幼儿科普启蒙绘本 Science Picture Books for Children (Set of 60)

Do your kids like to ask "why"?

I'm always on the lookout for interesting non-fiction books for second language learners that won’t overwhelm, to answer my kids' questions and satisfy their curiosities.

We recently found a great gem featuring nature, animals, the human body, ancient inventions etc, that is perfect to help us and our kids understand the world and think (more!) in Chinese.

It’s especially kid-friendly and parent-friendly because there is hanyu pinyin AND audio readaloud for every single book! 😍

Really wish I had found these books many years ago when my preschoolers would always ask “why”! It’s never too late though (:

My 6 year-old girl especially enjoys the books about animals.

We’ve been using this series as leisure reads by my tween who appreciates the hanyu pinyin. When he reads them aloud, it doubles up as oral practice too (: 

I’ve really enjoyed learning about the created world and how things work, as I read these alongside my kids.

Why we love this series

• Books are very thin and light - Perfect to bring to school for silent reading, or to stash in our bags to read when out and about or travelling, for screen-free ways to keep kids occupied, quiet and learning! 
• Simple text from child's perspective, but not too childish - making the content matter easy to understand for little ones, still very interesting for older learners who may not like to read Chinese books (yet!), and suitable for adults too!
• Gentle illustrations
• Hanyu pinyin aid
• Pleasant audio readaloud through a QR code at the back of each book - Sometimes we play the audio track while looking at the pictures and flipping the pages. Other times we listen to all the audio tracks while doing other things like drawing or housework. Not all audio readalouds are made equal, some are screechy and high-pitched that put us off, but these are enjoyable to listen!
• Covers a broad range of topics that appeal to different interests - animals, nature, inventions, earth, science, human body, astronomy, health, habits and more! A winner - because kids can choose which topics they’re more keen in to read and learn. Reading about topics they won't usually choose also broadens their horizons!
• Section in some books called Little Science Facts 小科普 - I really like that we're learning interesting things, learning Chinese and bonding all at the same time (:
• Encourage curiosity - My boys especially enjoy non-fiction and learning how things work. I’m so glad that they can engage with Chinese books through their natural curiosity! When I observe that my kids are interested in specific books, we dive deeper by watching related videos and documentaries in either English or mandarin, on Youtube!
• Build cross-language connections - We have already learnt many of these concepts in English, so learning it now in Chinese reinforces understanding. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the world in both languages!
• Gentle introduction to Chinese culture, history and modern topics - eg Chinese solar terms, Chinese space program, ancient Chinese inventions like paper, gunpowder, compass etc.
• Montessori-friendly

Books included:

Animals and Nature 动物与自然
What unique kinds of survival skills do animals have? 动物们都有哪些独特的生存本领？

• 海狸是个建筑师 The beaver is an architect
• 小蜘蛛闯世界 Little spider explores the world
• 织布鸟的巢像小吊楼 Weaver bird's nest looks like a small hanging building
• 动物们过三伏天 Animals during the hottest days of summer
• 小动物睡觉了 Little animals sleep
• 小动物冬眠了 Little animals hibernate
• 毛毛虫变形记 The caterpillar's transformation story
• 奇特的“鱼” Strange "fish"
• 小蜥蜴借尾巴 The little lizard borrows a tail
• 昆虫家族开大会 The insect family holds a meeting

Inventions and Technology 发明与科技
How were things like paper, glass, and a car first invented? 纸、玻璃、车 ……最初是怎么发明的？

• 纸的发明 The invention of paper
• 指南针的发明 The invention of the compass
• 糖的发明 The invention of sugar
• 印刷术的发明 The invention of printing
• 火药的发明 The invention of gunpowder
• 车的历史 The history of cars
• 船的历史 The history of ships
• 电，改变了人的生活 Electricity changed human life
• 房屋的发明 The invention of houses
• 玻璃改变了世界 Glass changed the world

Earth and Science 地球与科学
What kinds of secrets do the sun, clouds, thunder, and big trees have? 太阳、云、雷和大树都有怎样的秘密呢？

• 种子的传播 The spread of seeds
• 植物怎么过冬 How plants survive the winter
• 苍耳的旅行 The bur's journey
• 太阳的颜色 The color of the sun
• 大树的年龄 The age of trees
• 天上的云 Clouds in the sky
• 打雷我不怕 I'm not afraid of thunder
• 自然奇观 Natural wonders
• 奇异的石头 Strange rocks
• 地震中逃生 Escaping during an earthquake

Human Body 人体奥秘
Why can we hear a sound and digest food? 为什么我们能听见声音、消化食物？

• 男孩和女孩的秘密 Secrets of boys and girls
• 会听身音的耳朵 Ears that can hear sounds
• 食物的消化 Digestion of food
• 鼻子不能抠 Don't pick your nose
• 亮晶晶的眼睛 Bright, sparkling eyes
• 神奇的皮肤 Magical skin
• 灵活的关节 Flexible joints
• 大脑指挥宫 The brain command center
• 牙齿保护好 Protect your teeth
• 藏在身体里的骨头 The bones hidden in your body

Space and Astronomy 太空与天文学
What is life like for astronauts in space? 航天员在太空中的生活是怎样的？

• 飞向蓝天 Flying to the blue sky
• 飞向太空 Flying into space
• 我的太空梦 My space dream
• 火箭和宇宙飞船 Rockets and spaceships
• 航天员选拔 Astronaut selection
• 航天员的太空生活 The astronaut's life in space
• 宇航服 Spacesuit
• 搜索月球 Searching for the Moon
• 天宫空间站 Tiangong Space Station
• 搜索火星 Searching for Mars

Health and Habits 健康与习惯
Why should we eat more vegetables? Why shouldn’t we be angry often? 为什么要多吃蔬菜？为什么不能经常生气？

• 营养的蔬菜 Nutritious vegetables
• 会“咬” 人的电插座 The "biting" electric socket
• 随意亲亲的危害 Not all kisses are safe
• 生气的危害 Dangers of being angry
• 一年的节日 The festivals of the year
• 坏习惯的危害 Dangers of Bad Habits
• 不乱吃东西 Don't eat recklessly
• 真的忘记了 Really forgot
• 吃出营养和健康 Eat for nutrition and health
• 一年四季 The four seasons of the year

Recommended for Ages: 3-12 and up!
Pages: 16 per book, total 960
Format: Softcover
Language: Simplified Chinese
Editor: 程自秀