Here are a few books we highly recommend for children (and adults) who enjoy learning more about the world we live in.

An amazing flap book packed with inventions, machines, gadgets and devices, and facts and information about how they work. Over 90 flaps reveal the insides of car engines, toilets, escalators, submarines and microwaves and many, many other machines. Includes internet links to websites with animations, games and experiments.

 

This bright and cheery illustrated book for kids ages 5-7 breaks down STEAM subjects, like science and technology, into fun and easily understandable chunks. Join Robert Winston and the Science Squad to unravel the mysteries of the world: find out how robots work, what a food chain is, where lightning comes from, how lungs allow you to breathe, and much more. The Science Squad characters (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Maths) guide the reader through the book and are always on hand with tips, fun facts, and simple explanations. With pages covering living things, the human body, space, physics, geography, math, engineering, and chemistry, this book is a perfect introduction for kids starting to learn about science at school, or those who are just developing an interest in how the world works.

 

A step by step guide to thinking up fantastical, funny or perfectly practical inventions with no limits!

This book encourages budding inventors to think big and have fun with their imaginations! Be inspired by drawings of scarf helicopters, ladybird umbrellas, and ghost wash’n’dry machines! Check out toothbrush maraccas, square peas, and nose scratchers! What will YOU invent?

 

 

In kitchens and living rooms, in garages and labs and basements, even in converted chicken coops, women and girls have invented ingenious innovations that have made our lives simpler and better. Their creations are some of the most enduring (the windshield wiper) and best loved (the chocolate chip cookie). What inspired these women, and just how did they turn their ideas into realities? Features women inventors Ruth Wakefield, Mary Anderson, Stephanie Kwolek, Bette Nesmith Graham, Patsy O. 

 

Be inspired to cultivate and cook amazing new crops with this seed-to-plate guide to more than 50 out-of-the-ordinary edibles.

Whether you're new to grow-your-own and determined to make the most of limited space with a truly gourmet harvest, or a seasoned grower looking to spice up the kitchen garden with brand new flavour experiences, Incredible Edibles has something for everyone. It offers step-by-step instructions, giving you the confidence to grow some unusually tasty crops; from the well-known turmeric and goji berry, to the more exotic cucamelon and strawberry spinach. It includes guidance on how to store, keep fresh, and preserve your crops so that nothing goes to waste.

So you want to go into space? WHY?! (No, really - it's sort of a terrible idea. We humans are perfectly designed for life on Earth. We can walk around, breathe, drink water, eat vegetables, read books, not get poisoned or crushed to death when we go outside - it's lovely right where we are.) Not convinced? GOOD! People have been dreaming about space travel for centuries - there's something amazing about the idea of leaving our planet behind and setting out to explore the Universe - there's so much we still don't know. UK and Ireland's best-loved comedian Dara O Briain takes you on a journey from the safety of your comfiest chair to the furthest reaches of space (and beyond!)

From beetles and butterflies, to puffins and polar bears, animals and habitats all over the world need our protection. In this beautifully illustrated book, children (and adults!) can learn about thirteen different habitats - gardens, hedgerows, heathlands, woodlands, highlands, wetlands, the coastline, freshwater, oceans, savannahs, jungles and mountains - and simple everyday ways to protect them.

Find out how to help hedgehogs in your own back garden or spread the word about endangered animals further from home, as you discover all the little things you can do to make a big difference.

 

Whether your child is crazy about chemistry or bananas about biology (or, let's face it, just likes making a mess), this book is choc-a-block full of experiments and projects that will get kids really excited about science - and all without going anywhere near a TV, tablet or computer screen. Whether they want to Launch a Rocket, Blow a Square Bubble, Discover their own DNA or Build a Balloon Powered Racing Car, there's a whole wealth of fun suggestions to keep kids amused - and you never know, they might even learn something along the way.

Mrs Tuck's Personal Favourites:

A gloriously illustrated celebration of trailblazing women. Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, from both the ancient and modern worlds. The book also contains fascinating infographics and an illustrated scientific glossary.

A charming, witty picture book about pursuing your passion. 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. When her Great, Great Aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) comes for a visit and mentions her one unfinished goal--to fly--Rosie sets to work building a contraption to make her aunt's dream come true.

 

 

Determined Ada Twist, with her boundless curiosity for science and love of the question “Why?,” is destined to join her classmates Iggy and Rosie. Ada has always been hopelessly curious. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? She embarks on fact-finding missions and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. When her house fills with a horrific, toe-curling smell, Ada knows it’s up to her to find the source. But, this time, her experiments lead to trouble.

 

What you want to do and what you ought to do aren't always the same thing. Faced with just this, how can Princess Flo engineer a compromise that'll please the King?  Florence shows us that we all wear many hats in life, and that we can be whatever we want to be. The important thing is to always be yourself! Written in rhyme and beautifully illustrated (by the award winning team behind She's Not Good for a Girl, She's Just Good!), The Queen Engineer teaches boys and girls about equality, following your dreams, and acceptance, and is perfect for any STEM loving children out there! Who doesn't want to be an engineer, and a queen?!

 

Packed with games, projects, crafts, experiments and gardening inspiration, 101 Things for Kids to do Outside will have your children racing out to try something new. The huge selection of ideas covers all four seasons and ranges from quick 10-minute activities to a full day of fun. From party games and treasure hunts to simple gardening projects, each idea is simple to follow and illustrated with colour photography, so you can't go wrong. Activities include building a human sundial, creating an outdoor collage, setting up a wormery, planting a potato tower, making natural inks, flying a homemade kite and playing torch tag. This hands-on guide will help children get the most from being outdoors, and you don't need a big garden - a local park or small area will suffice. 101 Things for Kids to do Outside is sure to get your kids away from the computer and provide hours of entertainment for the entire family.