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Science Books for Kids

Discover the 100 best new science books!

“What an astonishing thing a book is. It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it and you're inside the mind of another person.

Across the millennia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic."

- Carl Sagan

Science Books for Kids

The 100 Best Science Books For Kids of All Ages

To help you choose the perfect educational books for your child, we've created this handpicked list of the best science books for kids.

The titles featured here spark curiosity, encourage learning, and are lots of fun, too.

Best Science Books for Kids

About Time

Science Books for Kids

Long ago people used the sun, the moon, and the water to tell time. Soon after we began using our knowledge about the natural world to build clocks and to create calendars. Centuries later, we have clocks and calendars all around us. This book tells the amazing story of how it all happened!

Actual Size

Science Books for Kids

Just how big is a crocodile? What about a tiger, or the world’s largest spider? Can you imagine a tongue that is two feet long or an eye that is bigger than your head? Sometimes facts and figures don’t tell the whole story. This stunning book explains animals big and small - visually.

Amazing Giant Sea Creatures

Science Books for Kids

Dive into the deep blue sea, swim alongside a whale, leap up with a dolphin, and escape from a great white shark in this amazingly interactive book. Life-like illustrations combined with interesting facts make it the perfect guide to the scientific wonders of the deep!

Animal Encyclopedia

Science Books for Kids

Our world is filled with extraordinary diversity, from amoebas to zebras, from tiny toadstools to giant oaks. The wonders of the natural world are on display in The Animal Book. This guide to life on our planet is packed full of information about creatures big and small. A bestselling book.

Animalium

Science Books for Kids Reviews

This book opens the doors of the natural history museum for your child, all year round! It features 200 full-color specimens accompanied by lively, informative text and more. Discover the animal kingdom in glorious detail with unparalleled illustrations that combine science and art.

Wow! Animals

Best Science Books for Kids

For more than forty-five years, the National Wildlife Federation has been dazzling families with amazing images. Get ready for some supersonic fun that will make you say WOW! Discover jet propulsion in dragonflies, camouflage in cuttlefish, and much more! A beautiful book.

A Passion for Elephants

Science Books

This lyrical and accessible picture book gives kids a glimpse of what scientists do in the real world and inspires them to dream of accomplishing BIG things. A vivid introduction to the fascinating lives of the large mammals and what it means to study them. Also a great intro to how advocacy works.

A Place for Zero

Science Books for Kids

Zero is lonely in Digitaria. He can't play Addemup with the other numbers, because he has nothing to add. What's a digit to do? Join Zero as he goes on a journey to discover his place among the other numbers. A fun adventure that teaches elementary schoolers about how fun math can be.

Bang!

Books for Kids

"Bang! And that was it, the beginning of everything." So begins this beautifully illustrated story of evolution. This book conveys not only the facts but also the excitement of the scientific explanation of our world, from the origin of the universe to the present reality of our planet.

Batman Science

Batman Science

When it comes to fighting crime, technology is Batman's greatest weapon. From his gadget-packed Utility Belt to his high-tech Batmobile, the Dark Knight tackles Gotham's criminal underworld. This book uses science to explain the real-world connections behind the story.

Bedtime Math

Math Science

This book makes learning about math as fun as desert after dinner! It combines math and cool facts for one wacky and wild adventure. Now kids can discover the science behind all their favorite things: marshmallows, soda, ice cream, and more. Make numbers fun - easily!

Behold the Dung Beetle

Science Books for Kids

Simple science text and dramatic illustrations give a close-up view of the fascinating world of the dung beetle. When an animal lightens its load, dung beetles race to the scene. They battle over, devour, hoard, and lay their eggs in the precious poop. A really fun book that kids love.

Big Book of Why

Big Book of Why

Why do we have eyebrows? Why do wet fingers stick to metal in the freezer? Divided by subject areas - humans, animals, environment, nature, technology, and space - this books delivers easy to understand answers paired with clever illustrations. A must have!

Big Questions

Big Questions

This is a smart, illuminating, essential, and utterly delightful handbook for perplexed parents and their curious children. Author Gemma Harris has lovingly compiled weighty questions from grade school children and gathered scientists to provide great answers! Really fun.

