Recommended children's booklists sorted by age or topic

Topic: Science, Maths and Computing

Chapter book
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Winner of the prestigious Carnegie Medal, this profound novel is incredibly rich in descriptive language. It tells the story of swimming-obsessed Jess as she struggles to come to terms with the impending death of her grandfather, who insists on finishing one last painting before he dies. Jess meets a mysterious river boy and is faced with an ultimate challenge of her own to complete. This is a novel that deals with themes of life and death and is suitable for more mature or confident readers in Upper KS2 or Lower KS3.

“Come with me. Come with me. I will take you to the sea,” sings the stream to Cam, the mountain boy. And so Cam’s adventure begins, an adventure in which he will see many strange and wondrous sights, and make a marvellous discovery.

In this resonant story, Cam the mountain boy follows the river from its trickling source in the snow all the way to the sea. The river leads him through forest, farms and towns to the salty wind of the sea. The dramatic landscapes are packed with detail to discover in the world of the river. A poetic and beautifully illustrated picture book exploring the different forms that water can take.

Picturebook
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This is a stunning picture book about a girl who observes a river outside her window and imagines where it might go. The book follows the incredible journey of the river through different landscapes, including cities and forests, and there is much to spot in the details of each double-page spread. Highly recommended across both KS1 and KS2.

This is a richly illustrated story from the much-loved Joe Todd-Stanton. Erin is the daughter of a fisherwoman. Despite living in a fishing town, Erin is not allowed out to sea herself because of the legend of the Black Rock, which casts a mysterious shadow over the town. Determined to discover its secrets for herself, Erin stows away and soon finds herself exploring the rich ecosystem it harbours and desperately seeking a way to protect the Black Rock from impending destruction.

This is a beautiful picture book that explores the remarkable journey of the water cycle. From a few drops of rain in a little boy’s jar to the depths of the vast ocean and back to clouds in the sky above, wonderful water is given centre-stage in this gentle narrative that evokes awe at the sheer beauty and scale of nature’s systems.

Fearless adventurers, set sail on a fascinating voyage down the world’s most extraordinary rivers!

Discover over 100 of the world’s most incredible rivers in this fascinating title by Julie Vosburgh Agnone and illustrated by prize-winner Kerry Hyndman. Amazing Rivers takes readers on a tour of the world’s waterways, revealing the animals that call them home, the societies that rely on them, and the environmental issues threatening them along the way.

Learn about incredible wildlife, from brown bears catching salmon that swim upstream to anacondas large enough to eat a pig. Explore astounding natural wonders, from a boiling river so hot you can cook an egg in it to a multicoloured river that flows like a liquid rainbow. And discover awesome river traditions, from ritual baths to rubber duck racing to barefoot waterskiing!

A very popular non-fiction text that has detailed and engaging illustrations. This book tells the story of a pebble, from its origins in a fiery volcano 480 million years ago to a busy, modern landscape. Topics include rock formation and erosion. This is a classroom essential!

This is the perfect accompaniment to a rocks and soils topic. This beautifully illustrated non-fiction text showcases different types of rocks and gemstones in all their splendour, using the stunning pictures as a way in to explaining the science behind how they appear. If it never occurred to you to appreciate how beautiful rocks can be, it will after reading this!

A beautiful fold-out book that showcases the wonders of the earth beneath our feet, and one with real wow-factor.

This book is well-suited for introducing rocks and soils or geology topics. Sublimely illustrated, its concertina-style pages fold out into a long cross-section of the Earth: in one side and out the other. Children can spread out around the fold-out page to get a real sense of the depth of the earth’s layers and what you might find in each.

This unusual non-fiction text with a tactile element contains a wealth of information about geology and science, linking to topics of rocks and soils and awesome earth and opportunities for further questions from curious young minds. Just stunning!

Discover the story of Mary Anning, the world’s best-known fossil hunter.

As a baby, Mary was struck by lightning, then as a little girl she found a fossilised sea monster, the most important prehistoric discovery of its time. This spectacular tale of a little girl who dared to be different and who followed her dreams will inspire young children.

Beautiful illustrations and narrative text help children to learn how Mary discovered new fossils – and how her observations rocked the natural history world. Be inspired by Mary’s work as a woman in the field of science – especially as her achievements weren’t recognised until after her death.

Perfect for kids interested in dinosaurs and rocks, and for parents looking for strong female role models in science.

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Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?

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