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medicine (11)
human body (5)
health (4)
other living things (17)
38 books
Last updated November 2019
Earth has about 8 million different species (kinds) of living organisms, from carrots to caribou and microbes to manatees. And that's just those that are still around. There have been loads more in the past. Evolution is one of my favourite things to write about. I've also been lucky to work with some excellent illustrators, so these books look fantastic.
The Story of Life (Arcturus, 2019)
Not all animals are still alive. In fact, most aren't. This book traces how the 8 million types of living things we have now came about, starting with tiny cells that probably had a boring time.
Dinosaur Atlas (Lonely Planet, 2017)
Absolutely beautiful illustrations by James Gilleard make this my favourite book of all. Short-listed for the Royal Society Young Person's Book Prize, 2018, and winner or the SLA prize (7-9 category), 2018.
Discovering Dinosaurs (Quarto, 2017)
A 'layer by layer' book with split pages and a narrative that builds up over a series of flaps. There area also sound effects1
Travel back through time to the land of dinosaurs (Paragon, 2014)
Evolution (TickTock, 2014)
It all started with slime mould. And now we have pandas, pangolins and people. In between — weird and wonderful things, from lungfish to dinosaurs, pterosaurs to gliptodons, mammoths to apricots (yep, plants, too).
When everything's just fine we don't thing much about our bodies. Well, you might think about a new hairstyle or whether you're getting a spot. But when things start to go wrong, it's easy to fear you have a deadly disease or might need a new leg or something. Luckily, there's lots we can do about those problems. Usually.
Genetic Engineering (Crabtree, 2016)
This is part of a series of books about careers in engineering. Genetic engineering is a bit different from the others as you can't do it with a spanner or a lot of diggers, or even a soldering iron.
You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Vaccinations (Salariya, 2015)
You might not think that while someone is jabbing a needle in your arm. But you wouldn't think that if you were dying of something you hadn't been vaccinated against. Get your vaccinations – they're good for you.
You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Antibiotics (Salariya, 2014)
Why not? Well, because you probably wouldn't live very long. Find out how gunge from mould can cure infections, and what people did before we had antibiotics (apart from die).
Surgery Through Time (HarperCollins Big Cat, 2013)
You need this book like a hole in the head. No, really — find out why people used to drill holes in each other's heads, why surgeons put honey in wounds and how moss saved lives during war-time.
A World After Super-Plague (Raintree, 2013)
Want a good scaring? This book looks at what happens when a terrible disease sweeps the world. It will happen sooner or later.
Infectious Diseases (Franklin Watts, 2011)
Feeling a little ill? Perhaps it’s malaria.Or polio. Or Ebola fever... There are lots of possibilities – more than you want to think about. Find out what modern medicine can do to help.
Health and Medicine (Franklin Watts, 2009)
Medicine isn’t all stethoscopes and bandages. How would you like a robot in your ear or a laser shining in your eye? You might like it a lot if you were deaf or going blind.
The Cutting Edge: Medicine (Heinemann, 2006)
More of the same - what's at the fore-front of modern medicine?
Machines in Medicine (Franklin Watts, 2006)
And again - in case you hadn't read enough about medical robots by now.
Tomorrow’s Science: Genetic Engineering (Chrysalis, 2003)
Do you want to know how to cross a fish with a tomato? Or whether you could clone yourself and send the clone to school while you veg out at home?
Tomorrow’s Science: Medicine Today (Chrysalis, 2003)
How would it feel to be one of eight identical babies? Would you want to be frozen after death and brought back to life in a hundred years’ time?
You've got a body - find out about it. There's useful information and there's useless but rather fascinating facts about such things as how many others things are sharing your body as a home and how much spit you produce each day.
500 Fantastic Facts: Your Body (Arcturus, 2019)
How much skin do you have? How much of you is actually you? And lots of other things you really need to know.
Curious Questions and Answers: My Body (Miles Kelly, 2019)
Even more weird and wonderful things to know about your body.
Your Physical Body (Capstone, 2013)
Its starts small, it gets bigger. This book is about how your body changes from before birth until death. There’s a bit more to it than that first sentence suggests.
Grim, Gross and Grisly (Barrington Stoke, 2010)
A horrible set of truly disgusting facts about humans.
Easy to read. Hard to forget.
The Nervous System, The Skin, The Senses (World Book, 2007)
What is says on the tin.
Knowing about your body isn't enough - you've got to look after it, too. Not many surprises here.
Keeping Safe Around Alcohol, Drugs and Cigarettes
(Franklin Watts, 2014)
Teen FAQ: Keeping Healthy
(Franklin Watts, 2010)
Teen FAQ: Alcohol
(Franklin Watts, 2010)
Teen FAQ: Bullying
(Franklin Watts, 2010)
Let's not get too anthropocentric (that's focussed on humans) – there are plenty of other living things to find out about.
I write about animals a bit, but mostly I like to write about dead animals (dinosaurs and other things that are no longer around). The dinosaurs will get their own page, soon. When I have some time. When I'm not too busy, er, writing about dinosaurs.
Animal Atlas (Lonely Planet, 2019)
Which animals iive where? There are animals all over the place, from the deepest ocean to the hottest deserts.
The Story of Life (Arcturus, 2019)
Not all animals are still alive. In fact, most aren't. This book traces how the 8 million types of living things we have now came about, starting with tiny cells that probably had a boring time.
Dinosaur Atlas (Lonely Planet, 2017)
Absolutely beautiful illustrations by James Gilleard make this my favourite book of all. Short-listed for the Royal Society Young Person's Book Prize, 2018, and winner or the SLA prize (7-9 category), 2018.
Into the Wild (Quarto, 2017)
Discovering Dinosaurs (Quarto, 2017)
Under the Sea (Quarto, 2017)
Three 'layer by layer' books that have split pages and a narrative that builds up over a series of flaps. There area also sound effects1
Travel back through time to the land of dinosaurs (Paragon, 2014)
You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Insects (Franklin Watts, 2015)
Pesky, bity, stingy things, right? We wouldn't be here without them. And we are WAAAAAY outnumbered, so best just to get on with them.
Evolution (TickTock, 2014)
It all started with slime mould. And now we have pandas, pangolins and people. In between — weird and wonderful things, from lungfish to dinosaurs, pterosaurs to gliptodons, mammoths to apricots (yep, plants, too).
So You Want a Pet? (HarperCollins, 2015)
Which type of pet should you get? It depends... if you want it to live in a tank of water, a puppy isn't a good choice.
Slipstream: Super Animals (Franklin Watts, 2012)
Selected for Booktrust's Bookbuzz programme, 2014. Easy to read.
Slipstream: Amazing Pets (Franklin Watts, 2014)
Easy to read.
Carrots Grow under the Ground (Quarto, 2012)
That title's a bit of a plot spoiler, isn't it?
Tomatoes Grow on Vines (Quarto, 2012)
Apples Grow on Trees (Quarto, 2012)
Lettuce Grows on the Ground (Quarto, 2012)
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