5 Books for Curious Minds
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The older our little girl gets, the more acutely aware we become of the many questions we don’t have answers to. If you’ve got a similarly inquisitive mind amongst your tribe, may we point you in the direction of our top titles for curious little girls and boys. These beautifully crafted mind-expanders also make for great gifts when the toy basket is at risk of reaching capacity.
1. Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy
by The School of Life
age range: 9 – 12
RRP: £18
This intro to philosophy from the brilliant School of Life is designed to harness children’s big thinking spontaneous instinct and develop it through intros to some of the most essential philosophical figures and ideas from history. From Aristotle to Adam Smith, Big Ideas For Curious Minds is filled with interactive exercises and beaut illustrations to bring the ideas of great thinkers vibrantly to life.
2. Little People, Big Dreams Series
by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Guide age range: 4 – 7
RRP £9.99 each
Available as individual books focussing on a single person, or as gift sets themed around subjects like arts, science, or music, this gorgeous series is all about introducing young people to the most inspiring people that have walked the earth. From Rosa Parks and David Attenborough, to Marie Curie and Muhammad Ali, the Little People, Big Dreams series is a collection of cleverly illustrated mini-biographies that turn people into refreshingly digestible stories.
3. Coronavirus: A Book for Children About the Pandemic
by Elizabeth Jenner, Kate Wilson and Nia Roberts and illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Guide age range: 5 – 9
free, Amazon
Though not the cheeriest of topics, this free digital book is proving to be a seriously useful resource for parents struggling to explain the current coronavirus crisis. Created by two headteachers, a child psychologist and with input from Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine the gentle, the thoughtful text tackles question like: “Why are places we normally go closed?” and “How do you catch coronavirus?” Add in illustrations from Axel Scheffler of Gruffalo fame and you get the idea.
4. On the Origin of Species
by Sabina Radeva
Guide age range: 8+
RRP: £12.99
In the first picture-book retelling of Charles Darwin's On The Origin of Species, molecular biologist and illustrator Sabina Radeva brings the theory of evolution to life for young people in this gorgeous hardback.
Though the illustrations in this book make is captivating to flick through at all ages, the writing is likely to be a little complex for those under the age of eight. We’re not sure an upper age bracket is necessary for this one, which had us captivated from page one.
5. Weird but True! 2021
by National Geographic Kids
Guide age range: 5+
RRP: £19.99
The latest offering from National Geographic Kids, is packed with brain-bending factoids and jaw-dropping true stories. The 2021 edition of the popular series covers everything from big world events to scientific discoveries. If you’re in the market for something more specialist and for wallet-friendly paperback options, check out the back-catalogue with books explicitly dedicated to animals, history and all things gross! Think slimy, smelly, sticky facts that will get any child enthusiastic about learning.
