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The staff of the MESS Hall love to read about science. We incorporate science-related books in our programs, plus we read science books for fun.

We hope this list of some of our favorite books provides inspiration for gifts for the science lovers you know.

A Life Electric: The Story of Nikola TeslaAzadeh WestergaardElementary agesA wonderful introduction for young readers to the life and groundbreaking work of Nikola Tesla. Told through detailed and stylized illustrations that explore Tesla’s genius and humanity. Author’s notes give the reader more insight into Tesla’s life and work.
Ada Twist, ScientistAndrea BeatyElementary agesAn aspiring scientist solves a challenge
Five CreaturesEmily JenkinsElementary agesThe five “creatures” are members of a family, and compares and contrasts the members
Iggy Peck ArchitectAndrea BeatyElementary agesAn aspiring architect rescues his class
Jack and the Beanstalk: How a Small Fellow Solved a Big ProblemJoy SchlehElementary agesJack uses simple machines in this retelling of the classic tale.
Little People, Big Dreams: Mary AnningMaria Isabel Sanchez VergaraElementary agesThe story of Mary Anning
Not A BoxAntoinette PortisElementary agesCardboard is whatever you imagine it can be
One Grain of RiceDemiElementary agesA classic mathematical folktale about the power of exponential growth.
One Tiny TurtleNicola DaviesElementary agesThe journey of an endangered loggerhead turtle
Over in the Ocean In a Coral ReefMarianne BerkesElementary agesAn oceanic counting book
Ricky, the Rock that Couldn’t RollJay MiletskyElementary agesUplifting story about a rock and his friends that also includes the names and properties of different rocks
Rosie Revere, EngineerAndrea BeattyElementary agesThis book is a reminder that failure is a first attempt in learning and to not give up.
Seeing SymmetryLoreen LeedyElementary agesExplains symmetry in nature
Sky ColorPeter H. ReynoldsElementary agesIs the sky blue? What other colors can it be?
The DotPeter H. ReynoldsElementary agesA young girl discovers her artistic side.
The Great Paper CaperOliver JeffersElementary agesThe animals are trying to discover why the forest is disappearing. Paper airplanes are a clue.
The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution ProblemColleen PaeffElementary agesDiscover how one plucky 19th-century engineer solved a foul situation in London’s Thames River. (Kids love anything to do with poop.)
The Librarian Who Measured the EarthKathryn LaskyElementary agesBiography of Eratosthenes, the Ancient Greek mathematician
The Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the UniverseSandra NickelElementary agesThe Stuff Between the Stars tells the story of Vera Rubin’s love for space and the discoveries she made about the universe. Determination and grit helped Vera share her discoveries as she became an important figure in astronomy.
They All Saw A CatBrendan WenzelElementary agesEach creature sees a cat differently, depending on its vision and relationship
Those Darn SquirrelsAdam RubinElementary agesThe scheming, engineering squirrels continue to find a way to the bird feeder.
Tiny Creatures: The World of MicrobesNicola DaviesElementary agesTeaches kids about microbes with pretty illustrations
WeslandiaPaul FleischmanElementary agesThe story of a boy who creates his own civilization from the cultivation of a single, special crop.
Zombie MakersRebecca L. JohnsonElementary agesTrue stories of nature’s undead
CosmosCarl SaganMiddle School and upThis is the book that brought the wonder and complexity and beauty of the cosmos to life.
FlatlandEdwin AbbottMiddle School and upA social commentary that is also a great explanation of dimensions.
Murderous Maths SeriesKjartan PoskittMiddle School and upA humorous series that introduces advanced math concepts in an approachable way.
The Number DevilHans Magnus Enzensberger Middle school and upIn twelve dreams, Robert learns the magic of numbers
Invention of AirSteven JohnsonHigh school and upA story of the discovery of Joseph Priestly and his discovery of oxygen, set against the social issues of the time.
Rise of the Rocket GirlsNathalia HoltHigh School and upA book about the human computers–all women–who helped with rocket development in the 1940s and 1950s.
SevenevesNeal StephensonHigh School and upScience, disaster, space, creative engineering, creative science, and revitalization of a fictional Earth. This book is a journey to read, and it keeps you thinking about how humanity deals with its challenges.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksRebecca SklootHigh School and upAs a scientist who once used the HeLA line of immortalized cells, I never once gave thought that these cells came from a person. The story of Henrietta Lacks is a book all scientists and aspiring scientists should read.
The OverstoryRichard PowersHigh School and upA story of trees and humans. Though I read this years ago, I think of its many story lines often.
The Emperor of All MaladiesSiddhartha MukherjeeHigh school and up The history of cancer
Hidden FiguresMargot Lee ShetterlyMultiple age levelsRead the story of the black women who helped the US reach the moon. The hit movie is based on this book.