For many people, high school is their first formal exposure to the world of chemistry. Sadly, it isn’t always the most positive experience, and many students end up feeling completely lost. Grasping basic chemistry concepts is not easy at the beginning. If your teacher hasn’t chosen the best high school chemistry textbook, but you are determined to learn, check out one or more of the books on this list. They are some of the best books to learn chemistry on your own, and might help keep you afloat in your high school chem class.
Furthermore, if you are a chemistry teacher looking for a way to plan your courses, or some complementary material for your students, make sure to check those out!
The Best Books to Learn Chemistry When You’re Lost in Class
Teachers are stretched pretty thin, and it’s often not possible for them to give each student the personalized attention they would like to. Sometimes their teaching style doesn’t mesh with your learning style, and sometimes you just get a bad teacher.
If you are self-motivated and have the best high school chemistry textbook, you might be able to figure it out on your own. But if you are still struggling to connect the dots, any of these best books to learn chemistry with could potentially give you a hand.
Also, if you look for good materials to learning chemistry on your own, or just homeschooling your kids, this guide is also for you.
Remember that high school studies usually shape how you enjoy science in general, so make sure to tackle them smartly, and especially to enjoy them!
First, we’ll start with a quick introduction to our top two picks. Both are great books for learning general chemistry at the high school or early college level. You can use either of them to learn from scratch with no previous knowledge of chemistry, or you can use them to supplement your class in school.
Our Top Picks for the Best Books to Learn Chemistry
On this occasion, our first choice for high school students who need a book to help them study on their own, or for anyone who wants to learn chemistry from scratch, is Houk & Post’s Chemistry: Concepts and Problems: A Self-Teaching Guide. This book is perfect for just about any student because it is, as the name indicates, designed to be a self-taught introductory chemistry course. It’s a very cheap option, accesible to everyone.
The first time we released this review, we selected as second top pick Chemistry for Dummies.
However, we recently got a copy of Focus On High School Chemistry by Rebecca W. Keller, and we immediately ran to update the review!
This textbook is simply amazing for high school level chemistry. If you need an extremely complete book, go for this option. If you need to complement a traditional high school education, it’s great. If you need it for homeschooling, this piece has everything you will. It is a more expensive option, but I can asure you it is a great investment.
Quick Comparison of the Best Books to Learn Chemistry
Here’s a quick reference table with all the books covered in this review. For the full reviews, just scroll down.
The Best Books to Learn Chemistry in High School
Here, we’ve got detailed reviews of six of the best books to help you learn chemistry when your school textbook just isn’t cutting it.
1. Chemistry: Concepts and Problems: A Self-Teaching Guide
Our top pick on this list and our recommendation for the best chemistry textbook for self-study. This self-teaching guide is just that, which means it has everything you need to learn this fascinating science.
Chemistry: Concepts and Problems: A Self-Teaching Guide
It is a great tool for someone who wants to study chemistry but isn’t enrolled in a class, but it can also be a lifesaver for high school or college students who don’t feel that they are learning effectively from their teacher and textbook.
Importantly, there is a lot of research behind the book’s approach to delivering and reinforcing content. It uses the programmed learning method, which works by asking questions immediately after explaining a new concept, and then using spaced repetition exercises to lay a strong foundation.
2. Focus On High School Chemistry
We recently updated this article to show you what is now our second first pick for a high school chemistry textbook: Focus On High School Chemistry.
Focus On High School Chemistry
This book is mande for covering everything through grades 9 to 12 in high school chemistry. And it does it in a beautiful way. This book is part of the Science-4-Kids curriculum, which tries to cover science using a neutral view of the world (so only scientific facts, not trying to impose religious or philosophical interpretations).
The book starts off from the very beginning, what is chemistry? And it certainly follows a great pedagogical approach to learn chemistry. It hasa . very engaging language, and it is friendly for both public/private schools as well as for home schooling programs.
Through its almost 300 pages, you will find not only theory and explanations, but also chemistry experiments explained step by step that can be done either on a chemistry lab or at home.
It covers an introduction to chemistry and matter, before jumping into chemical bonding and basic reactions. It does a great job covering equilibriums such as acid/base reactions, or concepts behind mixtures. It ends with an introduction to organic chemistry (chemistry of carbon) and even leaps a bit into polymers and biochemical systems.
Overall, an entertaining and complete coverage of high school chemistry. It’s not as cheap as other complementary options, but it is definitely recommended.
