CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.
To print a CCBC booklist, click on a list below and then use your browser’s “Print” command.
Literary Science 2: Selected Books for Grades 6-12
© 2025, 2012 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Compiled by Megan Schliesman and Merri Lindgren
The Next Generation Science Standards emphasize four broad areas of science education:
- Life Science
- Earth & Space Science
- Physical Science
- Engineering & Design
This bibliography identifies trade literature for middle and high school-age across these four broad areas for grades 6-12. The purpose is to suggest books that can engage students in science and technology subjects or research, or in critical thinking on ethical issues in science and technology. Some of these books may connect directly to what is being taught in the classroom, others invite students to make connections between the subject of the book and what they are learning in and beyond their science or technology classroom.
This list is not meant to be exhaustive or to incorporate every science/technology concept that is taught in middle and high school. Instead, it is meant to suggest ways of integrating high-quality children's and young adult literature with the science curriculum--books that can foster interest, invite discussion, and connect science and technology to literature and reading. Titles on the list include both fiction and non-fiction.
It should be noted that while the first two NGSS categories, Life Science and Earth & Space Science, offer many rich possibilities in children's and young adult literature, the other two categories, Physical Science and Engineering & Design, present more of a challenge. Therefore, these two have been combined into a single category on this list.
Life Science
The Monarch Effect: Surviving Poison, Predators, and People
by Church, Dana L.
Scholastic/Scholastic Focus, 2024. 309 pages. Age 11 and older
The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands
by Collard III, Sneed B.
Illustrated by Sneed B. Collard III.
Houghton Mifflin , 2005. 72 pages. Age 10 and older
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
by Heiligman, Deborah
Henry Holt, 2009. 268 pages. Age 14 and older
Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat
by Jarrow, Gail
Calkins Creek/Highlights, 2014. 192 pages. Age 12 and older
Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Discovery Sparks a Scientific Investigation
by Parrott-Ryan, Maria
Lerner/Millbrook, 2023. 56 pages. Ages 8-13
Patient Zero: Solving the Mysteries of Deadly Epidemics
by Peters, Marilee
Annick, 2014. 166 pages. Age 11 and older
Billions of Years, Amazing Changes: The Story of Evolution
by Pringle, Laurence
Illustrated by Steve Jenkins.
Boyds Mills, 2011. 102 pages. Ages 9-14
Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors
by Sidman, Joyce
Illustrated by Beckie Prange.
Houghton Mifflin /Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 32 pages. Ages 9-13
The Lady and the Octopus: How Jeanne-Villepreux-Power Invented Aquariums and Revolutionized Marine Biology
by Staaf, Danna
Carolrhoda, 2022. 136 pages. Age 11 and older
How to Build a Human in Seven Evolutionary Steps
by Turner, Pamela S.
Illustrated by John Gurche.
Charlesbridge, 2022. 166 pages. Age 11 and older
Earth & Space Science
Books of Information
The Great American Dust Bowl
by Brown, Don
Illustrated by Don Brown.
Houghton Mifflin , 2013. 80 pages. Age 10 and older
Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina & New Orleans
by Brown, Don
Illustrated by Don Brown.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. 96 pages. Age 11 and older
Eye of the Storm: NASA, Drones, and the Race to Crack the Hurricane Code (Scientists in the Field)
by Cherrix, Amy
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017. 73 pages. Age 10 and older
The Mysterious Universe: Supernovae, Dark Energy, and Black Holes. (Scientists in the Field)
by Jackson, Ellen
Illustrated by Nic Bishop.
Houghton Mifflin , 2008. 60 pages. Age 10 and older
The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure
by Rosenstock, Barb
Illustrated by Jamey Christoph.
Knopf/Random House, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 7-12
The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity (Scientists in the Field)
by Rusch, Elizabeth
Houghton Mifflin , 2012. 79 pages. Age 10 and older
Life on Earth--and Beyond: An Astrobiologist's Quest
by Turner, Pamela S.
Charlesbridge, 2008. 109 pages. Age 10 and older
Fiction
Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson
by Burg, Ann E.
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
Scholastic/Scholastic Press, 2024. 278 pages. Age 11 and older
Emperors of the Ice: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in the Antarctic, 1910-13
by Farr, Richard
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008. 217 pages. Age 12 and older
Physical Science/Engineering & Design
Books of Information
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer
Illustrated by Anna Hymas.
Dial, 2015. 293 pages. Age 12 and older
Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima
by Langeland, Deirdre
Roaring Brook, 2021. 194 pages. Age 11 and older
Crossing on Time: Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and a Journey to the New World
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay.
Roaring Brook, 2019. 127 pages. Ages 9-14
Built to Last
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay.
Houghton Mifflin /Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 272 pages. Age 10 and older
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
by Nott, Dan
Random House/RH Graphic, 2023. 262 pages. Age 12 and older
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure
by Rocco, John
Illustrated by John Rocco.
