If your child is curious about the world around them or simply needs a little encouragement to get the most out of their science lessons at school then we have some books to help develop their theories and test them out. From setting up your own lab at home and conducting epic experiments with Big Manny to time-traveling through space with Stephen Hawking to unlock the secrets of the universe , we have a book for every budding scientist!
Why is blood red? Why are carrots orange? Who invented the lightbulb? Why is the world 'going green'? Is the sky really blue? And what is ultraviolet light? You'll discover the answers to these questions - and many more - in this incredible collection of scientific facts about colour. We'll talk about light (the most important thing) and waves (not the kind you see at the beach - though you will learn why the sea looks blue!). You'll find out how some animals are able to glow in the dark and how others change their colours to hide from predators.
Look Up!
Meet hilarious, science-mad chatterbox, Rocket - she's going to be the greatest astronaut, star-catcher, space-traveller that has ever lived! But… can she convince her big brother to stop looking down at his phone and start LOOKING UP at the stars? Bursting with energy and passion about science and space, this heart-warming, inspirational picture book will have readers turning off their screens and switching on to the outside world.
Are you curious about all the stuff that surrounds us every day? Did you know that Velcro was inspired by a dog and WiFi by a movie star? Of course, this wouldn't be an Adam Kay book without some of the grossest and most ridiculous inventions too—don't worry, we've got that covered. From meeting the queen who used the first-ever toilet to discovering why Ancient Greeks wiped their bums on dinner plates, this book reveals the weirdest and most wonderful inventions that changed our lives, and some that definitely didn’t!
Start experimenting with TikTok science sensation Big Manny. You'll create explosive reactions, from fizzing mixtures to dish soap volcanoes to meeting all the fun elements to make the world work. Using ordinary ingredients, you can easily set up your own science lab ready for children to explore, get messy, and learn along the way.
Did You Know There's Poop on the Moon? by Dan Marshall (2026)
Do you long to know the foulest facts about space, Earth, humans, animals and science as a whole? Then look no further than Dan Marshall's Did You Know There's Poop on the Moon? . This delightfully disgusting book takes you on a journey of mind-blowing fact discovery, teaching you things like "there's a robot designed to projectile vomit" and "over the course of your life, you will drool enough to fill two swimming pools".
How did humans start of as insignificant apes in the African savannah, terrified of prowling animals around our camps, to ruling the world? What happened and how did some humans, like Kings Queens, not to mention our parents, get more power than others? The answer is one of the strangest tales you'll ever hear! From the bestselling author of Sapiens Unstoppable Us, Volume 1
‘Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet.’ Discover the many wondrous secrets of the cosmos in this book by the late, world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy. Unlocking the Universe is filled with facts and essays about all things science, from the Big Bang and Einstein’s theory of special relativity to the ethics of AI and climate change. Stephen and Lucy, along with a great many other experts, have put together this compendium of knowledge that is perfect for wannabe scientists.
A fact-filled fictional tale for science enthusiasts, Princess Olivia is delighted that she can finally give up her boring princess lessons after the Kingdom of Alez decides it doesn’t need a royal family anymore. She can’t wait to learn all about volcanoes, space, and the ocean at school. But when she moves into the city, she discovers it is heavily polluted and the weather moves from one extreme to the other. Can Olivia help save her former kingdom from climate destruction?
Dr Sheila Kanani is here to explain ten of the most EXTRAORDINARY ideas in science – and introduce the incredible brains that you never knew were behind them. Each chapter explores one important idea: how it works, why it’s important, and the real story of how it was discovered. Did you know for example that Isaac Newton was influenced by scientists from the Islamic Golden Age? You’ll also hear about the unbelievable accidents behind some of these amazing ideas, as well as the mysteries that scientists are still trying to solve. With stunning illustrations from Liz Kay, this beautiful treasury is perfect for curious kids to dip in and out of, and is packed with fascinating facts.
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.
In Roald Dahl's classic tale , George creates his own marvellous medicine to sort out his grizzly Grandma. And now it’s your turn! Inspired by Dahl’s original wacky tale, this book is full of amazing experiments that budding scientists can attempt at home – without the disastrous consequences Granny faced! Follow the simple step-by-step instructions and you can make your own homemade slime, explosive volcano, and more!
