Friday 13 March 2015

British Science Week beings today - what better way to join in than with a crop of fantastic books!

"See Inside Your Head" by Alex Frith and Colin King (Usborne Publishing)

It's British Science Week, and from today until the 22nd March we're all abuzz with all things science-ey. Of course, as book bloggers we couldn't wait to check out some of the fantastic science titles for children that are currently available including a trio of fantastic books from our go-to publisher of choice for fact-packed fun ways to learn, Usborne Publishing.

Our first title particularly interested Charlotte as she loves lift-the-flap books - but the subject of this particular book is very close to home for us. Charlotte's mum has broad spectrum Epilepsy, so a book that delves deep into the way our brain works really can help answer a multitude of questions Charlotte has about the various things poor mum has to go through.

With over 70 flaps to lift, you can really peel back the layers of the brain and find out what it's made of, why it works the way it does, and what can happen when things go wrong. The book touches on the physiology of the brain, and psychological matters affecting the way we behave and perceive our world.

It's an utterly incredible book, fantastically illustrated (as you'd expect from Usborne) and with quite a broad appeal to a wide age range, a book that will be a valuable resource for your budding biologists to dip into.

The Story of Science by Anna Claybourne and Adam Larkum (Usborne Publishing)

Broadening our range a little next, we take a dip into "The Story of Science" by Anna Claybourne and Adam Larkum.

Mix history and science together in this fascinating look back at some of the groundbreaking discoveries made over the last few centuries, as you and your children learn how the world's most famous scientists theorised, experimented and discovered the secrets of our world and the universe beyond.

Tinged with humour, and crazy anecdotes, this is nevertheless a fact-filled book chock full of detail and will undoubtedly give your child plenty to investigate and enjoy. Like the rest of Usborne's non-fiction range, it's expertly presented and pitched at just the right level for children of Charlotte's age who are just beginning to touch on science subjects at KS-1 / 2, and beyond.

Last but by no means least for our look at Usborne's fantastic science range, let's head out into space (our favourite science subject!)

The Story of Astronomy and Space by Louie Stowell and Peter Allen (Usborne Publishing)
Superstar book peeps Louie Stowell and Peter Allen have pulled out all the stops for this next title, reaching out into the cosmos for "The Story of Astronomy and Space" - a book that was snatched out of my hands with a "Whoop!" by Charlotte before I could even get a look in (don't worry, I sneaked off with it and curled up for a good long read once she'd gone to bed - one of the perks of being a booky parent!)

With the clear skies we've been getting lately, and our recent trip to the Greenwich Observatory and Planetarium still fresh in our minds, it was great to read through this book, identifying some of the things we'd recently seen.

Astronomy charts help you and your children map the night skies, and if you're lucky enough to live somewhere where the light pollution isn't too bad, you can get a lot out of staring up at the night sky.

A fantastic book, you can tell Louie and Peter have a lot of passion for the subject at hand - and it's passed on perfectly in this wonderfully presented and beautifully illustrated addition to Usborne's superb science range.

We'll be catching up with more Science books as British Science Week continues - so stay tuned!