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Children's reading lists

14 kids’ books for science fans

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Reading lists

The greatest walks in literature

Neil Gower's sketches for 'A Walk in the Woods' by Bill Bryson next to the final cover.

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Blogs

How Neil Gower designed nearly every Bill Bryson book

Bill Bryson’s source notes for At Home and One Summer

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Features

The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

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Extracts

An illustrated edition of the bestselling book about the English language

A Really Short History of Words

Adapted from Mother Tongue this stunningly illustrated book by Bill Bryson tells the story of English, from the first words ever spoken to the very first dictionaries. 
 
 Perfect for ages 8 to 80! 
 
 Every day, you do something incredible, and I bet you barely ever think about it: you speak. But have you ever wondered why the English language turned out like it did? 
 
 If so, this is the book for you. It will also answer some VERY important questions . . . 
 
 ? Why do we have the Vikings to thank for words like glitter and sky?? Why did goodbye used to be god be with you?? Why did LOL originally mean little old ladies?? And why did no one know what majestic meant until Shakespeare came along? 
 
 In this epic journey through words, rhymes - and even a few jokes - Bill Bryson will teach you how the English language came to be (clue: lots of invasions) and what makes it a rich and beautiful thing (lots of Shakespeare). 
 
 Get ready . . . because the story of the English language is an EXTRAORDINARY one.

Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. His bestselling books include The Road to Little Dribbling, Notes from a Small Island, A Walk in the Woods, One Summer and The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. In a national poll, Notes from a Small Island was voted the book that best represents Britain. His acclaimed work of popular science, A Short History of Nearly Everything, won the Aventis Prize and the Descartes Prize, and was the biggest selling non-fiction book of its decade in the UK. His new book The Body: A Guide for Occupants was shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book Prize and is an international bestseller. 
Bill Bryson was Chancellor of Durham University 2005-2011. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. He lives in England.

Every day, you do something incredible, and I bet you barely ever think about it: you speak. 
 
Ever wondered why the English language turned out how it did? 
 
Why do we have so many different words for just one thing? 
 
And why are so many words spelt the same but sound different? 
 
In this beautifully illustrated journey through word and rhyme - and even a few jokes - Bill Bryson will teach you how the English language came to be (clue: lots of invasions) and what makes it a rich and beautiful thing (lots of Shakespeare). 
 
Get ready . . . because the story of the English language is an EXTRAORDINARY one.

An illustrated edition of the bestselling book about our incredible anatomy

A Really Short Journey Through the Body

'A sure-fire winner . . . sparkles with interest and excitement throughout' - Guardian Best Children's Books of 2023 
 
 You’ll spend your WHOLE LIFE in your body. So it’s only fair you know how it works, right?This book will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know about the machine that is YOU. From your astonishing brain to your hard-working heart.Get ready for the BIG questions, like: 
<ul><li>How many muscles do you move playing Fortnight? (A twitch of a thumb on the controller uses TEN muscles)</li><li>Are chillis actually HOT? (Short answer: no. We’ve been fooled by a plant.)</li><li>How far can we sneeze? (Your sneeze droplets can reach up to eight meters – which means you could sneeze over an entire class.)</li></ul> 
You’ll also meet people like Chevalier Jackson, who collected things that people had swallowed by accident (for science, of course). And learn about why we poo (and why it smells). 
 
 Packed with facts, history and humour, this beautifully illustrated book, from global bestselling science and history author Bill Bryson (ask your mum, he’s the one with the beard), will help you understand the secrets to our bodies and brains. 
 
 'Offers children a series of fascinating scientific facts' - Daily Telegraph

Offers children a series of fascinating scientific facts

A sure fire winner . . . sparkles with interest and excitement throughout

We spend our whole lives in one body and yet most of us have practically no idea how it works and what goes on inside it. 
 
Want to know why the skin is the biggest organ? 
 
Why our brains can see into the future? 
 
Or why your eyes are back to front? 
 
Packed full of facts, big numbers (such as the amount of microbes that make you) and small numbers (the size of those very tiny microbes) all in full-colour. 
 
This non-fiction book, packed with wonder from the globally bestselling Bill Bryson is a head-to-toe tour of the most amazing thing about you - YOUR BODY!

Divided by a Common Language, Journeys in English and more

The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection

An anthology of BBC Radio documentaries featuring the bestselling author 
 
Bill Bryson is the world's funniest travel writer, and a master of comic observation. His hugely popular books, spanning topics from linguistics to Shakespeare to the human body, have sold over 16 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, and his 2003 science book A Short History of Nearly Everything won the prestigious Aventis and Descartes prizes. 
 
This sparkling collection features seven BBC Radio programmes that collectively illuminate his personal passions. In The Art of Travel, he talks to Annette Kobak about his memorable journeys around the USA; while in the 6-part series Divided by a Common Language, he scours American history in an attempt to find out why Americans talk and behave differently from British people. Journeys in English, based on his acclaimed book Mother Tongue, sees him romping through the history of Britain in six episodes, to reveal how English became the complex yet world-beating language it is today. 
 