If you like adventure AND science, then the Max Einstein series deserves a spot on your bookshelf. It follows the adventures of 12-year-old Max and she’s your typical pre-teen. She goes to college, plays a lot of chess, and builds inventions to help the homeless. Max has also recently been recruited to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems using science. However, a sinister group known as The Corporation has other plans in store for Max... Interspersed with scientific facts throughout, this series has been officially approved by the Albert Einstein Archives!
Have you ever wondered how old the Earth really is? Or how the Moon was formed? And who was the first person to discover dinosaurs? All these questions and more are answered in Bill Bryson’s A Really Short History of Nearly Everything . This extraordinary book will take you from the dawn of time to the present day, revealing all the mysteries of time, space, and life. It’s guaranteed to turn any reader into a scientist.
In 1969 history was made when the first humans stepped on the moon. Back on earth, one woman was running the numbers that ensured they got there and back in one piece. As a child, Katherine Johnson loved maths. She went on to be one of the most important people in the history of space travel. Discover her incredible life story in this beautifully illustrated book complete with narrative biography, timelines and facts.
In 1859, naturalist and biologist Charles Darwin published his ground-breaking On the Origin of Species which changed everything everyone had ever thought about the creation of the world. And now, fellow biologist Sabina Radeva has retold Darwin’s work in picture book form. Young readers will learn all about the theory of evolution, and the ways in which species form and change over time through Radeva’s stunning illustrations.
Leonora Bolt makes amazing gadgets from any old junk. And her inventions have already stopped villainous Uncle Luther TWICE, though she hasn't rescued her super-scientist parents from him - yet. Leonora and her pals find clues that lead them to Luther's latest evil plan. It's an amusement park called Brightworld built in a desert, under a massive snow globe - and it's terrible for the environment! But when all their fancy-pants gadgets fail in the hot-hot heat, it's down to Leonora to use her eco-engineering imagination. Can she invent something to shut down Brightworld and save her parents - before there's a meltdown? Leonora Bolt: Secret Inventor ; Leonora Bolt: Deep Sea Calamity Leonora Bolt: The Great Gadget Games
Pig Heart Boy is an incredibly moving story about 13-year-old Cameron, who receives a pig’s heart as a transplant when there are no human donors available. As well as detailing the science behind the story, this book covers the very real and ethical debates on the sensitive subject manner in a compassionate and engaging way.
The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people's heads off but there was one TINY LITTLE problem back then... doctors didn't have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked. If you're sure you're ready, then pop a peg on your nose (there was a lot of stinky pus back then), pull on your wellies (there was a lot of poo there too), wash your hands (because they certainly didn't) and explore the gross and gruesome history of the human body in... KAY'S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE - the brand-new, hilarious book from bestselling, record-breaking author, Adam Kay.
Physicist Stephen Hawking is one of the greatest minds of our time. And he lived an extraordinary life. Diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21, Hawking was told that he only had a few years left to live. Well, he ended up defying those odds (Hawking lived to the age of 76), and he helped define our understanding of the universe with his book A Brief History of Time
Itch
Young scientists will find a hero in Itch, an accidental, accident-prone science-lover. Itch just loves chemistry, and is an element hunter, trying to collect all the elements in the periodic table. One day, Itch makes a discovery – he’s found a new element! But soon someone wants this prized possession and Itch is quickly plunged into a high-stakes adventure.
Based on Professor Hawking's 2018 Earth Day address, this inspiring picture asks children everywhere to look up and wonder at the world around them - just as Professor Hawking did his whole life. Including questions and answers to some big science topics, perfectly explained for young readers by Professor Hawking's daughter, Lucy, and beautifully illustrated by Xin Li, this is the perfect read for curious young minds.
We spend our whole lives in one body and yet most of us have practically no idea how it works and what goes on inside it. Want to know why the skin is the biggest organ? Why our brains can see into the future? Or why your eyes are back to front? Packed full of facts, big numbers (such as the amount of microbes that make you) and small numbers (the size of those very tiny microbes) all in full-colour. This non-fiction book, packed with wonder from the globally bestselling Bill Bryson is a head-to-toe tour of the most amazing thing about you - YOUR BODY!
Matilda, the plucky protagonist from The Matilda Effect wants to be a famous inventor, so she enters the school science fair. Despite her excellent invention, she doesn’t win, all because the judges didn’t believe she came up with the entry by herself. Because she’s a girl. Dejected, Matilda discovers something similar is happening to her Grandma, an astrophysicist, whose discovery of a new planet is about to win a Nobel Prize – only to be claimed by somebody else! It’s a race against time to crash the award ceremony and reveal the truth. Will they make it?
