The Big World of Tiny Things for Little People
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books & arts The big world of tiny things for little people Nano: The dedicates a full double page to the idea of really wants to reach with her book. “I’d Spectacular atoms as the building blocks of everything. like lots of people, lots of young people, Science of the Thus the scene is set for the little girl to who have no access to science, to read it. Very (Very) Small take the reader from familiar objects and Young people who don’t have scientists as materials such as chalk, to human-made parents, who don’t go to science museums By Jess Wade; nanomaterials such as graphene, which must on the weekend, or don’t watch David illustrated by seem exotic to most children. From there, Attenborough on a Sunday night. I’d like Melissa Castrillón she takes us straight to a laboratory where them to read it and to see that honestly WALKER BOOKS: 2021. scientists make and study them, before everyone can become a scientist, and see 32 PP. £12.99 exploring the current and future applications scientists using science to solve some really of graphene. big challenges about the world.” The narrative that Wade and Castrillón This message that science is for t’s been a while since I visited an actual weave around the little girl is that of a everyone runs through the entire bookstore and discovered an unexpected fascination with the world around us — a book. The scientists in the lab and the Iread. Sometime before the COVID-19 world that is entirely made from materials, other kids the girl meets throughout the restrictions deprived me of this joy, from atoms. Children and scientists share book are from different backgrounds, but I remember browsing picture books in this curiosity to understand how nature this diversity isn’t explicitly mentioned, search of a present for a friend’s daughter. works, and it makes for an excellent way which I found a powerful choice. Wade There was an abundance of books of introducing young people to both the and Castrillón paint a picture of a world introducing children to science and the findings and the methods of science. where the doors to the lab are open to natural world: the Solar System, volcanoes, Wade didn’t want to write the kind everyone, and their young readers can wonders of the ocean, evolution for kids. of ‘50 amazing facts’ books that she grew up imagine themselves stepping through I looked at all of those, but the lack of with, but thought it important to introduce those doors one day. physics subjects beyond astronomy was her young readers — and their parents — to Halfway through the book, it occurred glaring. Next time I head to a bookstore, the process of making discoveries. “When to me that the little girl who led me at least some of that shelf space will be you’re taught science at school, you’re just through the narrative doesn’t have a name. occupied by Jess Wade’s first book, Nano: learning what other people have done, or Although Wade assures me this wasn’t a The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) following instructions a teacher has told conscious decision on her part, I believe Small, in which she shares her love for you to do,” Wade says. Of course, that’s not it invites the reader to step into the girl’s materials science with future generations. an option for a scientist intent on finding shoes and explore the wonderful world of The first thing that struck me when something new. nanomaterials. This too is a subtle way to I picked up Nano were Melissa Castrillón’s For me, this additional focus on how reinforce the message that everyone can beautiful illustrations, which frame the we do science is what makes Nano stand explore the world and become a scientist, cover of the book as well as the story inside. out from many books for young people, in and the book ends on just this statement: the With their bold colours, broad strokes which science is often presented as either young reader may be the one holding the and floral patterns, they reminded me of a collection of hard and fast facts or as the key to future discovery. South American fabrics, and I felt instantly work of a handful of exceptional people. Although I would never forgo the joy of transported to the visual world they create Although these can equally fuel a child’s browsing a bookshop for alternatives, Wade — an enchanted forest for science. Wade too fascination for the natural world, they can and Castrillón’s beautiful and engaging was drawn to Castrillón’s nature-inspired make the pursuit of science feel alien or like picture book is certain to be one of my style and the power of her illustrations. And a thing of the past. Wade thinks that “as a future presents for the primary school-age together they tell the story of nanomaterials young person you have a misconception children in my life. ❐ through the intricate interplay of words and that scientists are somehow separated from images, as any good picture book should. reality, working in isolation in old and dusty Reviewed by Nina Meinzer ✉ Nano begins in the bedroom of a little laboratories and not interacting with the Senior Editor, Nature Physics. girl who takes us on a journey by naming world around them.” ✉e-mail: [email protected] all the materials surrounding her — and Such misconceptions aren’t surprising, then diving right into those materials to because most children don’t grow up around Published online: 9 June 2021 the atoms they comprise. Indeed, the book scientists, and these are the people Wade https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-021-01264-6 NATURE PHYSICS | VOL 17 | JUNE 2021 | 665 | www.nature.com/naturephysics 665.