Creature Features

Creature Features

Even as babies, we humans pay close attention to faces. Observing another person's features and expressions tells us whether they are happy, angry, excited, or sad. So what about animals? This book captures humorous and very true explanations of why animals look the way they do.

Diary of a Time Traveller

Time Traveler Science

Meet some of history's most interesting characters in this book that visits key moments of the past from around the world. Each double page spread introduces a different time and place and in the back you can find biographies of all the historical characters covered.

Dinosaur!

Dinosaurs

Created in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution and packed with fun facts on fossils, amphibians, sea creatures, woolly mammoths, Neanderthals, insects and more, Dinosaur! will intrigue readers and provide an experience that will redefine natural history for kids.

Dinosaurs

Dinosaurs Book

Discover the prehistoric world of dinosaurs. Using stunning images and
illustrations, Dinosaurs takes kids on a fascinating visual journey of these amazing creatures who once ruled the Earth, revealing their incredible secrets along the way. A great gift idea for any age group.

Egg

Educational Book for Kids

Hatching a plan for survival isn’t always easy in the wild. And how animals lay, protect, and even use each other's eggs as a food source help reveal the life cycle of the natural world. Eggs come in all shapes and sizes and are nature's perfect package. A fun and fascinating read.

Equal Shmequal

Math Book

What does it mean to be equal? Mouse and her friends want to play tug-of-war but they can't figure out how to make teams that are equal. Nothing works until Mouse starts thinking mathematically. Wonderful illustrations capture Mouse and her animal friends from whiskers to tails.

Everything Kids Experiments

Science Experiments Book

Simply gather a few household items and you can recreate dozens of
mind-blowing, kid-tested science experiments. High school science
teacher Tom Robinson shows you how to expand your scientific horizons -from biology to chemistry to physics to outer space.

Everything Rocks

Everything Rocks

Let your child become a geology expert as she or he browses eye-popping photos and absorb layers of information made extra fun through a humor infused presentation. Features dazzling photos of different gems. Perfect for rock-crazy kids and junior scientists who love to explore.

Evolution Coloring Book

Evolution Book

This book takes the concept of a coloring book and, well, evolves it a
bit. Interactive elements such as flaps, die cuts, stencils, and mix and
match pages can all be colored in and engaged with. Clear text explains
Charles Darwin's ideas and big bold drawings are exploding with fun.

Extreme Laboratories

Laboratories

Every day, the world's scientists are working to solve some of the most thrilling mysteries on Earth. This book highlights some of the incredible ways that scientists search for answers to our biggest questions. Discover how extreme experiments work with eye-catching images.

Eye to Eye

Eye to Eye

This creative book explains how for most animals, eyes are the most important source of information about the world in a biological sense. Explore how animals have evolved an amazing variety of eyes from early clusters of light-sensitive cells, along with often surprising ways to use them.

Fair Bare Share

Mathematics

If the bear cubs gather enough nuts, seeds and blueberries, Mama Bear has agreed to make her special, lip-smacking-good pie. Simple math concepts are embedded in each story so that young children can intuitively understand them. An amazingly fun introduction to math!

Feathers Not Just for Flying

Animals

Young naturalists meet sixteen birds in this elegant introduction to the
many uses of feathers. A concise main text highlights how feathers are
not just for flying. The books features a scrapbook design that showcases life-size feather illustrations. Highly recommended!

Frontiers of Space

Frontiers of Space

Professor Astro Cat is the smartest cat in the alley. He's got a degree in just about every discipline under the sun!
Speaking of the sun, he happens to be specialist on that, too! He will tell you everything that there could be to know about our planet, our solar system, our galaxy, and our universe.

Full Speed Ahead!

Full Speed Ahead

Did you know that a tornado travels faster than a race car? Or that a human and spider travel at the same speed? This is the first picture book to directly compare the speeds of animals, modes of transport, and forces of nature in a clear and visually striking album format.

