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The Science of Art by Ruth Millington ill. Rose Blake

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 7 Aug 2026

Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
ISBN: 9780241733134

See also illustrated by Rose Blake:
A History of Fashion [ACHUKA Book of the Day 19 Sep 2025]
A History of Words for Children [ACHUKA Book of the Day 28 Sep 2022]
A History of Music for Children [ACHUKA Book of the Day 16 Sep 2021]

Ruth Millington is an art historian, writer, and critic. She appears frequently on radio and TV.
Rose Blake is an award-winning artist and illustrator who has illustrated numerous books for children, including, as well as those mentioned above, A History of Pictures for Children and Meet the Artist: David Hockney.

This new title takes readers on a museum tour of art history’s most important techniques and movements, with expert insight from art consultant Ruth Millington and illustrations by Rose Blake.

See art brought to life in a playful and engaging way as you discover popular art techniques, learn about the key elements of each movement, understand the artists’ motivations, and appreciate the beauty and complexity of art through the ages.

Immerse yourself in a guided tour of art’s most important movements, styles and methods:

  • Uncover some of the most prominent works from across history, including the Sumpang Bita Cave paintings, the Sistine Chapel and Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night, to name a few – brought to life with insightful, beginner-friendly commentary
  • Features expert but accessible commentary from art consultant and curator Ruth Millington, with gorgeous illustrations by award-winning artist Rose Blake
  • Perfect for kids aged 7-9 looking for an inspiring art resource in one playful, beautiful and thoroughly engaging book

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This Book Will Make You a Scientist by Dr Sheila Kanani ill. Ellen Surrey

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 8 Apr 2026

Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd
ISBN: 9781805132547

“Attractive, colourful illustrations throughout make the book very visually appealing and small pictures are used to support understanding of the experiment instructions. A detailed glossary is included to explain some of the technical terms used and the contents page indicates the name of the scientist and the experiment which can be found on each page, making it easy for children to chose a specific idea or browse at their leisure.” ThroughTheBookshelf
“The step-by-step experiments are a brilliant addition to the book, and any budding young scientists will enjoy having a go at testing out the various scientific theories themselves. The experiments are clear, accessible and would work well as activities in schools.” BookTrust

Read an interview with the author 
 on ReadingZone

Measure the speed of light like Albert Einstein! Train to be an astronaut like Mae Jemison! Communicate with chimpanzees like Jane Goodall! This book will make YOU a scientist as you explore 25 different scientific ideas inspired by ground-breaking scientists through history!

Discover 25 of the world’s most incredible scientists in this fact-filled book full of step-by-step science experiments that are easy to try at home. From making your own volcano and extracting DNA from a strawberry to exploring electricity, evolution and gravity, this imaginative book is jam-packed with ideas for aspiring scientists everywhere!

  • Friendly, accessible text written by planetary physicist, science presenter and school science teacher Dr Sheila Kanani MBE, author of Blue Peter Award-shortlisted How to Be an Astronaut and Can You Get Rainbows in Space?
  • Featuring biographies of 25 fantastic scientists, plus an exciting science-based experiment to try on every spread.
  • Vibrant, full colour illustrations on every page and a stunning cloth-effect cover
  • Created in consultation with experts from the University of Cambridge
  • The fantastic follow-up to This Book Will Make You an Artist (“A great choice for curious and creative kids” – The Independent)

List of scientists featured: Tapputi-Belatekallim, Archimedes, Kamal al-Din al-Farisi, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Caroline Herschel, James Jay, Charles Darwin, Mary Anning, Nikola Tesla, S.P.L Søresnen, Ynés Mexia, Albert Einstein, Alexander Fleming, Alice Ball, Dorothy Hodgkin, Rosalind Franklin, Marie Maynard Daly, Eugene Merle Shoemaker, Jane Goodall, Katia Krafft, Christine Darden, Stephen Hawking, Mae Jemison and Ritu Karidhal.

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The STEM Encyclopedia of Wildlife Words: An Illustrated a to Z of 100 Animal Terms for Kids to Know by Jenny Jacoby designed by Vicky Barker

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 31 March 2026

Publisher: b small publishing limited
ISBN: 9781916851689

 

 
 
 
 
 
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An illustrated encyclopedia covering the top 100 animal-related words that children ought to know. Organised in alphabetical order with each term beautifully and humorously illustrated, the essential concepts will fascinate scientifically minded animal-lovers.

