Children's books about science and curiosity
Books in the library where science and curiosity is a central thread — a broad shelf of 60 titles. Picture-book gateways for the youngest readers, chapter-book exploration for older children, ranked here by how widely each is known and loved.
Non-fiction
A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu and You
by Mike Barfield · age 7–11
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire and Other Fantastic Finds
by Mike Barfield · age 7–11
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
A Day in the Life of an Astronaut, Mars and the Distant Stars
by Mike Barfield · age 7–11
Non-fiction
Graphic novel
Cosmo Park
by Madeleine Finlay · age 7–11
Graphic novel
Non-fiction
Octopuses Have Zero Bones
by Anne Richardson · age 6–10
Non-fiction
Picture book
The Ever-Changing Earth
by Grahame Baker-Smith · age 6–10
Picture book
Picture book
The Flickering Fires
by Grahame Baker-Smith · age 7–10
Picture book
Illustrated
Ada Twist and the Disappearing Dogs
by Andrea Beaty · age 6–9
Illustrated
Illustrated
Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants
by Andrea Beaty · age 6–9
Illustrated
Non-fiction
The Big Book of Beasts
by Yuval Zommer · age 4–8
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
The Big Book of Birds
by Yuval Zommer · age 4–8
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
The Big Book of Blooms
by Yuval Zommer · age 4–8
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
The Big Book of Bugs
by Yuval Zommer · age 4–8
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
The Big Book of the Blue
by Yuval Zommer · age 4–8
Non-fiction
Poetry
A First Book of the Sea
by Nicola Davies · age 3–8
Poetry
Picture book
Do Not Lick This Book
by Idan Ben-Barak · age 3–7
Picture book
Picture book
Peek Through Nature: Moon
by Patricia Hegarty · age 3–6
Picture book
Picture book
Argh! There's a Skeleton Inside You!
by Idan Ben-Barak · age 3–7
Picture book
Graphic novel
Genius Kid Goes Viral
by Jim Smith · age 7–10
Graphic novel
Picture book
The Hueys in None the Number
by Oliver Jeffers · age 3–6
Picture book
Picture book
The Rhythm of the Rain
by Grahame Baker-Smith · age 4–8
Picture book
Chapter book
Escape Room: Game Zero
by Christopher Edge · age 9–12
Chapter book
Graphic novel
How to be a Genius Kid
by Jim Smith · age 7–10
Graphic novel
Picture book
Peek Through Nature: Bee
by Patricia Hegarty · age 3–6
Picture book
Picture book
Peek Through Nature: Bugs
by Patricia Hegarty · age 3–6
Picture book
Picture book
Wild is the Wind
by Grahame Baker-Smith · age 5–9
Picture book
Chapter book
The Monkey Who Fell From The Future
by Ross Welford · age 9–12
Chapter book
Non-fiction
The Curator's Collection: An A to Z of Fungi
by Ester Gaya · age 8–12
Non-fiction
Picture book
Mix It Up!
by Herve Tullet · age 2–6
Picture book
Picture book
Firefly
by Robert Macfarlane · age 5–9
Picture book
Picture book
Flotsam
by David Wiesner · age 5–10
Picture book
Picture book
Invisible Things
by Andy J. Pizza · age 4–8
Picture book
Picture book
Life on Mars
by Jon Agee · age 3–7
Picture book
Picture book
Peek Through Nature: Tree
by Patricia Hegarty · age 3–6
Picture book
Book
Big Ideas for Curious Minds
by The School of Life · age 8–12
Book
Non-fiction
Bum or Face
by Kari Lavelle · age 4–8
Non-fiction
Chapter book
Escape Room
by Christopher Edge · age 9–12
Chapter book
Picture book
Fox: A Circle of Life Story
by Isabel Thomas · age 5–9
Picture book
Picture book
Once Upon a Raindrop
by James Carter · age 5–9
Picture book
Illustrated
The Lost Book of Undersea Adventure
by Unknown Adventurer · age 7–10
Illustrated
Picture book
The Vanishing Lake
by Paddy Donnelly · age 4–8
Picture book
Picture book
Noticing
by Kobi Yamada · age 5–10
Picture book
Picture book
Peek Through Nature: Sea
by Patricia Hegarty · age 3–6
Picture book
Board book
The Honeybee
by Kirsten Hall · age 2–6
Board book
Picture book
When You Find the Right Rock
by Mary Lyn Ray · age 4–8
Picture book
Graphic novel
InvestiGators: Case Files
by John Patrick Green · age 7–10
Graphic novel
Illustrated
Kid Spy: Mac Cracks the Code
by Mac Barnett · age 6–10
Illustrated
Picture book
The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish
by Chloe Savage · age 4–8
Picture book
Picture book
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth
by Oliver Jeffers · age 3–7
Picture book
Picture book
Meanwhile Back on Earth
by Oliver Jeffers · age 5–9
Picture book
Non-fiction
Slow Down: Bring Calm to a Busy World with 50 Nature Stories
by Rachel Williams · age 5–8
Non-fiction
Picture book
Tad
by Benji Davies · age 3–6
Picture book
Chapter book
The Dog Who Saved the World
by Ross Welford · age 9–12
Chapter book
Picture book
The Way Back Home
by Oliver Jeffers · age 3–7
Picture book
Picture book
I Wonder Where I Am?
by Shinsuke Yoshitake · age 5–9
Picture book
Picture book
Mysterious Things
by Andy J. Pizza · age 5–8
Picture book
Graphic novel
Pablo and Splash: Frozen in Time
by Sheena Dempsey · age 6–9
Graphic novel
Non-fiction
Patience... (A Slow Down Book)
by Rachel Williams · age 5–8
Non-fiction
Non-fiction
Slow Down and Be Here Now
by Laura Brand · age 5–8
Non-fiction
Illustrated
Squirrel and Duck: Quack to the Future
by Tom Percival · age 7–10
Illustrated