Books That Explain How Things Work to Children

Kids’ Reference Books About Science, Inventions and the Human Body

Jan 16, 2009

Children are often fascinated by the world around them and the many inventions and objects they see everyday. Encourage their curiosity with this selection of books.

Many children are inquisitive about how things work. Everything from the television and family car to the microwave, computer and their own bodies is a object of great fascination. Unfortunately, parents aren’t always equipped with all the answers and adult reference books are generally too complicated or simply inappropriate for younger readers.

The following books are generally appropriate for confident, independent readers aged 9+ who have an interest in science and technology and the human body.

How Machines and Inventions Work

These books offer the answers to questions kids ask about how familiar objects work.

This book offers simple yet detailed explanations for a large number of objects from the simple, such as a can opener, to the more complex, such as digital machinery and microchips. Topics include the mechanics of movement, electricity and automation, working with waves and harnessing the elements. Illustrations featuring mammoths from the animated children’s program The Way Things Work enhance the accessibility of this book for younger readers. (400 pages)

How Nearly Everything was Invented (Dorling Kindersley, 2006) by Roger Bridgman

This book highlights major inventions, such as the discovery of electricity, steam power, the internal combustion engine, the lens, gunpowder and the transistor. Fold out pages allow for large scale illustrations that are populated by numerous little men, the Brainwaves, who demonstrate and make comments about each invention and process. Information about why people invent things, great inventions and inventing disasters also feature. (61 pages)

Stephen Biesty’s Incredible Cross-Sections (Dorling Kindersley/Viking, 1992) by Richard Platt

This collection of incredibly detailed illustrations of 18 buildings and machines will fascinate children and adults alike. The images cover a double page, with occasional gatefold pages that double the illustration size. Images feature items with cross-section “cuts” that show the inner workings and structure of objects such as an oil rig, submarine, ocean liner, car factory, opera house, helicopter and subway station. Each image is accompanied by explanations and detailed captions (48 pages)

How the Human Body Works

Finding age-appropriate books about how the human body works isn’t always easy, particularly for inquisitive children who want detailed information but aren’t old enough for adult reference books on the subject. These books offer information in a style that is entertaining as well as educational.

Similar to The Way Things Work, this is a comprehensive guide to human body systems and functioning. It includes information on sexual reproduction that parents might wish to screen before allowing younger children access to the book. (336 pages)

How the Incredible Human Body Works (Dorling Kindersley, 2007) by Richard Walker

Once again featuring the Brainwaves characters, this book focuses predominantly on body systems and organs. Reproduction is not covered with only basic information about DNA and cell division. Quirky facts, humorous illustrations and the gatefold design of pages offering interesting and enjoyable reading (61 pages)

This interesting book answers the questions “What am I made of?”, “What makes me unique?”, “How does my brain work?” and “What kind of person am I?” It includes information on genes, body language, personality, dreams and some fun tests for memory, verbal and spatial ability, numerical skills, lateral thinking, personality and genetic traits such as colour blindness. Reproductive information focuses on genetic material and development from the fertilisation of the egg by the sperm. (96 pages)

Encourage Children Interested How Things Work

Offering children age-appropriate information to answer their questions about how things work can help to encourage their natural curiosity and foster a love of learning. These books, and others like them, can help parents to offer informative and informed answers to many of the questions posed by their inquisitive children.

The copyright of the article Books That Explain How Things Work to Children in Children's Non-Fiction is owned by Susan Whelan. Permission to republish Books That Explain How Things Work to Children in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.