There is a contents list at the front and a full index at the back, plenty of extra words and definitions … plus fascinating facts. 

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Jenny Jacoby is an experienced and respected non-fiction author of non-fiction titles for children. Here are some of her other books:

 

How To Save Your Granny From a Runaway Train – Solved by Science by Swapna Haddow ill.Jess Bradley

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 5 Aug 2025

Waterstones
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Bonkers dilemmas that can be solved with science and a bunch of brilliant physics experiments.

**No grannies were harmed in the making of this book!**

Trick a shark! Lift a jumbo jet! Escape a deserted island! Stop a runaway train!

Explore a bunch of ridiculous (and not-so-ridiculous) dilemmas – with solutions from the astonishing world of physics.

Sounds unbelievable? Test the science for yourself, with easy-to-follow experiments throughout!

What are you waiting for? Let’s save Granny!

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Inside Your Brain: 10 discoveries that reveal how the brain works by Lucy Ann Unwin & Professor ill. María Jesús Contreras

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 30 Jul 2025

Waterstones
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This comedic journey through science history explores ten mind-bending accidents and experiments that take us inside the brain to discover how it works.

Written by professor of neuroscience Caswell Barry, together with his good friend, the children’s author Lucy Ann Unwin, Inside Your Brain takes readers on an irreverent gallop through history to uncover ten groundbreaking discoveries that led to our current understanding of how the brain works.

The human brain is famously complex and difficult to understand. The brain is also essential to how we function — so much so, that you can’t simply poke a stick at it to see what happens. However, if someone accidentally pokes a stick through their own brain, there’s a lot we can learn…

The ancient Egyptians discovered in battle that the brain was more important than they’d thought; Luigi Galvani sent electric shocks through dead frogs’ legs and uncovered how brain cells work; Phineas Gage’s unfortunate accident on the railroads revealed that you can survive a metal rod through the head because the brain operates using separate regions; while some unwitting kittens helped us understand how our brain develops.

This book also touches on our present and future potential to continue testing the brain, such as how we can learn an enormous amount about how the brain processes information from AI, without experimenting on a human subject. This entertaining and engaging deep dive into the most mind-boggling area of science is sure to fascinate and delight young readers.

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She says about herself:
I’m an illustrator born and raised in the south of Chile. My illustrations feature bold and saturated colors, where fear and humor are my main inspirations. I create a weekly illustration for The New York Times as part of The Morning column on Saturdays. Currently working for clients such as The Washington Post, Penguin Random House, Texas Monthly, The New Yorker, The Telegraph, The Economist, Los Angeles Times, New York Magazine, NPR, Gucci, Hermès, Apple, Lush, and McDonald’s, among many others. My work has been featured on platforms like It’s Nice That, Domestika, WeTransfer, Colossal, and Creative Boom. In 2022, I was honored to receive the Young Guns Award from The One Club for Creativity. In 2023, I was named an AI42 Winner, shortlisted for WIA2023, and invited to judge the Latin American Design Awards, the New Blood Portfolio Competition for D&AD, and the Young Guns. In 2024, I was part of the jury for the ADC 104th Annual Awards and was recognized by Forbes as one of Chile’s 50 most powerful women.

Land of the Last Wildcat by Lui Sit ill. David Dean

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 21 May 2025
Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month May 2025

Waterstones
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“An exciting magical mystery and adventure unfolds with twists and turns all the way. There’s real bravery here, and at its heart this book has an ecological message: a story of how people and nature can live in harmony to the benefit of all. ” BookTrust
“Sit is a highly suspenseful storyteller, who unravels a dense plot in less than 300 pages, and plunges her heroine into the sort of white-knuckle capers reminiscent of the lost worlds of Biggles and Boy’s Own.” Telegraph
“An exciting adventure…” BfK
“A fast-paced adventure…” ChildrensBooksIreland

Adventure and magic collide in Lui Sit’s fast-paced debut children’s novel about family, friendship and the beauty of our natural world. Illustrated throughout in black and white by David Dean.

Puffin Lau has two problems: her beloved scientist mum barely speaks to her,and a mythical wildcat called the Kuri is depending on her for its survival.

Luckily, Puffin grew up on stories of the Kuri and its magical powers, and she will stop at nothing to return it to its rightful home.

