Festive fun and seasonal science from around the world

A Very Curious Christmas

Festive facts, winter science and holidays around the world

Did you know that reindeer knees make a snapping sound? Or that astronauts aren&rsquo;t allowed to eat Brussel sprouts? Or that the world&rsquo;s biggest gingerbread house was about the size of a tennis court? 
 
Join Maddie Moate as she uncovers the most incredible facts about the festive season &ndash; from upside-down Christmas trees to presents delivered by a goat! 
 
You'll explore winter science &ndash; including how fairy lights work, why holly leaves are spiky and where snowflakes come from. 
 
And you'll discover how different people around the world celebrate the Christmas period, and the fascinating history behind festive traditions. 
 
Plus, every chapter includes seasonal activities and craft ideas to get you in the holiday spirit, from recyclable decorations to a magical recipe for Santa&rsquo;s milk and even a mini ice-rink! 
 
This curious collection of festive facts and activities will keep children aged 6+ and their families entertained through the dark winter months, and is perfect for fans of Maddie&rsquo;s Do You Know?

Maddie Moate (Author) Maddie Moate is a BAFTA-winning presenter and YouTuber, passionate about curiosity and inspiring children with the wonders of the world. Maddie's hugely popular YouTube channel, with over 300,000 subscribers, is full of fun, family-focused science videos that have taken her on curious adventures around the world. Maddie regularly appears on CBeebies, and also hosts and performs her own theatre shows and live events. Paul Boston (Illustrator) Paul Boston grew up in the English countryside and spent much of his time heading off into the fields and woods exploring and drawing pictures of the wildlife he found. Now, from his country hideaway in South Wales, Paul keeps himself busy illustrating books for young people on subjects including: inventions, airplanes, trains, string and anything else you care to mention.

Curious Everyday STUFF That Helps Our Planet

Stuff

This is the first children's book from CBBC presenter Maddie Moate: a collection of extraordinary stories about STUFF. 
 
Do you ever wonder where your stuff comes from, and what happens to it when you're finished with it? Did you know that you can make paper out of elephant poo? And plastic packaging out of seaweed? And did you know that if you throw away an old T-shirt, it can take 200 years to break down? 
 
Written and researched by Maddie Moate, the star of CBBC's Do You Know? and Let's Go Live with Maddie and Greg, and illustrated by Paul Boston, this book is full of mind-bursting facts and extraordinary stories of the ingenious ways people around the world, and across history, have made, used and re-used the stuff around them.

Stuff is yet another example of Moate's professional curiosity. It's a bright, fun children's book that leads the reader around the world . . .

Maddie Moate is a BAFTA winning presenter and YouTuber, passionate about curiosity and inspiring children with the wonders of the world. She is the host of the BAFTA nominated TV series "Maddie's Do You Know?", Sony Music's podcast "Maddie's Sound Explorers" and presented BBC Earth's "Earth Unplugged". Maddie's YouTube channel is full of fun, family-focused science videos that have taken her on curious adventures around the world. Her channel is also home to the wildly popular series "Let's Go Live with Maddie and Greg", a live family science show which helped countless families with homeschooling over lockdown. 
 
Paul Boston grew up in the English countryside and spent much of his time heading off into the fields and woods exploring and drawing pictures of the wildlife he found. Now, from his country hideaway in South Wales, Paul keeps himself busy illustrating books for young people on subjects including: inventions, airplanes, trains, string and anything else you care to mention. Paul isn't as well travelled as Maddie but he has watched Maori people cooking hangi food in the hot springs of New Zealand and spent time among the elephants in Thailand. He would love to try making paper out of elephant poo, but there aren't many elephants in Wales.

This is the first children's book from CBBC presenter Maddie Moate: a collection of extraordinary stories about STUFF. 
 
Do you ever wonder where your stuff comes from, and what happens to it when you're finished with it? Did you know that you can make paper out of elephant poo? And plastic packaging out of seaweed? And did you know that if you throw away an old T-shirt, it can take 200 years to break down? 
 
Written and researched by Maddie Moate, the star of CBBC's Do You Know? and illustrated by Paul Boston, this book is full of mind-bursting facts and extraordinary stories of the ingenious ways people around the world, and across history, have made, used and re-used the stuff around them.

Maddie Moate

Paul Boston

Explore machines and objects, from fridges to fire engines!

Follow Maddie Moate as she takes a look inside everyday objects and machines – from fridges to fire engines! 
 
Starting in the home, you'll find out how microwaves heat your food and how smart speakers react to voice commands. Then take a trip to the supermarket and discover how the checkout works, before heading to the playground and learning why a roundabout makes you feel dizzy! 
 
As you learn about difference machines and objects, you'll go on four mini adventures – from finding missing parts of a toy car, to preparing a birthday picnic. And there are puzzles to solve too, including a spot the difference, a maze and a word ladder. 
 
The marvellous machines featured in this book range from objects in the home (including a smart speaker, a microwave, a dishwasher, a fridge and a toilet!) to machines in the workplace (a dentist's chair, an X-ray machine, a digger and a fire hose), as well as in the playground, at the shops, on holiday and beyond. 
 
Written and researched by Maddie Moate, the star of CBeebies Do You Know?, this book is packed with awesome facts and key STEM concepts - perfect for nurturing curious minds aged 6 and above.

Paul Boston

Books by Paul Boston

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