Galápagos George

Galapagos George

This is the story of the famous Lonesome George, a giant tortoise who was the last of his species, lived to be one hundred years old, and became known as the rarest creature in the world. His story gives us a glimpse of the amazing creatures inhabiting the Galápagos Islands.

Gardening Lab for Kids

Gardening LAb

A refreshing source of ideas to help your children learn to grow their own patch of earth, Gardening Lab for Kids encourages children to get outside and enjoy nature. This fun and creative book features 52 plant-related activities set into weekly science lessons. Fun for the whole family!

Girls Think of Everything

Girls and Science

Women and girls have invented ingenious innovations that have made our lives simpler and better. Their creations are some of the most enduring and best loved. What inspired these women, and just how did they turn their ideas into realities? An empowering read.

Great Science Experiments

Science for Boys

Whether you're looking for science project ideas for the science fair or you just want fun science experiments to do with your child to encourage learning at home, 101 Great Science Experiments is a fun and comprehensive resource jam-packed with great ideas.

Handle with Care

Best Science Book

Some farms grow vegetables or grains, and some raise cows, sheep, chickens, or pigs. But have you ever heard of a butterfly farm? How do you raise a butterfly? On a farm in Costa Rica, workers care for these delicate, winged creatures as they change from eggs to caterpillars to pupae.

Head to Toe Science

Science Book

Untangle the Mystery of Human Hair! Listen to a Heart Throb! Sniff Out Why Stinky Feet Stink! Explore the amazing human body with easy-to-do activities. Use ordinary products found around your house to discover the wonders of your body from top to bottom - inside and out!

How Does the Wind Blow

Dinosaurs

Wind is invisible, but watchful students can see how air in motion can be detected by movement around them. This simple book introduces the different intensities of the wind, from gentle breezes that make flags flutter to powerful tornadoes that can lift an entire house!

How Much is a Million?

Science Book for Children

Ever wonder just what a million of something means? How about a billion? Or a trillion? Marvelosissimo the mathematical magician can teach you! How Much is a Million? knocks complex numbers down to size, helping children conceptualize a difficult mathematical concept.

I am Albert Einstein

I am Albert Einstein

Even when he was a kid, Albert Einstein did things his own way. He thought in pictures instead of words, and his special way of thinking helped him understand big ideas like the structure of music and why a compass always points north. A lively, fun biography that's truly inspiring.

if...

Science Book for Children

Author David J. Smith has found clever devices to scale down everything from time lines (the history of Earth compressed into one year), to quantities (all the wealth in the world divided into one hundred coins), to size differences (the planets shown as different types of balls).

If the World Were a Village

Science Book for Children

This eye-opening book has become a classic, promoting "world mindedness" and reason by imagining the world's population, as a village of just 100 people. By exploring the lives of the 100 villagers, children will discover that life in other nations is often very different from their own.

Infinity and Me

Biology Book for Children

Uma can't help feeling small when she peers up at the night sky. She begins to wonder about infinity. Is it a number that grows forever? Is it an endless racetrack? Could infinity be in an ice cream cone? She soon finds that the ways to think about this big idea may just be . . . infinite.

Infographics: Human Body

Math Book for Children

Human Body shows just how interesting and humorous scientific information can be. Complex facts about the human body are reinterpreted as stylish infographics that astonish, amuse, and inform. This is a children's science book of the highest pedigree.

Infographics: Space

space book

Another entry in a great series of books that visualize science through simple infographics. This book makes it fun to explore new pieces of knowledge. Researched by the Guardian’s data expert and illustrated by New York Times designer Jennifer Daniel, it's a must have for space fans.

Inside Your Outside!

cat in the hat science

The Cat in the Hat takes kids for a ride through the human body where they visit the right and left sides of the brain, scuba dive through the blood system, follow food and water through the digestive tract, and a whole lot more! A really fun book that your child will absolutely love.

It's NOT the Stork!

sex ed book

Young children are curious about almost everything, especially their bodies. And kids are not afraid to ask questions. What makes me a girl? What makes me a boy? This books helps to answer those questions and shows children that it's perfectly normal to ask them.

Light and Color

physics books

This book unfolds as a series of observations about light, including where it comes from, how it bounces off of people and objects, and what we mean when we say the colors of a rainbow are the colors in light. Beautiful, impressionistic drawings bring it all to life.