But standing in her way is the ominous Professor Smoult, a money-hungry scientist who wants to capture the Kuri and steal its magic. Faced with a mammoth journey to the faraway Linger Island, Puffin and her best friend Lance must evade the professor and save the last wildcat before it’s too late. 

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21 Things to Do With a Mud Pie: An Outdoor Activity Book by Jane Wilsher ill. Teo Georgiev

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 14 Nov 2024

Waterstones
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Published by Ivy Kids, part of the Quarto Group, with great illustrations by a Bulgarian illustrator based in Helsinki.

Build towers out of baked mud bricks, gather soil to make a home for worms or ants, and decorate a gigantic mud pie with flowers, twigs and leaves.

Packed with arts and crafts, games, thought exercises, science experiments and more, this fun and educational book gets children to experience the wonder of nature and talks them through how to safely  play with slimy, squelchy mud.

…all while helping them to develop an understanding of its fantastic superpowers, from its role in growing plants to the cozy home it makes for diverse animal species.

With dedicated how-to boxes and step-by-step instructions, as well as splashes of informative detail on ecosystems, plant growth and more, this book is a companion to all sorts of outside activities that can be done wrapped up warm on a muddy autumn day, or baking in the sun at the height of summer.

The activities can be done in any order, some alone, some with a grown-up or group of friends.

Teo says, “I was born in Bulgaria where I spent 19 years of my life, after which I moved to the UK to study Graphic Design at Coventry University. That lead me to work at IBM for a couple of years. When I grew a bit restless, I headed off to Helsinki for a MA in Visual Narrative at Aalto University, where I drew, read and wrote about comics. During that time I continued working as a designer, this time in branding. However, in the evenings – with the help of coffee – I continued illustrating, which eventually turned out to be my full-time engagement.”

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There Are No Ants in This Book by Rosemary Mosco ill. Anna Pirolli

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 9 Aug 2024

Waterstones
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“This whimsical work will draw attention to some of the most diverse and successful creatures on the planet and perhaps leave younger readers more inclined to study these ubiquitous insects than step on them. Make room on the picnic blanket for this convivial gathering.” KIRKUS

Nothing can ruin a picnic faster than a bunch of ants. It’s a good thing there are no ants in this book… well, maybe there’s only one. Or two… Or ten?? Maybe it’s not so bad. Ants are kind of cool, after all. Especially the Acrobat Ant that waves its back end around to scare off enemies. Or the Slender Leaf Ant that can glide through the air. Or the Dinosaur Ant, which is the biggest ant in the world! Okay, so a picnic with ants is actually lots of fun!

But what if an anteater also wants to join the picnic?

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Else B. in the Sea: The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep by Jeanne Walker Harvey ill. Melodie Stacey

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ACHUKA Book of the Day 19 Jun 2024

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A poetic picture book biography about a daring and pioneering woman artist that combines themes of art and science. 

Else Bostelmann donned a red swimsuit and a copper diving helmet and, with paints and brushes in hand, descended into the choppy turquoise sea off the coast of Bermuda. It was 1930, and few had ventured deep into the sea before. She discovered a fairyland six fathoms below the surface—fantastic coral castles, glittering sunbeams, swaying sea plumes, and slender purple sea fans. And fish! Flashy silverfish, puckering blue parrotfish, iridescent jellyfish.

Else painted under the sea. She painted what she saw with her own eyes, and, back on land, she painted the never-before-seen deep-sea creatures described by world-renowned scientist William Beebe on his momentous 1930s bathysphere expeditions for the New York Zoological Society’s Department of Tropical Research. It was a daring and glamorous adventure and a dream come true for Else B., who shared this new, unfathomable world with humankind.

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Green: The Story of Plant Life on Our Planet by Nicola Davies ill. Emily Sutton

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ACHUKA Book of the Day Wed 7 Feb 2024

Waterstones
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A highly experienced author of children’s non-fiction and an accomplished illustrator working at the height of their powers have produced a magnificent look at the science of plants.

Starting with the secret workings of a tree, this book transports readers billions of years into the past; back to the moment when plant life first appeared on our planet. Covering its evolution, the steady emergence of fossil fuels and the extraordinary communities of plants around the world today, Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton combine essential biology with a powerful message – a call to protect the most precious colour on Earth … GREEN.

 

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