Astronomy, Chemistry, and Physics

Picture Books | Intermediate | Young Adult

The books recommended below were published within the last several years. Grade levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion.

Picture Books
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

My Light written and illustrated by Molly Bang (Blue Sky/Scholastic)
The story of how energy is converted from sunlight to electricity, from the sun’s point of view. Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.

Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin written and illustrated by Gene Barretta (Holt)
How Franklin’s inventions, from bifocals to lightning rods, still inform today’s world, showcased by cartoon-style opposing illustrations of “now” and “Ben…” er, “then.” Grade level: K–3. 40 pages.

I Fall Down written by Vicki Cobb, illus. by Julia Gorton (HarperCollins)
Age-appropriate experiments and observations help young children understand the concept of gravity. Grade level: Preschool. 40 pages.

The Magic School Bus and the Science Fair Expedition written by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen (Scholastic)
The tireless teacher steers her school bus through time to introduce her students to various scientific giants (Galileo, Leeuwenhoek, Marie Curie, etc). Grade level: 3–5. 48 pages.

Who Likes the Wind? written by Etta Kaner, illus. by Marie Lafrance (Kids Can)
Scientific explanations of the wind’s various pleasing functions are clearly stated and generously illustrated. 32 pages. Grade level: Preschool.

On Earth written and illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Putnam)
A poetic introduction to the earth, including concepts of rotation and revolution, space and time, hemispheres, and gravity. From the Science Play series. Grade level: Preschool–3. 32 pages.

If You Decide to Go to the Moon written by Faith McNulty, illus. by Steven Kellogg (Scholastic)
A lyrical and astute second-person address takes readers from blastoff to touchdown and back again. Grade level: K–3. 48 pages.

Wildfire written and illustrated by Taylor Morrison (Lorraine/Houghton)
A clear, accessible introduction to the ponderosa pine forests of the American West and the cutting-edge firefighting technologies used to protect them. A 2006 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Honor Book. 48 pages. Grade level: 4–8.

Intermediate
Suggested grade level for each entry: 4–6

Sea Clocks: The Story of Longitude written by Louise Borden, illus. by Erik Blegvad (McElderry)
One man’s forty-year quest to develop a method of time-telling at sea. 48 pages.

Poop: A Natural History of the Unmentionable written by Nicola Davies, illus. by Neal Layton (Candlewick)
How poop is used by animals in their everyday lives and by naturalists, paleontologists, and biologists in their studies. 61 pages.

Next Stop Neptune: Experiencing the Solar System written by Alvin Jenkins, illus. by Steve Jenkins (Houghton)
An armchair astronaut’s beautifully illustrated tour of the solar system. 40 pages.

Isaac Newton written by Kathleen Krull, illus. by Boris Kulikov (Viking)
In addition to his contributions to the infant disciplines of physics and calculus, Newton changed science forever by modeling inductive reasoning through the scientific method. 126 pages.

Leonardo da Vinci written by Kathleen Krull, illus. by Boris Kulikov (Viking)
A lively biography that focuses on da Vinci’s scientific work and principles within a historical context and explains how they continue to influence the field. 127 pages.

Marie Curie written by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Boris Kulikov (Viking)
The groundbreaking, Nobel Prize–winning chemist and physicist who ushered in the modern nuclear age and revolutionized medical science joins Krull’s Giants of Science pantheon. 142 pages.

Outside and Inside Mummies by Sandra Markle (Walker)
The ways mummies provide scientific clues to ancient civilizations’ diets, activities, death rituals, and even climate conditions. 40 pages.

Exploring Our Solar System by Sally Ride and Tam O’Shaughnessy (Crown)
Spectacular, cutting-edge diagrams and images present a detailed yet age-appropriate exploration of the solar system. 110 pages.

When Is a Planet Not a Planet?: The Story of Pluto by Elaine Scott (Clarion)
Scott connects the questions of why Pluto was demoted and why it got planet status in the first place with a discussion of the constantly changing state of scientific knowledge. 48 pages.

Are We Alone?: Scientists Search for Life in Space by Gloria Skurzynski (National Geographic)
This rigorous study of the age-old question takes a multidisciplinary approach, querying experts in geology, astronomy, exobiology, and mathematics. 92 pages.

Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon written by Catherine Thimmesh (Houghton)
Starting pre-launch and ending with splashdown, an account of all the people who made the mission possible — from the contractors who built the rockets to launch operators at NASA. 80 pages. Grade level: 4 and up.

Hooray for Inventors! written and illustrated by Marcia Williams (Candlewick)
A zany, comic-style approach illuminates the innovations of little-known as well as famous inventors. 40 pages.

Young Adult
Suggested grade level for each entry: 7 and up

Invisible Allies: Microbes That Shape Our Lives by Jeanette Farrell (Farrar)
A substantial and successful meld of science and social history that offers intriguing insights into human dependence on microorganisms. 165 pages.

The Science of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials by Mary and John Gribbin (Knopf)
Concepts in Pullman’s masterful fantasy trilogy are used as a springboard to introduce real-life scientific concepts, from natural selection to string theory. 204 pages.

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