Little Changes

evolution science book for children

Teach your children about the wonders of evolution with this fun story, and get them asking questions about the world they live in. Natural disaster strikes and splits a group of fun beings into two. They evolve separately through many adventures and show kids how evolution works.

Mad About Monkeys

mad about monkeys

With over 250 species inhabiting our planet, this book explores the many different types of monkeys from the smallest Pygmy Marmoset to the largest Mandrill, and provides all the facts you wanted to know and more. Your child will soon be raving about monkeys, too!

Manfish

mafish

Once upon a time in France, a baby was born under the summer sun. His parents named him Jacques Cousteau. In this lovely biography, poetic text and gorgeous paintings come together to create a portrait of Cousteau and the magic of oceanography.

Math Fables

math fables

Through winsome fables about concepts that are relevant to the very youngest math learners - sharing, teamwork, etc. - this book encourages kids to see the basics of addition and subtraction in entirely new ways. Fresh, fun, and most of all, really inspiring for young children!

Math for all Seasons

math for all seasons

Math for all Seasons will challenge every kid to open their minds and solve problems in new and unexpected ways. By looking for patterns, symmetries, and familiar number combinations within eye-catching pictures, math will become more fun than ever.

Me ... Jane

me jane

This is the story of the young Jane Goodall and her special childhood toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. As the young Jane observes the natural world around her with wonder, she dreams of "a life living with and helping all animals," until one day she finds that her dream has come true.

Mesmerized

physicist book

The day Ben Franklin first set foot in Paris, France, he found the city all abuzz. Everyone was talking about something new, remarkable, thrilling, and strange. Something called.. Science! Discover the scientific method and the power of the mind in a fun look at a true moment in history.

Mistakes That Worked

mistakes that worked

Popsicles, potato chips, Silly Putty, Velcro, and many other familiar things have fascinating stories behind them. Mistakes That Worked offers forty of these unusual tales, along with hilarious cartoons and weird and amazing facts. Readers will be surprised and inspired!

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel

Mr. Ferris and His Wheel

Capturing an engineer's creative vision and mind for detail, this fully illustrated picture book sheds light on how the American inventor George Ferris defied gravity and seemingly impossible odds to invent the world's most iconic amusement park attraction, the Ferris wheel.

My First Human Body Book

My First Human Body Book

Here's the most entertaining way for children to learn how the human body works: 28 fun and instructive, ready-to-color illustrations that explore the muscular, skeletal, nervous, digestive, respiratory, and immune systems. This survey of the body is fascinating to read and fun to color!

Nature Anatomy

Nature Anatomy

See the world in a new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman celebrates the diverse curiosities and beauty of the natural world in this exciting new book. With whimsical illustrations, every page is an extraordinary look at all kinds of subjects. A wonderfully curious book!

Neo Leo

Neo Leo

At once an artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci wrote and drew detailed descriptions of what would later become hang gliders, automobiles, robots, and much more. This books shows how he foreshadowed modern inventions, offering a window into the future.

New Way Things Work

New Way Things Work

If you get only one book from this list, make it this one! It's the ultimate visual guide to the world of machines and sure to create a sense of wonder. Each scientific principle is brilliantly explained with the help of a charming, if rather slow-witted, woolly mammoth. Brilliant!

Next Time You See a Sunset

Next Time You See a Sunset

This book's tempting opening line invites children and adults to take in a daily phenomenon with fresh eyes. You can learn to appreciate the spinning of the Earth, the progress of day into night, and the reasons for the spectacular colors that accompany sunrise and sunset.

Next Time You See the Moon

Next Time You See the Moon

This fascinating book will stay with children every time they gaze up at the night sky. Through vivid pictures and engaging explanations, children will learn about many of the Moon's mysteries. It's an ideal way to explain the science behind the shape of the Moon and many other concepts.

Now & Ben

Now & Ben

What would you do if you lived in a community without a library, hospital, post office, or fire department? If you were Benjamin Franklin, you'd set up these organizations yourself. Franklin also designed many inventions - all inspired by his common sense and by scientific inquiry.

