Science Books for Kids · 2,269 titles considered

The Best Science Books for Kids

By the Bookroo Editors
Updated July 27, 2026

Science is the part of childhood that refuses to accept “because it does” as a complete answer. A smell needs a source. A failed machine needs another design. Light, microbes, wind, and the distances between stars all become problems that can be observed, measured, tested, and argued with. The best science books let children see the method as well as the result: not a tidy parade of facts, but questions, evidence, mistakes, and the pleasure of finding out.

Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 2,269 science books, our editors chose ten that cover the working side of STEM — a first scientific alphabet, experiments that go wrong usefully, physics imagined from a bicycle, a homemade microscope, NASA calculations, and engineering that brings electricity to a village or a Super Soaker to the backyard. Start with the shortlist, then browse by age or follow a related topic into experiments, scientists, physics, chemistry, engineering, or space. For field guides, ecosystems, animals, plants, and outdoor observation, continue to our broader science and nature collection.

Ada Twist, Scientist
Series
The Shortlist

Our 10 Favorite Science Books for Kids

Sale price
$1899
Picture Book · Ages 5–8 · 2016

Ada Twist, Scientist

By Andrea Beaty, David Roberts (Illustrator) · The Questioneers series

One mysterious smell, several failed hypotheses, and a scientist who knows that “why?” is only the beginning.

32 pages· 943 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud
Best for
Learning the scientific method through a story
5.8/7 Bookroo·4.5/5 Goodreads · 8,946 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 5–8 · 2013

Rosie Revere, Engineer

A cheese-copter crashes on its first flight, which means the next design can finally begin.

32 pages· 818 words· Est. 7 min read-aloud
Best for
Future engineers learning to value failure
6.1/7 Bookroo·4.5/5 Goodreads · 13,069 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 6–9 · 2013

On a Beam of Light

A boy imagines riding beside a beam of light and follows the question until it changes physics.

56 pages· 1,161 words· Est. 9 min read-aloud
Best for
Showing where a thought experiment can lead
5.5/7 Bookroo·4.0/5 Goodreads · 5,943 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Chapter Book · Ages 7–11 · 2019

All in a Drop

A tradesman builds better lenses than the experts and finds an entire living world inside one drop of water.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor (2020)
96 pages· 6,855 words· Est. 58 min read
Best for
Independent readers meeting microbiology
4.1/5 Goodreads · 564 ratings
$17.99Save 6%
Picture Book · Ages 7–10 · 2016

Whoosh!

By Chris Barton, Don Tate (Illustrator)

A NASA engineer’s leaking cooling system becomes the most effective backyard invention of the summer.

32 pages· 1,274 words· Est. 10 min read-aloud
Best for
Connecting engineering mistakes to inventions
5.2/7 Bookroo·4.2/5 Goodreads · 2,297 ratings
$7.99Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2018

Hidden Figures

Four mathematicians calculate the trajectories that send American astronauts into orbit and bring them home.

40 pages· 1,407 words· Est. 11 min read-aloud
Best for
Math, spaceflight, and overlooked STEM history
5.0/7 Bookroo·4.4/5 Goodreads · 3,405 ratings
$19.99Save 5%
Picture Book · Ages 4–8 · 2020

Your Place in the Universe

Start with one eight-year-old, keep zooming out, and do not stop until the galaxies look small.

40 pages· 3,599 words· Est. 28 min read-aloud
Best for
Visual thinkers curious about scale
5.6/7 Bookroo·4.4/5 Goodreads · 1,057 ratings
$18.99Save 5%
Chapter Book · Ages 10–13 · 2009

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Library diagrams, bicycle parts, and scrap become a windmill that brings electric light to a family in Malawi.

304 pages· 90,690 words· Est. 10 hour read
Best for
Older readers ready for real-world engineering
4.5/7 Bookroo·4.2/5 Goodreads · 12,310 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
Picture Book · Ages 10–15 · 2016

Women in Science

Fifty women change what we know about primates, radioactivity, rockets, DNA, stars, and code.

128 pages· 24,633 words· Est. 3 hour read-aloud
Best for
Browsing a wide map of STEM careers
6.0/7 Bookroo·4.4/5 Goodreads · 7,034 ratings
$16.99Save 6%
Board Book · Ages 0–3 · 2017

ABCs of Science

A is for atom, B is for bacteria, and Z is for the word no toddler expects at the end of an alphabet book.

26 pages
Best for
A baby’s first scientific vocabulary
4.5/7 Bookroo·4.2/5 Goodreads · 340 ratings
$9.99Save 4%
The Bookroo Book Club

Great books, picked for their age.

Books worth reading again and again, delivered to your door.

Find their book club
Bookroo book club box
Browse by age

Science Board Books for Babies & Toddlers

Atoms, bodies, rockets, numbers, and real scientific words in sturdy first books for ages 0–3.

Mrs. Peanuckle's Bird Alphabet

Ages 2–4 · 2018

Discover 26 unique birds with surprising facts that bring nature to life.

Marie Curie

Ages 2–4 · 2016

Discover Marie Curie's journey from childhood dreams to groundbreaking scientific achievements.

Sale price
$999

Inventors Who Changed the World

Ages 3–8 · 2018

Discover the inventors who shaped our world with their groundbreaking ideas.