3. Chemistry for Dummies
If you have never had a chemistry class in your life, Chemistry for Dummies is one of the best books to learn chemistry from scratch. If you can read and do basic math, you have everything you need to use this book successfully.
Chemistry For Dummies
That, of course, is the beauty of all “for dummies” books. They are written to be understood by anyone who wants to learn. Plus, they are more engaging than your average chemistry textbook because of the authors’ sense of humor and fun tone.
This specific item tracks a typical two-semester chemistry course, which would be one year of high school chemistry or general chemistry I and II at the college level. Also, it provides plenty of examples of real-life applications to help you understand this science in the context of daily life.
4. Chemistry Essentials for Dummies
You could say that this is the best chemistry handbook, of sorts, on our list. Chemistry Essentials for Dummies is written by the same author as Chemistry for Dummies. The difference is that this book is more useful as a quick reference or a refresher on key concepts.
Chemistry Essentials For Dummies
It is part of a relatively new series from the publisher called The Essentials for Dummies. As such, it is primarily intended for students who are studying proactively before starting a new class, reviewing for exams, or simply refreshing their knowledge on the subject of chemistry.
But that’s not all! It is also very useful for parents who might have taken chemistry many years ago and want a quick review so that they can help their children with their homework.
5. AP Chemistry for Dummies
This book has a more specific audience in mind, as the name suggests. While it is not the best high school chemistry textbook for general use, it is an excellent companion book for advanced placement or AP chemistry.
AP Chemistry For Dummies
AP classes are taken in high school for college credit, and so they are expected to cover the same material as two semesters of university general chemistry. But that doesn’t mean that any old review book will necessarily be helpful for acing this class.
AP Chemistry for Dummies has the advantage of being aimed at AP students and addressing the unique challenges that come with this advanced class. Not the least of which is, of course, the dreaded AP chemistry exam at the end of the year.
This book not only offers an in-depth concept review and two full-length practice exams, but also a study schedule to prevent cramming and valuable test-taking strategies.
But if you really want some material to prepare for the AP chem exams, just check out this other article with a lot of more specific reviews.
6. Organic Chemistry I for Dummies
Like the previous item, this book has a much more specific focus. In this case, it is on organic chemistry, not general chemistry.
Organic Chemistry I For Dummies
Organic Chemistry I for Dummies covers a branch of chemistry that may or may not make a strong appearance in your high school curriculum. However, it will definitely be helpful if you take organic chem in college, or even if you just want to learn as much as you can about chemistry on your own.
7. Chemistry Workbook for Dummies
It’s been proven that the most effective way to study for an exam is to do practice tests, and the best way to learn anything is by doing. With that in mind, we could say that Chemistry Workbook for Dummies is the best tool you can find to learn high school chemistry with a more hands-on approach.
Chemistry Workbook For Dummies
This book provides key concept reviews for each section, but where it really shines is the hundreds of practice problems with full explanations. The latest editions also come with access to an online test bank to help you get everything down pat.
Final Thoughts on the Best High School Chemistry Textbooks
Naturally, the right book for you will depend on the exact chemistry class you are taking, if you are even enrolled in a formal class at all.
However, we would say that the first two items on this list, Chemistry: Concepts and Problems: A Self-Teaching Guide and Focus On High School Chemistry will be the best options for most students in high school chemistry or college general chemistry.
This is because the generalized focus of these two books makes them more universally appropriate for people trying to study chemistry. Both are designed for students who have no prior knowledge of chemistry and provide clear, detailed explanations of everything you need to know in this class.
To sum up the whole review: If you want the best cheaper option, go with the Self Teaching Guide. If you want a more complete option, go with Focus On High School Chemistry!
If you want to expand your knowledge in chemistry further, check out the best general chemistry textbooks out there. Also, if you are interested in self-learning in particular, wee have this other review post for you!
Whatever you choose, we recommend buying your new chemistry book sooner rather than later. The earlier you start using supplemental material, the less you’ll have to make up for after being lost in class for weeks or months.
Study a little bit at a time, every day or most days, do practice problems consistently, and don’t wait to cram everything at the last minute—that’s the path to success in your chemistry class.
It’s nice but where can I find the text book
Libraries or online/physical books stores 🙂
I absolutely love Focus on Chemistry by Keller
Please can you also recommend Physics and Mathematics 🥲
Not the biggest expert in teaching those subjects, sorry!