This month sees the annual celebration of factual books, National Non-Fiction November, organised by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. For more than 30 years award wining publisher b small publishing have been creating books that celebrate children’s enthusiasm for discovery. I am consistently impressed by how they balance reader appeal and engagement with learning in the books they produce. EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM was published in September and is an excellent addition to their catalogue.

EUREK-HER! is a hardback book with an eye-catching cover that explores the lives of 20 different women who each made a significant discovery or invention. It begins in Ancient Mesopotamia with Tapputi Belatekalli who used distillation to create perfume and travels through time and around the world to finish in Kenya with Nzambi Matee who in 2020 was named a Young Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme. Each of the women depicted is inspiring in their own way and it is fascinating to compare and contrast their differing backgrounds. Although many were well educated and some came from wealthy backgrounds there are others who were lacking in opportunities early in life and were largely self taught. The women’s individual fields are broad ranging too including medical advancements such as life saving malaria treatment to the setting up of a global business selling teddy bears. Subjects such as astronomy, marine biology and DNA are all featured ensuring that young readers can find something that piques their interest.

The book also features step-by-step activities to try at home created by Jenny Jacoby such as designing your own periodic table, making a lava lamp or a pond viewer or designing a bridge. The illustrations are stylish and clear with the overall design of the book by Vicky Barker adding to its appeal. Key words within the text are highlighted in bold with a definition for these being provided in the glossary at the end of the book. The contents are presented at the beginning of the book in a flow chart design with the linked activities listed in a box below. The activities are also incorporated within the appropriate biographies.

Cleverly produced to both inspire and encourage children to try out their own scientific discovery EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM is an excellent purchase for school libraries being both a useful reference tool and an appealing book to browse for individual interest. Aimed at age 8+. There are also free teaching activities to download from the publisher’s website here.

The Reading Agency are hosting a free 60-minute online workshop with the author Frances Durkin on Tuesday 19th Nov from 1.15pm -2.15pm. It’s perfect for children in Key Stage 2 and will explore the incredible inventions and astonishing discoveries which are featured in her book. Frances’ workshop will last approximately 40 minutes, and will be followed by a Q&A. You can find out more and register for the event here.

I should like to thank Naomi Weeks and the b small publishing for providing my review copy. EUREK-HER! Stories of Inspirational Women in STEM was published on 2nd September.