Ramblings: Windsor Great Park finds Bill heading out across the royal park in the company of Clare Balding, as he discusses his love for walking and exploring. As a castaway on Desert Island Discs, he shares the soundtrack of his life with Sue Lawley; and in With Great Pleasure, he selects some of his favourite writing, including Evelyn Waugh's Scoop, a Hardy Boys classic and Three Men in a Boat. Finally, in Bookclub, he chats to James Naughtie and an audience of readers about A Short History of Nearly Everything. 
 
Contents 
 
The Art of Travel: Bill Bryson 
Divided by a Common Language 
Journeys in English 
Ramblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill Bryson 
Desert Island Discs: Bill Bryson 
With Great Pleasure: Bill Bryson 
Bookclub: Bill Bryson 
 
Production credits 
 
The Art of Travel: Bill Bryson 
Presented by Annette Kobak 
Produced by Kate McAII 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 January 1991 
 
Divided by a Common Language 
Presented by Bill Bryson 
Produced by Brian King 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 July-2 September 1995 
 
Journeys in English 
Written and presented by Bill Bryson 
Produced by Brian King 
 
First broadcast as Mother Tongue on BBC Radio 4, 13 December 1997-17 January 1998 
 
Ramblings: Windsor Great Park with Bill Bryson 
Presented by Clare Balding 
Produced by Lucy Lunt 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 24 September 2015 
 
Desert Island Discs: Bill Bryson 
Presented by Sue Lawley 
Produced by Angie Nehring 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 January 1999 
 
With Great Pleasure: Bill Bryson 
Readers: Kerry Shale and Bill Wallis 
Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September 1999 
 
Bookclub: Bill Bryson 
Presented by James Naughtie 
Produced by Dymphna Flynn 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 February 2005 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. His bestselling books include The Road to Little Dribbling, Notes from a Small Island, A Walk in the Woods, One Summer and The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid. In a national poll, Notes from a Small Island was voted the book that best represents Britain. His acclaimed work of popular science, A Short History of Nearly Everything, won the Aventis Prize and the Descartes Prize, and was the biggest selling non-fiction book of its decade in the UK. His new book The Body: A Guide for Occupants is an extraordinary exploration of the human body which will have you marvelling at the form you occupy. 
Bill Bryson was Chancellor of Durham University 2005–2011. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. He lives in England.

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything

Perfect for ages 8 to 80! 
 
Adapted from A Short History of Nearly Everything, this stunningly illustrated book from Bill Bryson takes us from the Big Bang to the dawn of science, and everything in between! 
 
Ever wondered how we got from nothing to something? 
Or thought about how we can weigh the earth? 
Or wanted to reach the edge of the universe? 
 
Uncover the mysteries of time, space and life on earth in this extraordinary book - a journey from the centre of the planet, to the dawn of the dinosaurs, and everything in between. 
 
And discover our own incredible journey, from single cell to civilisation, including the brilliant (and sometimes very bizarre) scientists who helped us find out the how and why. 
 
The ideal book for curious young readers everywhere. 
 
************************************************************************ 
 
Reviews for A Short History of Nearly Everything: 
 
'It's the sort of book I would have devoured as a teenager. It might well turn unsuspecting young readers into scientists.' Evening Standard 
 
'I doubt that a better book for the layman about the findings of modern science has been written' Sunday Telegraph 
 
 'A thoroughly enjoyable, as well as educational, experience. Nobody who reads it will ever look at the world around them in the same way again' Daily Express 
 
 'The very book I have been looking for most of my life' Daily Mail

This history of life, the universe and everything in between is entertaining and Bryson is an excellent guide. Great for the kids and good for parents, too

Ever wondered how we got from nothing to something? 
Or thought about how we can weigh the earth? 
Or wanted to reach the edge of the universe? 
 
Uncover the mysteries of time, space and life on earth in this extraordinary book - a journey from the centre of the planet to the dawn of the dinosaurs, and everything in between. 
 
And discover our own incredible journey, from single cell to civilisation, including the brilliant (and sometimes very bizarre) scientists who helped us find out the how and why.

A Guide for Occupants - THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.1 BESTSELLER

The Body

#1 Sunday Times bestseller in both hardback and paperback, this head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body is as compulsively readable as it is comprehensive. Bryson at his very best, it is a must-read owner's manual for everybody.

A directory of wonders.  Extraordinary stories about the heart, lungs, genitals ... plus some anger and life advice – all delivered in the inimitable Bryson style

Remarkable ... Every page is dense with scientific facts written as vividly as a thriller, as well as answers to conundrums such as why we don’t fall out of bed when we are asleep ... It is woven through with the kind of human stories that Bryson has made his trademark.

Readable and useful ... witty, jargon-free prose that glides you through 400 pages. It’s fun to read because it’s not just comprehensive, but quirky.

