NSTA Kids

Trade books dedicated to nurturing the wonder and curiosity inherent in young minds

Science educators have long known the benefits of using children’s picture books to help teach important science concepts. And every parent has experienced strings of “why” question from little ones—

Why do some birds have pointy beaks?
Why is a siren so loud?
Why do we find seashells on the beach?
Why does the sky change color when the Sun sets?

NSTA Kids fills the needs of both teachers and parents by providing lively children’s picture books that also impart sound science. Engaging narratives and bold, bright graphics help make science fun and encourage children to curl up with a good book and keep asking, “Why?”

Especially designed to be experienced with an adult—whether a parent, teacher, or friend—Next Time You See books serve as a reminder that you don’t have to look far to find something remarkable in nature.

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Next Time You See

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Snowflake

Click here to view video of Next Time You See a Snowflake This book will have you seeing snowflakes in a whole new way. You’ll learn about the science of snowflakes – how they form, why they are six-sided, what conditions are necessary for the...

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Bee

This book will get young readers buzzing about bees! Next Time You See a Bee reveals the big impact these little insects have on the world. It shows how the physical features of bees make them pros at collecting and spreading pollen. It explains how ...

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Bee (Library binding)

This book will get young readers buzzing about bees! Next Time You See a Bee reveals the big impact these little insects have on the world. It shows how the physical features of bees make them pros at collecting and spreading pollen. It explains how ...

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Cloud (Library binding)

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!>Next time you want to see a show, go outside and look at the sky. The clouds will put on a show for you with their ever-changing shapes and sizes. This book reveals some fascinating science b...

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Cloud

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!Next time you want to see a show, go outside and look at the sky. The clouds will put on a show for you with their ever-changing shapes and sizes. This book reveals some fascinating science be...

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Spiderweb

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!...

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Spiderweb (Library binding)

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!...

NSTA Kids

Next Time You See a Maple Seed

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!It’s fun to toss maple seeds up in the air and watch them spin down to the ground like nature’s own helicopters. This book prompts inquisitive kids to learn about these marvels of aerial e...

The I Wonder Why series was written to ignite the curiosity of young children while encouraging them to become avid readers. Included in each volume is a Parent/Teacher Handbook with coordinating activities. The I Wonder Why series was written by award-winning science educator Lawrence Lowery.

I Wonder Why

NSTA Kids

Look and See: I Wonder Why

This lively book’s title makes the perfect motto for young scientists: Look and see! With the help of charming text and bright pictures, you learn just how much you can use your sense of sight. Toys and tools, birds and bugs, flowers and fish, and ...

NSTA Kids

Fragrant as a Flower: I Wonder Why

Follow your nose! This book invites you to learn what your sense of smell can teach you as you amble around town. Go along as a little boy listens to his dad’s tale about taking in the deliciousness of a pastry shop, the woodsy smells of a lumberya...

NSTA Kids

Quiet as a Butterfly: I Wonder Why

“One day I listened. I listened to all the sounds I heard. I listened and I wondered.” From a clock’s ticks in the morning to a father’s snores at night, sounds are everywhere. That’s what an attentive boy discovers as he listens his way...

NSTA Kids

The Tree by Diane's House: I Wonder Why

This book about life cycles and the food chain begs to be read out loud. Written in the rhythm of “The House That Jack Built,” The Tree by Diane’s House tells the story of a budding tree and a growing girl. As the tree grows from seed to sycamo...

NSTA Kids

Animals Two by Two: I Wonder Why

Children who love both animals and a rousing game of I Spy will have fun with this book. To give kids practice identifying similarities and differences, the book starts by pairing easy-to-distinguish animals, such as zebras and horses. Then it moves ...

NSTA Kids

Our Very Own Tree: I Wonder Why

What happens when two friends take an interest in an oak tree? They begin to notice more about the world around them, such as the seasons changing and squirrels making homes. They are inspired to do independent research, from studying acorns to looki...

NSTA Kids

Looking for Animals: I Wonder Why

Now you see them, now you don’t! By showing the same creatures in two different settings, this book brings out the detective in young readers. They can investigate the role of protective coloration— nature’s own camouflage—for katydids, crick...

NSTA Kids

Michael's Racing Machine: I Wonder Why

Celebrate imagination! This NSTA Kids book has been selected for the Children’s Book Council #ImaginationCelebration Showcase! Full book list: Imagination Celebration Showcase...

Featured Books

NSTA Kids

Never Stop Wondering

Celebrate imagination! This NSTA Kids book has been selected for the Children’s Book Council #ImaginationCelebration Showcase! Full book list: Imagination Celebration Showcase Never stop wondering, never stop questioning. Never stop trying ...

NSTA Kids

Never Stop Wondering (Library binding)

Never stop wondering, never stop questioning. Never stop trying to figure things out. Always keep searching, always keep asking. That’s what science is all about....

NSTA Kids

The Beaks of Birds (Library binding)

Come along on a tour of the wonderful world of birds and their beaks. This book is the story of a child and two grown-up friends on a jaunt across their yard, in a park, past a pond, and through the pages of a photo album. Like them, you’ll find yo...

NSTA Kids

Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data

Click here to view video of Exemplary Evidence Celebrate imagination! This NSTA Kids book has been selected for the Children’s Book Council #ImaginationCelebration Showcase! Full book list: Imagination Celebration Showcase Named an Outst...

NSTA Kids

Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data (Library binding)

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!If you think of science as a puzzle, you’ll see that data is a key to unlocking it. Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data touches on the world’s many riddles—from how we see to w...

NSTA Kids

The Beaks of Birds

Come along on a tour of the wonderful world of birds and their beaks. This book is the story of a child and two grown-up friends on a jaunt across their yard, in a park, past a pond, and through the pages of a photo album. Like them, you’ll find yo...

NSTA Kids

Animal Adaptations

From feet to color to teeth, animals have many special structures that help them survive. These physical characteristics help them move, find food, and protect themselves. Animal Adaptations allows children to use their powers of observation to compa...

NSTA Kids

When The Sun Goes Dark

Named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12!...

Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings Read Aloud

Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings