How does clean water simply come out of the tap? What are those things up on cell phone towers? If the internet is in the cloud, why do we need big server farms? This fascinating graphic novel primer details how the systems that deliver water, electricity, and the Internet work, including how each came to be, and what they might look like in the future. Notable for exploring its complex subject matter with remarkable clarity, the explanations unfold in a skillful narrative and line drawings rendered in a limited, cool palette that help it feel light and accessible. Encompassing history, science, technology, and ecology, a recurring theme across the three subjects is the impact of humans manipulating nature. For example, California’s Central Valley water network was an engineering feat, but also created economic tensions related to subsidies and corporate farming. Issues related to resource use, abuse, ownership, and climate change are woven throughout. This unintimidating volume is ideal for readers who are curious about how the world works, as well as those interested in environmental issues. (Age 12 and older)

We use water, electricity, and the internet every day--but how do they actually work? And what’s the plan to keep them running for years to come? This nonfiction science graphic novel takes readers on a journey from how the most essential systems were developed to how they are implemented in our world today and how they will be used in the future.

What was the first message sent over the internet? How much water does a single person use every day? How was the electric light invented?

For every utility we use each day, there’s a hidden history--a story of intrigue, drama, humor, and inequity. This graphic novel provides a guided tour through the science of the past--and reveals how the decisions people made while inventing and constructing early technology still affect the way people use it today.

Full of art, maps, and diagrams, Hidden Systems is a thoughtful, humorous exploration of the history of science and what needs to be done now to change the future.