Older Than the Stars

Older Than the Stars

How old are you? Older than you think! In a way, we are all as old as the universe itself. In fact, every bit of every one of us was created in the Big Bang, billions of years ago. Stunning illustrations and lively verse tell the story of the cosmic connections that tie us to the universe.

On a Beam of Light

On a Beam of Light

A boy rides a bicycle down a road. But in his mind, he envisions himself traveling at high speed on a beam of light. This brilliant mind will one day offer up some of the most revolutionary ideas ever conceived. Travel along with Einstein on a journey full of discovery and laughter.

One Well

One Well

Seen from space, our planet looks blue. This is because almost 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water. All water is connected and has the power to change everything. One Well shows how every one of us has the power to conserve and protect our global well.

Our Family Tree

Our Family Tree

All of us are part of an old, old family. The roots of our family tree reach back millions of years to the beginning of life on earth. Open this family album and embark on an amazingly colorful journey. You'll meet some of our oldest relatives - from both the land and the sea. 

Roaring Rockets

Roaring Rockets

Rockets have power. They rise and roar. Rockets carry astronauts with cool, white suits oxygen helmets and gravity boots. In bright and bold illustrations that are as witty as the text, the animal crew roars and whizzes into outer space. A great way to get kids excited about space.

Robots, Robots Everywhere!

Robots, Robots Everywhere!

This book features robots of all kinds, from the ones up in space to the ones we use at home. With bold, colorful artwork by award-winner Bob Staake, it's a perfect introduction to the fascinating subject of today's real robots! An amazing introduction to science and technology.

Rose Revere, Engineer

Rose Revere, Engineer

Rosie may seem quiet during the day, but at night she's a brilliant inventor of gizmos and gadgets who dreams of becoming a great engineer. An amazingly fun book that inspired kids to think for themselves and teaches that you can only truly fail if you quit. Highly recommended.

Science You Can Eat

Science You Can Eat

Your kitchen will be transformed into a laboratory worthy of a mad scientist as you make startling discoveries about how food and science work. Then after a long day at the lab you can relax and eat your results: soup, biscuits, pretzels, cupcakes, or cookies. A great excuse to play with food!

Simple Machines

Simple Machines

Wheel and axle, wedge, and screw. Lever and pulley and inclined plane, too! Learning about the six simple machines has never been more fun! Tomorrow’s scientists and engineers will have a blast learning about simple machines and how they make daily life easier.

Star Stuff

Carl Sagan Star Stuff

For every child who has ever looked up at the stars and asked, "What are they?" comes the story of a curious boy who never stopped wondering: Carl Sagan. This book introduces the beloved man who brought the mystery of the cosmos into homes across America to young star gazers.

Story of Life - Evolution

Story of Life - Evolution

Discover a wonderful fold-out guide to evolution. Starts with the first single-cell organisms and end with modern life forms. Read it as a book and then fold it all the way out. One of the most stylish children's science books around. Beautifully illustrated and full of detail!

Summer Birds

Summer Birds

In the Middle Ages, people believed that insects were evil, born from mud in a process called spontaneous generation. Maria Merian was only a child, but she disagreed. Maria went on to disprove a theory that went all the way back to ancient Greece. An empowering tale!

The Animal Book

The Animal Book

Animals smooth and spiky, fast and slow, hop and waddle through the two hundred plus pages of this incredible book. The colorful cut- and torn-paper artwork is as strikingly vivid and brings the many animals to life. Definitely a bookshelf essential for young explorers and scientists.

The Best of Times

The Best of Times

Bestselling author Greg Tang takes on the times tables, teaching kids innovative ways to multiply numbers and derive answers WITHOUT memorization. This book gives kids an intuitive understanding of multiplication, encouraging them to arrive at answers on their own.

The Boy Who Loved Math

The Boy Who Loved Math

With a simple, lyrical text and richly layered illustrations, this is a beautiful introduction to the world of math. It's a New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book for a reason, because it makes it easy for children to fall in love with math and the wonder of scientific exploration.