Crown/Penguin Random House, 2020. 256 pages. Age 9 and older
The Big One: The Cascadia Earthquakes and the Science of Saving Lives (Scientists in the Field)
by Rusch, Elizabeth
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 75 pages. Age 11 and older
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
by Soontornvat, Christina
Candlewick, 2020. 280 pages. Age 10 and older
Fiction
It's a Book
by Smith, Lane
Illustrated by Lane Smith.
Roaring Brook, 2010. 32 pages. Age 7 and older
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.
by Brown, Don
Illustrated by Don Brown. Houghton Mifflin , 2013. 80 pages. Age 10 and older
by Brown, Don
Illustrated by Don Brown. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. 96 pages. Age 11 and older
by Cherrix, Amy
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017. 73 pages. Age 10 and older
by Jackson, Ellen
Illustrated by Nic Bishop. Houghton Mifflin , 2008. 60 pages. Age 10 and older
by Rosenstock, Barb
Illustrated by Jamey Christoph. Knopf/Random House, 2024. 32 pages. Ages 7-12
by Rusch, Elizabeth
Houghton Mifflin , 2012. 79 pages. Age 10 and older
by Turner, Pamela S.
Charlesbridge, 2008. 109 pages. Age 10 and older
Fiction
Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson
by Burg, Ann E.
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
Scholastic/Scholastic Press, 2024. 278 pages. Age 11 and older
Emperors of the Ice: A True Story of Disaster and Survival in the Antarctic, 1910-13
by Farr, Richard
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008. 217 pages. Age 12 and older
Physical Science/Engineering & Design
Books of Information
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer
Illustrated by Anna Hymas.
Dial, 2015. 293 pages. Age 12 and older
Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima
by Langeland, Deirdre
Roaring Brook, 2021. 194 pages. Age 11 and older
Crossing on Time: Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and a Journey to the New World
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay.
Roaring Brook, 2019. 127 pages. Ages 9-14
Built to Last
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay.
Houghton Mifflin /Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 272 pages. Age 10 and older
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
by Nott, Dan
Random House/RH Graphic, 2023. 262 pages. Age 12 and older
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure
by Rocco, John
Illustrated by John Rocco.
Crown/Penguin Random House, 2020. 256 pages. Age 9 and older
The Big One: The Cascadia Earthquakes and the Science of Saving Lives (Scientists in the Field)
by Rusch, Elizabeth
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 75 pages. Age 11 and older
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
by Soontornvat, Christina
Candlewick, 2020. 280 pages. Age 10 and older
Fiction
It's a Book
by Smith, Lane
Illustrated by Lane Smith.
Roaring Brook, 2010. 32 pages. Age 7 and older
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.
by Burg, Ann E.
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Scholastic/Scholastic Press, 2024. 278 pages. Age 11 and older
by Farr, Richard
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2008. 217 pages. Age 12 and older
Physical Science/Engineering & Design
Books of Information
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer
Illustrated by Anna Hymas.
Dial, 2015. 293 pages. Age 12 and older
Meltdown: Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster in Fukushima
by Langeland, Deirdre
Roaring Brook, 2021. 194 pages. Age 11 and older
Crossing on Time: Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and a Journey to the New World
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay.
Roaring Brook, 2019. 127 pages. Ages 9-14
Built to Last
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay.
Houghton Mifflin /Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 272 pages. Age 10 and older
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day
by Nott, Dan
Random House/RH Graphic, 2023. 262 pages. Age 12 and older
How We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure
by Rocco, John
Illustrated by John Rocco.
Crown/Penguin Random House, 2020. 256 pages. Age 9 and older
The Big One: The Cascadia Earthquakes and the Science of Saving Lives (Scientists in the Field)
by Rusch, Elizabeth
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 75 pages. Age 11 and older
All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team
by Soontornvat, Christina
Candlewick, 2020. 280 pages. Age 10 and older
Fiction
It's a Book
by Smith, Lane
Illustrated by Lane Smith.
Roaring Brook, 2010. 32 pages. Age 7 and older
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.
by Kamkwamba, William and Bryan Mealer
Illustrated by Anna Hymas. Dial, 2015. 293 pages. Age 12 and older
by Langeland, Deirdre
Roaring Brook, 2021. 194 pages. Age 11 and older
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay. Roaring Brook, 2019. 127 pages. Ages 9-14
by Macaulay, David
Illustrated by David Macaulay. Houghton Mifflin /Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. 272 pages. Age 10 and older
by Nott, Dan
Random House/RH Graphic, 2023. 262 pages. Age 12 and older
by Rocco, John
Illustrated by John Rocco. Crown/Penguin Random House, 2020. 256 pages. Age 9 and older
by Rusch, Elizabeth
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 75 pages. Age 11 and older
by Soontornvat, Christina
Candlewick, 2020. 280 pages. Age 10 and older
Fiction
It's a Book
by Smith, Lane
Illustrated by Lane Smith.
Roaring Brook, 2010. 32 pages. Age 7 and older
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.
by Smith, Lane
Illustrated by Lane Smith. Roaring Brook, 2010. 32 pages. Age 7 and older
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Our Recommended Book Search includes access to CCBC-recommended titles based on subject headings created by our staff.
Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.