Manga Guide to Electricity

By Kazuhiro Fujitaki
No Starch Press, $19.95, 206 pages

Most science textbooks lean towards the boring because there is no link to practical reality; although examples may be presented, they are somehow disconnected from reality because they are examples of theory rather than an actual practice. The Manga Guide to Electricity takes the opposite approach; it shows real-life examples and then describes the theories behind them. Combined with the narrative of a girl who needs to learn about electricity in order to graduate school and you have a charming book that definitely educates.

There are two sections to The Manga Guide to Electricity: The text sections and the manga sections. The manga deal with Rereko, an extra-dimensional exchange student learning about electricity for high school graduation from Hikaru, who trades lessons for housework. As Rereko asks questions, Hikaru responds, creating a rather nice conversation that helps the reader develop an interest in learning more about electricity. The text sections delve into more detail about the material covered, making for some great supplemental material and clearing up the occasional point. By combining the two, a powerful tool is created.

Although the story may be get a bit silly here and there, including the epilogue, the book itself is a serious attempt at getting kids to learn about what is normally hard to teach. There’s a definite advantage to doing it this way, taking advantage of visual learning and it’s effective. For parents trying to give their kids an edge or just for kids with a curiosity about their electronics, Manga Guide to Electricity should definitely be on their bookshelves.

Reviewed by Jamais Jochim