Magic School Bus: Senses

The Magic School Bus

A re-release of the popular and beloved Magic School Bus book that inspired generations. With updated scientific information, the bestselling science series ever is back! This fun science trip takes kids through an eye, an ear, a tongue, and even a dog's nose. Sensational!

The Night Sky

The Night Sky

Children eight and up will enjoy this conversational but information-packed introduction to astronomy and stargazing, which includes the achievements of the great scientists, the history of space exploration, the story of our solar system, and the myths behind the constellations.

There's No Place Like Space!

There's No Place Like Space!

Beginning readers and budding astronomers are launched on a wild trip to visit the eight planets in our solar system, along with the Cat in the Hat. It’s a scientific reading adventure that’s out of this world. The perfect first space book to take kids on a tour of our solar system.

The Watcher

The Watcher

Jane Goodall, the great observer of chimpanzees. Follow Jane from her childhood in London watching a robin on her windowsill, to her years in the African forests of Gombe, Tanzania, to her worldwide crusade to save these primates who are now in danger of extinction.

The Wonder Garden

The Wonder Garden

Open the gates of the Wonder Garden to explore five of Earth's most extraordinary habitats, each filled with incredible creatures and epic scenery. Discover the Amazon Rainforest, the Chihuahuan Desert, the Great Barrier Reef, the Black Forest, and the Himalayan Mountains.

The Worm

The Worm

The Worm is a look at the earthworm. It covers such topics as the worm's habitats (sometimes they live inside other animals), its anatomy (its muscle tube is slimy and gross), and its illustrious history (worms have been on earth for 120 million years). Really fun and educational

Things That Float

Things That Float

It can be surprising which objects float and which don't. An apple floats, but a ball of aluminum foil does not. If that same ball of foil is shaped into a boat, it floats! Why? And how is it possible that a huge ship made of steel can float? An amazing introduction to physics and science.

Timeless Thomas

Timeless Thomas

What do record players, batteries, and movie cameras have in common? All these devices were created by the man known as The Wizard of Menlo Park, Thomas Edison. Enter the laboratories of one of America's most important inventors in this enlightening book.

Tiny Creatures

Tiny Creatures

All around the world — in the sea, in the soil, in the air, and in your body — there are living things so tiny that millions could fit on an ant’s antenna. They’re busy doing all sorts of things! This book is a great first exploration for young readers of the world’s tiniest living organisms.

Too Hot? Too Cold?

Too Hot? Too Cold?

Have you ever wondered why you shiver when you’re cold, or sweat when you’re hot? Caroline Arnold, acclaimed author of nonfiction for young readers, answers these questions and more. Kids will discover the many different ways humans and animals adapt to heat and cold.

Tooling Around

Totally Irresponsible Science

Simple, rhyming text introduces eleven animals and the surprising tools they use, including an octopus that hides in a coconut, a dolphin that protects its nose with a sponge, and a deer that bedecks its antlers with heaping piles of mud and grass. A fun adventure featuring crafty creatures.

Totally Irresponsible Science

Totally Irresponsible Science

Introducing 64 valuable science experiments that snap, crackle, pop, ooze, crash, boom, and stink! From marshmallows on steroids to home-made lightning, from the sandwich bag bomb to a giant air cannon, The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science awakens kids' curiosity!

Toys! Amazing Stories

Toys! Amazing Stories

Have you ever wondered who invented Lego, Mr. Potato Head, or toy trains? Toys! showcases the fascinating stories behind these inventions and many others. From dolls and checkers to pinball and the modern video game, there's a wide selection here for boys and girls alike.

The Tree Lady

The Tree Lady

Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens. Part fascinating biography, part inspirational story, this picture book empowers kids.

Ultimate Bodypedia

Ultimate Bodypedia

This smart guide to the human body answers kids' questions and engages them with amazing facts, illustrations, and diagrams. The kid-friendly journey travels through the body and all its systems and is sprinkled throughout with plenty of health tips, simple experiments, and more.

Up, Up in a Balloon

Up, Up in a Balloon

Young scientists will get both inspiration and giggles from this humorous but true tale of early experiments with flying. It explores the marvels of geology, land formation, weather, environments, and other phenomena related to science and nature.

What Do You Do With an Idea?

What Do You Do With an Idea?

This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. This is a story for anyone, at any age, who's ever had an idea that seemed a little too big, too odd, too difficult. A great book to inspire young minds!

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

A nose for digging? Ears for seeing? Eyes that squirt blood? Explore the many amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails in this interactive guessing book, beautifully illustrated in cut-paper collages. A great gift that kids are sure to love.

What Makes Different Sounds?

What Makes Different Sounds?

On their walk home from school, twins Jane and Jim explore why sounds can be startling (like sirens), soothing (like certain types of music), or mysterious (like eerie creaking in an empty house). By coming along young readers are introduced to the science behind fun sounds. 

What's Out There?

What's Out There?

What is the sun made of? What causes night and day? Why does the moon change shape? Colorful collage illustrations and an easy-to-understand text bring planets, stars, comets, and the wondrous things out there in space right down to earth. Perfect for young space fans.

Wild Ideas

Wild Ideas

Wild Ideas looks deep into the forests, skies and oceans to explore how animals solve problems. Whether it’s weaving a safe place to rest, blowing a fine net of bubbles to trap fish, or leaping boldly into a new situation, the animals featured can teach us a lot about creative problem solving.

You Are Stardust

You Are Stardust

This innovative picture book aims to reintroduce children to their innate relationship with the world around them by sharing many of the surprising ways that we are all connected to the natural world. Discover the wonderful story of how we are part of the universe!

You Decide to Go to the Moon

You Decide to Go to the Moon

Written in the second person, this book allows young readers to participate in every aspect of the journey to the moon, from packing ("don't forget your diary and plenty of food") to liftoff (at first you'll feel heavy; don't worry") to traveling thorugh space. Amazing!

Too many science books for kids to choose from? We recommend picking two or three books from different scientific disciplines and let your child chose for themselves which book to read first. Children are fascinated by all kinds of different topics so picking books with topics they haven’t explored yet often leads to many surprises and new interests. This guide was designed to provide a broad overview of the best science books for kids available and will be updated regularly to reflect new releases. We hope you enjoy this guide and that it creates hours of fun and learning for your child. Thanks for reading! PS: If you're looking for the best science books for adults click here.

Looking for more science? Check out our new articles that cover the best science gifts, science blogs, science podcasts, top science books, science YouTube channels, science apps, and tech and science YouTube channels.

Everything You Need to Find the Best Science Book for your Child

Children have a natural tendency to explore what they don’t know. We as parents want what’s best for our kids, and when it comes to expanding their minds, there’s nothing better than sitting down and reading a good science book. The best way to pique a child’s interest is by introducing them to colorful picture books of the wildest, most fascinating topics.

We’ve sifted through hundreds of different child-friendly science books to find what we think most kids would absolutely love. Any of these books picked out by our editors will surely challenge your child to learn more.

3 Types of Science Books for Children

You may think that a book is a book, but when it comes to science, books are one of the keys to a more creative and independent mind. Before picking any book off the shelf, we first need to know what types of science books are available.

Subject-Focused

These books teach children about a particular field of science. They are great for expanding an established interest by offering in-depth explanations about what they know and love.

Pros:

Cons:

Encyclopedias

Not sure which science discipline fascinates your child the most? Get a book that teaches them a bit of everything. They may focus on only one or two subjects, but they’ll also get a chance to learn about everything in between.

Pros:

Cons:

Science Experiments

The best part of science class is watching the teacher mix chemicals and seeing how they react together. Books that instruct how to carry out your own science project are a great way to show children that science is all around us.

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Basics of Kid-Friendly Science Books – What They Hope to Achieve

Science books aren’t just for filling your child’s mind with facts and figures. Generally speaking, kid-friendly science books are authored with three non-mutually exclusive goals in mind: to help with schoolwork, to demonstrate, or to inspire.

To Help with Schoolwork

Oftentimes, school children may not receive the exact materials they need to learn a certain science topic. A topic-focused science book can give your child an edge in the classroom by equipping them with knowledge not accessible in a school-issued textbook.