This Little Scientist

Ages 3–5 · 2018

Discover the groundbreaking scientists who changed history in this vibrant board book.

Think Big, Little One

Ages 0–3 · 2019

Discover trailblazing women who changed the world and inspire young dreamers to follow their biggest ideas.

Sale price
$899

Hello, World! Dinosaurs

Ages 0–3 · 2018

Discover dinosaurs with fun facts and vibrant illustrations for curious toddlers.

My First 100 Nature Words

Ages 1–3 · 2020

Introduce your child to 100 essential nature words in a vibrant board book.

Future Astronaut

Ages 0–3 · 2019

Can your baby become an astronaut? Discover the skills they already have!

Sale price
$999

I Love Music

Ages 1–3 · 2016

Discover the magical sounds of instruments in this interactive musical journey.

Ocean

Ages 0–3 · 2019

Dive into ocean wonders with curious infants exploring marine life and ecosystems.

A Is for Artichoke

Ages 0–5 · 2018

Discover kitchen wonders from A to Z in this culinary adventure.

Sale price
$899

Baby Loves Green Energy!

Ages 2–5 · 2018

Can babies help save the planet? Discover green energy solutions.

View all science board books
Browse by age

Science Picture Books

Experiments, inventions, big ideas, and true stories of discovery for curious readers ages 3–9.

Caterpillar to Butterfly

Ages 4–6 · 2012

Discover the magical transformation from caterpillar to butterfly in this captivating journey.

Hungry Plants

Ages 5–8 · 1999

Discover the deadly allure of carnivorous plants and their captivating traps.

Cece Loves Science

Ages 5–7 · 2020

A group of students learn about push and pull forces in their science class.

March of the Mini Beasts

Ages 5–9 · 2016

Toy animals come to life and grow. Can kids stop them before chaos ensues?

Inside Your Outside!

Ages 4–8 · 2003

Explore the wonders of the human body with the Cat in the Hat.

Take a Hike, Teddy Roosevelt!

Ages 4–7 · 2015

Discover how a determined leader defied odds to protect nature.

How to Do a Science Experiment

Ages 4–6 · 2022

A child teaches their grandma a science experiment to make a volcano erupt with lava.

Sale price
$350

The Magic School Bus Gets Baked in a Cake

Ages 4–8 · 1995

Students shrink and explore chemistry inside a birthday cake.

Sale price
$1699

The Nature Girls

Ages 4–8 · 2019

Girls explore diverse biomes, meeting animals in vibrant settings.

What Miss Mitchell Saw

Ages 4–8 · 2019

A young girl discovers a new comet, changing her life forever.

Mario and the Hole in the Sky

Ages 6–9 · 2019

A scientist races to stop an environmental catastrophe threatening the planet's ozone layer.

The Sea Knows

Ages 4–8 · 2020

Uncover the ocean's secrets and its mysterious creatures in a lyrical journey beneath the waves.

Browse by age

Science Books for Independent Readers

Deeper STEM explainers, scientist biographies, science history, and problem-solving adventures for ages 7–13.

The Science of Breakable Things

Ages 8–12 · 2018

A girl tries to win a science competition to help her mother who has become depressed and withdrawn.

Ada Lace, on the Case

Ages 6–10

A young girl investigates the disappearance of a neighbor's dog in her new neighborhood

Dragons and Marshmallows

Ages 7–10 · 2017

A young girl discovers a magical world of creatures in her backyard and learns to care for them with the help of her scientist mother

Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters

Ages 6–9 · 2018

A young inventor helps her friend participate in an art contest despite her physical limitations

Rock Star

Ages 6–8 · 2017

A young girl tries to navigate the challenges of school and friendships after her best friend moves away.

Lunch Walks Among Us

Ages 7–10 · 2003

A young girl tries to fit in with her classmates by changing her behavior and appearance, but ultimately saves the day with her unique skills and personality

Sale price
$699

The Secret Explorers and the Lost Whales

Ages 7–9 · 2020

Two friends go on an underwater adventure to help a lost whale calf find its mother and the rest of the pod.

Jack and the Geniuses

Ages 8–12 · 2017

A scientist vanishes in Antarctica. Can three young geniuses solve the mystery?

The Golden Compass

Ages 12–18 · 1995

A girl ventures north to rescue a friend, facing betrayal and parallel worlds.

#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1499

Dragonbreath

Ages 8–10 · 2009

A young dragon named Danny goes on an underwater adventure with his friend Wendell to learn about the ocean for a school paper, encountering various sea creatures along the way.

The Fourteenth Goldfish

Ages 9–11 · 2014

A girl meets a boy who might be her grandfather, defying age and science.

Sale price
$799

Nim's Island

Ages 7–11 · 1999

A young girl lives on a deserted island with her scientist father and various animal friends.

Keep exploring
Books about experimentsBooks about the scientific methodBooks about scientistsBooks about women in scienceBooks about engineeringBooks about inventionsBooks about physicsBooks about chemistryBooks about biologyBooks about astronomyThe human bodyBooks about force and energyBooks about electricityBooks about lightBooks about technologyScience and nature books

Bookroo

Book Clubs

Follow Bookroo