'Science Comics: The Brain' by Tory Woollcott offers a engaging exploration of the human brain. Through vibrant illustrations and accessible storytelling, readers embark on an educational journey to understand the complexities of the brain's functions and mechanisms. Perfect for students interested in neuroscience, this book combines entertainment with valuable scientific knowledge.

Another great edition of Science Comics! I'm always thrilled with the amount of information found in these guys! This would be good for so many grades as the learn about human anatomy!

My students devour all of the science comics, even as middle school students. I love how much they take from these in terms of learning even more than basic facts and the graphics seem to enhance their comprehension.

Every volume of Science Comics is terrific! The Brain volume is one of the best yet! We all have a brain, and our brain lets us learn about our brain. Extremely educational as well as interesting and fun -- it is perfect! I can't wait to read more of them!

While I still enjoyed this volume of Science Comics, it is possibly my least favorite thus far. It is still a great introduction to the brain as a whole (and as someone with a family history of MS, I enjoyed being able to really understand what is supposed to be happening in the brain). Sadly, the framing for this volume was much shallower than previous and later volumes in the series. I liked (and kids will too!) that the main antagonist was a brain in a jar with a zombie henchman, but otherwise it was really thin, especially the randomly interspersed sections with Fahama's sister and other family members. Still highly recommended, just not as highly as the other books in the series.

The graphics did not download to my kindle well and the text was not engaging. The illustrations were cute for the most part, but this is not something I will be adding to the classroom library or suggesting to my local public library.

I went into this book expecting a basic "these are the parts of the brain and this is how neurons and electrical signals send messages". And that's certainly a part of it. We get a couple of pages about how neurons differ from other cells and a deep dive into the role of electrical signals. But this is more than simple biology. It starts with the development of brains as specialized tissue, the differences in brain structures in various species. We move on to different types of signals and intelligences and the importance of diversity in thought. That's a lot of information to pack into under 130 pages of graphic novel while also integrating a simple story.

Science Comics: The Brain by Tory Woollcott follows Fahama who is out helping her younger bratty sister sell cookies. Fahama gets kidnapped by an Evil Brain and his zombie butler when she knocks on the wrong door. He wants to remove her brain! Fahama distracts him in a bid for time so rescue can arrive by asking about the brain and its functions. The Evil Brain is happy to talk about his specialty. As Fahama learns about the brain, so does the reader. The information is pretty thorough. I even learned a few new things! There's humour as well. I adored the Star Trek neurons! I also liked that they included umami among the flavour receptors. The writing seems more junior high and high school level, rather than elementary level. Recommended for those interested in science!

***Many thanks to the Netgalley and First Second Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

I have read a couple of graphic novels in the Science Comics series (Science Comics: Plagues: The Microscopic Battlefield and Science Comics: Robots and Drones: Past, Present, and Future) and quite enjoyed those titles so thought I would pick up Science Comics: The Brain – The Ultimate Thinking Machine.

Fahama is essentially kidnapped and to be used as part of an experiment by “The Evil Brain”. Luckily, she is quick on her feet and keeps asking her captor questions. And this is where the reader picks up all the information about the brain.

I liked segments like the following where humour was interjected into the information being disseminated:

“The eye is one of my favorite body parts. EYE love it because it’s a CORNEA-copia of puns!”

“Your (vitreous) humor is the WORST.”

“I see what you did there.”

“What can I say? I’m a good PUPIL.”



I really enjoyed learning so many new things…for example – how and in what the

Egyptians kept when they mummified their dead. The jars were called canopic jars. They removed the brain through the back of the head via the Foramen magnum. Who knew? Or being told how fast nerve signals can move –> up to 540 kph (335 mph)!

I am a bit perplexed about Fahima’s sister – the Girl Scout with attitude… not sure I liked her bullying tactics or calling Troop 7 scum. Not very nice and not really something I like in a book (graphic novel or otherwise) where I know youth will be reading. Also, I found her attitude towards her mom to be disrespectful.

There were certainly little nuggets throughout that you could tell were for the younger crowd:

“The brain stem regulates things you don’t think about, like your heart rate and breathing, but it’s also in charge of things like sneezing and barfing!”

Or

When discussing how large the neocortex is when flattened out like a newspaper or pizza box:

“That’s both gross and cool!”- ”Most things in biology are.”



One thing I have to say about this book is that it is filled with SO much information – I felt like my brain was going to explode (hee hee). I also at times found the transitions abrupt. For example, when discussing taste and then the next page jumps right into hearing. There needed to be a more gradual transition into the next topic. Possibly with further editing, these transitions would not seem so unexpected.

From my experience each volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic— plagues, solar systems, dinosaurs, coral reefs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, flying machines, etc. So far, they are attractively illustrated graphic novels offering wildly entertaining views of their specific subject matters. The audience for these wonderful books seems to be very wide…elementary student, high schooler or an adult expanding their horizons… these graphic novels are wonderful for all.


*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Good depiction of the brain for mid-level elementary students. Having lived as a science teacher, I know "comic book" type learning is quite popular! There is a lot of information for the student - and the teacher. Very good book!

The Science Comics line is a wonderful marker for quality educational comics, and who better to teach about The Brain than a mad scientist?

Fahama is helping her crazily determined younger sister sell cookies when she stumbles into the lair of Dr. Cerebrum, an ambulatory brain in a jar. To keep him from removing her head, she asks him questions, learning about
* the history of brain science
* the evolution and structure of neurons
* the system of electrical communication involving synapses and action potential
* the makeup of the nervous system
* the parts of the brain itself
* how senses, such as sight and touch, work

The exaggerated humor keeps the situation (which could be quite scary) light-hearted. There’s a lot of information here, but cutting back and forth to the sister’s search for Fahama sections it nicely. Graudins does a terrific job (particularly since this is her first book) drawing both the characters and the cells, giving everything personality.