To Demonstrate Science

Sometimes, a child may have an idea but not the methods of actualizing their thoughts. Science books can teach children different methodologies in conducting their own projects, instilling in them a greater sense of independence.

To Inspire Exploration

Some of the best science books inspire children to think for themselves, either by showing examples of famous scientists or by mapping out the thought process in an easily comprehensible way. These books are great for expanding your child’s mind and coaching them on how to think outside of the box.

How to Pick the Best Kid-Friendly Science Book

Give your child a university-level book on a particular discipline and they’ll probably fall asleep. It’s important that the books you get for your children can actually teach them a thing or two about science by drawing and retaining their attention. Here are a few tips on how to find the right book for your child.

Reading Level

Although a child cannot learn without reading, a book containing too many letters or words can produce the opposite of the intended effects. The words and language used in the book should relate to your child’s reading level.

Illustrations

A picture is worth a thousand words. Illustrations can help drive the point of a certain experiment or subject that evokes a positive response from your child. Colorful books are best at holding your child’s attention, but they may also distract them from the main lesson.

Age-Appropriateness

Science books are made for different age groups. In general, science books for pre-teens and teenagers are wordier and contain fewer images. Instead, they focus more heavily on explaining the topic in word form. The book’s cover may not offer a suggested age level so you will have to be the judge.

Number of Pages

The thickness of the book can either create or diminish your child’s fascination with science. Children between the ages of 5 and 10 years generally respond better to books containing fewer than 100 pages, whereas older children in grades 6 and up will seek a greater challenge. 

Recommended Science Topics that Kids Will Enjoy

Science is too broad a term to describe the mysteries that enshroud our planet and beyond. The following science topics are some of the most easily understood by children while also pushing them to question everything.

The Human Body

The best place to start is from within one’s self. Basic anatomy books educate children about how certain organs work, their significance, and why it’s important to stay healthy. Give your child/future doctor a leg-up by handing them a booklet about the human body.

Space and the Universe

It may be too late to be the first man to step foot on the moon, but space holds more questions than answers. Our expanding universe has 30 billion planets that are all waiting to be explored. Basic astronomy knowledge may be the key to help your child build interest in space and maybe one day work for NASA.

The Animal Kingdom

As mystifying as space is, our own planet is home to a mind-boggling number of alien-like animals, most of which have yet to be discovered. Plus, kids can’t get enough of animals – from scaly snakes to furry ferrets to humungous hippos!

Technology

Technology has made our world what it is today. Everything we use is a result of scientists attempting to create a means to achieve a simpler way of life. These books teach children about robots, computers, and several other machines that have made living in the modern world a true blessing. The world can never have too many engineers and scientists.

Mathematics

Math is perhaps one of the least-liked subjects in school, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Non-school-issued math books generally don’t force numbers and symbols down your child’s throat but instead talk about the importance and significance of numbers in everyday life. Everything has a design, and those designs are all based on careful calculations.

Electricity

Electricity is the blood that keeps modern society running. Children may be fascinated to learn about the intricacies of harnessing electricity after hearing about the untrue account of Benjamin Franklin’s “introduction” to lightning.

Inventions

Kids with deeper thoughts may ponder how certain inventions came to being. These books can help children learn about the thought process behind certain inventions, how they are made, and how demand can dictate supply. Hey, the may even become the next Nikola Tesla!

Plants

Basic agriculture books not only talk about the importance of plants for sustenance, but they can also become the driving force behind growing their very own backyard garden. The best results of learning about science is putting your knowledge to use, and one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of doing so is starting and tending to a bean patch.

Evolution

Although a controversial subject in many places on the planet, the Theory of Evolution has become a staple of understanding how humans and animals are how they are. These books are excellent at demonstrating how we, as humans, are a part of the system rather than the center of it. Evolution books for children explain the theory in simple words and with tons of illustrations.

Time

The manmade concept of time is an interesting subject that children may not even think about. These books help stimulate a creative mind by showing how the simplest things were once almost entirely misunderstood. Books on the subject of time are definitely for children with natural inclinations to learn.

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