NSTA Unveils 2017 List of Top Science Trade Books K12

The National Science Teachers Association, in conjunction with the Children’s Book Council, has released its annual list of “Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12: 2017.” The list represents the best science trade books published in 2016 for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Members of a book review panel made up of science educators and literacy professionals appointed by NSTA selected 57 books for the list from a roster of about 200 submissions. The list of winning titles includes topics that range from Florence Nightingale to strange, unusual and cool animals and features illustrated picture books, thoughtful stories, biographies and encyclopedia-type texts.

Titles include “About Marine Mammals,” “Animals by the Numbers,” “Feathered Dinosaurs,” “Flying Frogs and Walking Fish,” “Marie Curie for Kids,” “Next Time You See a Cloud” and “Poop Detectives.”

The review panel used rigorous guidelines to select the top books, according to a news release. Criteria include the amount of science content; presentation of material in a clear, accurate and up-to-date manner; differentiation of theories and facts; avoidance of over-simplification; the use of facts to support generalizations; and freedom from gender, ethnic and socioeconomic bias. The panel also chooses books based on other specifications, including appropriate content level for the intended audience and accuracy of illustrations.

“The Outstanding Science Trade Books list is the best resource available for teachers — and parents — who are in search of great books that can strengthen reading skills while teaching and reinforcing science concepts,” said David Beacom, NSTA’s chief content officer, in a statement.

NSTA and CBC have collaborated on the list of Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students since 1973 in an effort to help science educators access quality books that support student learning in science education. In addition to the website, the list will appear in the March 2017 issue of NSTA’s elementary, middle and high school journals for teachers.

About the Author

Richard Chang is associate editor of THE Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Stock market graphs and candlesticks breaking apart with glass-like cracks

    Chinese Startup Disrupts AI Market

    A new low-cost artificial intelligence model from China is wreaking havoc in the technology sector, with tech stocks plummeting globally as concerns grow over the potential disruption it could cause.

  • interconnected glowing nodes and circuits in blue and green, forming a neural network on a dark background with a futuristic design

    Tech Giants Launch $100 Billion National AI Infrastructure Project

    OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle have announced a new venture, Stargate, through which they aim to build a massive AI infrastructure network across the United States. The initiative, which was announced at the White House with President Donald Trump, has been described as the "largest AI infrastructure project in history."

  • glowing digital brain made of blue circuitry hovers above multiple stylized clouds of interconnected network nodes against a dark, futuristic background

    Report: 85% of Organizations Are Leveraging AI

    Eighty-five percent of organizations today are utilizing some form of AI, according to the latest State of AI in the Cloud 2025 report from Wiz. While AI's role in innovation and disruption continues to expand, security vulnerabilities and governance challenges remain pressing concerns.

  • laptop surrounded by floating digital books and cloud-based documents

    Mississippi Department of Education Approves Imagine Learning Resources for Statewide Adoption

    The Mississippi Department of Education has added Imagine Learning's Imagine IM and Traverse solutions to its list of state-adopted high-quality instructional materials.