The educational material can seem overwhelming, with so many specialized terms and structures, but it’s livened up by various pop culture references, such as a Star Trek-like spaceship crew or the bad guy’s zombie butler.

The final section, on language, communication, and memory, including smart study habits, is outstanding, providing a high note to end on with the content most relevant to many readers. The encouraging message about different kinds of intelligence and the exhortation to “Don’t ever underestimate your intelligence or the intelligence of those around you!” is welcome.

Wow - the brain is amazing and so is this tour of what it accomplishes for us. Our guides through all that information are two sisters, Nour and Fahama, and a couple of their neighbors, a mad scientist and his assistant. It turns out that these neighbors are brain experts since one is a disembodied brain named Dr. Cerebrum and his assistant is a zombie ("Braaains"). As Fahama tries to keep her own brain inside her skull, she stalls for time by getting Dr. Cerebrum to explain all the intricacies of the brain and everything connected to it or controlled by it.

Topics covered include the evolution of life from single-celled organisms to today's humans with their complex brains, the various types of cells that make up the brain and nervous system, the jobs of those cells, the five senses, memory, and everything else related. The discussion of sight and sound gets into the details of wavelengths and frequencies. The different types of memory are covered and there is even guidance on the best way to study for a test.

One of my favorite sections describes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. They are illustrated as a Star Trek bridge crew with the reaction to a perceived danger and the fight or flight response embodied by the captain (complete with gold command shirt), and the "chilling system" that helps you calm down when the danger is over portrayed by an ultra-calm crewman in science officer blue. (You gotta love a classic reference like that.)

Although this topic is interesting, it is complex and full of difficult vocabulary - even with the illustrations for support. The several pages of glossary in the back are helpful, but this is not light reading. I would recommend it for middle grades and up.

I did not find this book having a good tone for children in starting pages. The main character (Nour) is focused on achieving a selfish goal, "Crush our enemies" and then breaks a key safety rule (travel in pairs) to satisfy this goal. And her older sister agrees, not the best role model. I realize this sets her up to encounter the haunted house that teaches her about the brain.
I teach college level biology and would suggest this be aimed at those students or high schoolers as an easy read to get the basic history of neurosceince, evolution and functions of the brain. It does a good job covering these topics in a organizes and memorable way.

The Brain: The Ultimate Thinking Machine is another installment to the Science Comics series. It was written by Tory Woollcot, illustrated by Alex Graudins, and is currently scheduled for release on October 16 2018. Nour wants to sell the most cookies for her Woodland Adventure Troop. Her sister Fahama is helping her, not necessarily by choice. When they split up, Fahama ends up in a old mansion with a mad scientist and his sidekick who want to take her brain to study. In an attempt to stall them, she asks a lot of questions about the brain. Along with Fahama reader learn all about the brain: what it does, how it does things, what it is made of, the role of the various parts, and so on. Meanwhile her sister is busy selling cookies, and looking for her sister.

The Brain: The Ultimate Thinking Machine is both entertaining and education- as I fully expected from this series. I like the fun and touch of adventure in the set up story. Sisters selling cookies, one of which is a little controlling, and then the search for the missing sister. I liked that Fahama is smart enough to keep the scientist and his henchman talking and explaining the brain and nervous system. The brain is described in great detail, and I will admit that it might be too much in a single sitting for some. I had to reread a few bits to make sure I fully understood it, and there is just so much information that it could be overwhelming for some readers. That being said, the information is well presented, the framing story well told, and the artwork was wonderful. Readers interested in learning about the brain will get a lot out of the book, and even those not looking for this amount of information can enjoy the story and learn some of the information along the way. This series offers a wonderful balance of information and entertainment, and I have yet to be disappointed.

The Brain: The Ultimate Thinking Machine is another Science Comic installment that combines entertainment with information. It is packed with information and vocabulary, and might be a little overwhelming for some readers, but if they take it in small doses and persevere in reading they will enjoy learning from this book quite a bit.

I had a harder time with this one, but I think it's due to my complete disinterest in biology LOL. It was never my strong suit in school, and this was very jargon heavy - although I'm sure for those that are interested, it is great! My other issue was that it seemed jumpy - or it lacked segues or something. I'd turn a page and it would be a completely different topic. Also, the "boss fight" at the end was lacking in details and I really want to know how they escaped!! (As always, bonus points for the diverse characters - loved that the two main characters wore hijabs! - and the added humor :-) )

While my library owns several graphic novels from the Science Comics series, this is the first I’ve read. Detailed information on the brain and how it functions is couched within a story of a sister abducted and a sister searching. The illustrations are excellent and the diagrams of the brain and it’s parts labeled with precision. This is not the typical graphic novel with a simple storyline amid cartoon style drawings. Woollcott’s book is designed for a student who enjoys learning factual information and the comics are a bonus. Given the high level vocabulary and in-depth material on a complex organ, this book would serve little purpose in a library serving students in grades less than fifth.

This book and this series are great introductions to non-fiction topics in the graphic novel format. My students gravitate towards these covers and no matter the topic, they enjoy what they read. Well written and informative.

Another great title from an awesome series. My students can’t get enough of these! I love the cover on this one. It will fit nicely with our school’s 4th grade science unit on the brain!

This is a fantastic book! Real facts mixed with mystery and silliness! I love the added storyline with the vengeful determined little ‘scout’ sister! Hilarious! My students will love this!

I cannot recommend this series enough! They are perfect for getting children (and adults) interested in reading and learning! I love the whole series, and this one did not disappoint.