SCIENCE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019: 'so packed with arresting facts (you eat 60 tons of food in a lifetime) and unlikely anecdotes (such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel's six weeks with a half-sovereign lodged in his throat) that you barely notice the sheer volume of anatomical knowledge you're digesting ... makes complex subjects simple and eminently entertaining.'

It is a feat of narrative skill to bake so many facts into an entertaining and nutritious book..where Byrson really shines is in his imaginative glosses on the facts he has collected.

The extraordinary story of what we are made of and how we work ... This revelatory book reads as captivatingly as a thriller.

Through anecdotes about scientific history and startling facts that seem too extraordinary to be true—the DNA in one person, if stretched out, would measure billions of miles and reach beyond Pluto—Bryson draws the reader into his subject. ... Bryson’s tone is both informative and inviting, encouraging the reader, throughout this exemplary work, to share the sense of wonder he expresses at how the body is constituted and what it is capable of.

Bryson rummages about in our vital organs, emerging with a parade of fascinating facts.

‘Classic, wry, gleeful Bryson… richly interesting… an entertaining and absolutely fact-rammed book.  If it sells hundreds of thousands of copies, like the last one, it will be no bad thing.’

[Bill] takes us with him, wondering at the complex functions of the tongue, seeing him stick a finger in the aorta…The book’s a bestseller.

There is not an organ Bryson describes that is not illuminated by a fun fact or unlikely anecdote.

Bryson tackles the body in an amusing, fact-filled guide

Written with his trademark wit and insight

As ever, the bestselling writer takes a familiar subject and delivers one revelation after another

A comforting compendium of fascinating facts

The brook bristles with data…but the star turns are Bryson's wry forays into the histories of 
neuroscience, genetics, anatomy and immunology.

Stuffed with enthralling, often mystifying facts.

BOOKS OF THE YEAR - 'You'll never look in the mirror the same way again'

One of the strengths of Bryson’s delightful new book... is that it reveals the thousands of rarely acknowledged tasks our body takes care of as we go about our day

A joy to read ... every paragraph contains at least one startling, even awe-inspiring fact ... Infused with an infectious sense of wonder at the miraculousness of it all.

#1 Bestseller in both hardback and paperback: SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 ROYAL SOCIETY INSIGHT INVESTMENT SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 
_______ 
 
'A directory of wonders.' - The Guardian 
 
'Jaw-dropping.' - The Times 
 
'Classic, wry, gleeful Bryson...an entertaining and absolutely fact-rammed book.' - The Sunday Times 
 
'It is a feat of narrative skill to bake so many facts into an entertaining and nutritious book.' - The Daily Telegraph 
_______ 
 
'We spend our whole lives in one body and yet most of us have practically no idea how it works and what goes on inside it. The idea of the book is simply to try to understand the extraordinary contraption that is us.' 
 
Bill Bryson sets off to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological make up. 
 
A wonderful successor to A Short History of Nearly Everything, this new book is an instant classic. It will have you marvelling at the form you occupy, and celebrating the genius of your existence, time and time again. 
 
'What I learned is that we are infinitely more complex and wondrous, and often more mysterious, than I had ever suspected. There really is no story more amazing than the story of us.' Bill Bryson

An Informal History of American English

Made In America

An informal history of the English language in America by the inimitable Bill Bryson.

‘Funny, wise, learned and compulsive’ - GQ 
 
 Bill Bryson turns away from travelling the highways and byways of middle America, so hilariously depicted in his bestselling The Lost Continent, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid and Notes from a Big Country, for a fast, exhilarating ride along the Route 66 of American language and popular culture. 
 
In Made in America, Bryson tells the story of how American arose out of the English language, and along the way, de-mythologizes his native land - explaining how a dusty desert hamlet with neither woods nor holly became Hollywood, how the Wild West wasn’t won, why Americans say ‘lootenant’ and ‘Toosday’, how they were eating junk food long before the word itself was cooked up - as well as exposing the true origins of the words G-string, blockbuster, poker and snafu. 
 
‘A tremendously sassy work, full of zip, pizzazz and all those other great American qualities’ 
Will Self, Independent on Sunday

Bill Bryson

A Guide for Occupants

Number One Bestseller in both hardback and paperback 
The Sunday Times Book of the Year 
The ideal gift for everybody 
 
'We spend our whole lives in one body and yet most of us have practically no idea how it works and what goes on inside it. The idea of the book is simply to try to understand the extraordinary contraption that is us.' 
 
Bill Bryson sets off to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts, astonishing stories and now fully illustrated for the first time, The Body: A Guide for Occupants is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological make up. 
 
A wonderful successor to A Short History of Nearly Everything, this new book is an instant classic. It will have you marvelling at the form you occupy, and celebrating the genius of your existence, time and time again. The ideal gift for readers of every age who wish to discover more about themselves. 
 
'What I learned is that we are infinitely more complex and wondrous, and often more mysterious, than I had ever suspected. There really is no story more amazing than the story of us.' Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson on the miraculous human body

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