Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small
Age 6+
Science & Technology: General Interest
WINNER OF THE ENGLISH 4-11 PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION
"We need more beautifully illustrated and involving non-fiction like this. Wade and Castrillón introduce nanoscience with perfect clarity and inviting pictures." – The Sunday Times
"Beautiful ... plunges deep into the world of atoms, materials and the applications of nanoscience, with accessible text and richly shaded pictures." – Guardian
This exciting non-fiction picture book introduces young readers to the fascinating (and cutting-edge) science of the very, very small.
Everything is made from something – but the way we make things, from the materials we use to the science and technology involved, is changing fast. Nano offers a fascinating narrative introduction to this cutting-edge area of STEM, better known by the name "nanotechnology".
With words by Dr Jess Wade – a highly skilled physicist and trailblazing campaigner for diversity in STEM fields – and beautiful, dynamic pictures by award-winning artist Melissa Castrillón, this is the perfect book for budding young scientists and engineers.
"A truly rare science book that neither talks down to children nor goes over the heads. Dr Jess Wade makes one of the most complex areas of science instantly accessible, drawing out the wonder and beauty of materials at the nanoscale, while inspiring young readers to want to know more[...] Sumptuously illustrated, deeply informative and clever, this is the gift I'll be giving to all the children I know." – Angela Saini, science journalist, broadcaster and author
Creators
Dr Jess Wade is an award-winning physicist specialising in plastic electronics, and a trailblazing campaigner for inclusion in STEAM fields. She won the Early Career Physics Communicator Award for outreach and the Jocelyn Bell Burnell Award for her outstanding research and widely covered activism. This notably included writing over 1200 Wikipedia pages in a year for women and people of colour working in science, and a campaign to get a copy of Angela Saini's book Inferior into every school in the UK. Follow her on Twitter under the handle @jesswade
Melissa Castrillón is an English/Colombian illustrator, currently based in Cambridge, England. She has a First class Honors Degree in Illustration and a Master’s Degree in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art. She is the author-illustrator of Mighty Min and The Balcony, and the illustrator of If I Had a Little Dream and Yellow Kayak; she won the Gold Medal at the Society of Illustrators' annual exhibition. Follow her on Instagram under the handle @melissa.castrillon
Reviews
Boasting bold patterns and bright colours, Melissa Castrillón’s illustrations bring science to life for children. Her style is striking and enhances the positive energy flowing from the text. Befitting a book on very small things, the images feature an extraordinary amount of detail that will keep little eyes busy for hours.
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