Ajax Bigelow has a problem. He really doesn't like science, but he must write a science journal for his science teacher Ms. Turri "or else". He decides to chronical the events in class as they study what he calls "stuff" and Ms. Turri calls matter. Ajax Bigelow's Science Journal – Stuff begins with Ajax's reaction to the assignment and his acceptance that he'd better do it. He begins as instructed by telling about his family – himself, his parents, and his older brother Sammy, who he considers "a pain". The remaining 15 chapters, called journals, are short discussions of what happens in each of Ms. Turri's lessons. The class studies such topics as mass, density, atoms and molecules, states of matter, mixtures and compounds, and much more. In all cases, Ajax is the rebel in the room, fumbling through activities and discussions while trying not to get a detention.
