The Solvers accidentally drink a shrinking potion, the pint-sized superheroes must learn all about fractions and decimals to mix an antidote and stop supervillain Null Void from taking over the city! Throughout the action-packed narrative, clear, step-by-step instructions and illustrated, superhero-themed examples teach readers how to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and decimals in an easy-to-understand way. Full of helpful math instruction--and epic superhero action--the second installment of this graphic learning series is perfect for the reader who loves math, the reader who hates math, the reader who needs a refresher, and the superhero enthusiast. Written by a seasoned comics artist and vetted by a math teacher, fractions and decimals have never been this fun!

Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic - dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty- year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you! In this volume, go where no kid has gone before! You'll get up close and personal with Earth's nearest neighbours - Venus with its acid rain storms, Saturn and its rings of ice, and the heart of it all, the Sun. Join Sara, Jill, and their space-faring pets on a quest to learn more about the wonders of our solar system - and beyond!

A multimedia tactile reading experience that explores a struggle between superheroes and supervillians as it's never been done before. A young girl named Gaby has joined a superpowered terrorist organization called Bad Mask...eternally struggling against the world's savior, a super-intelligent robot named Metal Metro. But what if Metal Metro isn't all he seems to be? And what if Bad Mask isn't what Gaby expects either? Readers will explore the world and the mystery of Bad Mask in a way rarely seen before. A boxed narrative consisting of newspapers, magazines, comic books, trading cards, digital files, and more, it will be up to the reader to follow Gaby on her mission of discovery, and get to the bottom of Bad Mask. From the mind and hands of indie comics superstar Jon Chad comes a multi-media storytelling experience unlike anything you've ever read before.