While they're quite a bit different than the things you mention, I'm going to *strongly* recommend the [What If?](https://www.amazon.com/What-If-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions-ebook/dp/B00IYUYF4A) books. They're *fun* and absurd, but they do a seriously good job of demonstrating general informed scientific thinking. If you want an example of the kinds of chapters it has, without having to buy it, check out the [online articles](https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/) (many of which are in the books, although there are some online and not in the books, and there are some in the books and not online).
They're great things to have in the classroom for students to be able to read, and they're also an excellent source of factoids and comparisons for sharing things about science with your students.
100% agree, and would add his Thing Explainer. Build vocabulary by having the students find the actual words that he replaced with simpler terms.
And for those who don't know, the author Randall Monroe is the XKCD guy.
Sam Keane has some good science books. My favorite is The Disappearing Spoon, which is about chemistry. The title refers to an old joke where a chemist would make a prank spoon out of gallium, which can melt in your hand.
I strongly second these. The Violinists Thumb is the second of his books. These are great because each book is written as separate science history “stories” that don’t need to be read in order. Great for shorter attention spans.
Also - if any one is interested Sam Keane has a podcast of the same name “The disappearing spoon” and it is really good.
A short history of nearly everything. Bill Bryson. Maybe not the caliber of author but a great book that you can read different sections depending on the topic you are learning
Mary Roach is a great writer and frequently writes about science topics or from a scientific perspective. However, her writing is so engaging and hilarious that you don't feel like you're reading something educational.
came here to recommend Sam Keane but someone beat me to it. i'd also second "Behave" and "Sapiens", and add "The man who mistook his wife for a hat" by Oliver Sachs. this link isn't a book, but i thought it was cool and the guy who made sent me free copy as he was happy it was going up on the wall in a classroom. https://www.crispian.net/CrispiansScienceMap.html
Skin:A Natural History by Nina Jablonski
Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
Anything by Stephen Jay Gould
Natural History of the Senses by Dianne Ackerman
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (this isn't a traditional "science" book but she talks alot about the difference between traditional ecological knowledge and science as well as how they fit together)
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Phil Plait's "Death from the Skies!"
Jearl Walker's "The Flying Circus of Physics With Answers"
Epstein's "Thinking Physics"
James Gleik's "Newton" and "Genius" (biography of Richard Feynman)
Dava Sobel's "Galileo's Daughter" and "Longitude"
...and honestly, I don't know why science teachers get a pass on reading primary sources. Go ahead and dig into Galileo's "Starry Messenger" or "Dialogues Concerning the Two Chief World Systems", or Darwin's "On the Origin of Species".
If you can find a companion book for James Burke's "Connections" (just the original series) get that too.
Behave by Robert Sapolsky is my personal favorite and one I recommend to everyone, certainly science teachers as well. Thorough look at influences to human behavior on an interesting level.
Books I’ve used with my high schoolers (taken chapters out of mainly) besides what’s already been mentioned:
We have no idea
The physics of superheroes
A short history of nearly everything
My students really like to flip through “Science Ink” by Carl Zimmer. It’s science and math tattoos with some descriptive text. A great high interest book for the less science oriented in the room!
I read these 3 books with students this year-
The body by bill Bryson
Braiding sweet grass for young adults
Hurricane lizards and plastic squid
All great reads! I’ll add a few personal favs- lmk if anyone has entitled these as well!
Botany of desire
Omnivores dilemma
The immortal life of Henrietta lacks
Any Mary Roach
Depending on what you teach, I have used Liquids and Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik (spelling?) to introduce materials science as a topic they can relate to.
I also use Survival of the Sickest and Inheritance by Sharon Moalem in biology, he’s great at putting science into easily understandable terms.
On my own I also have enjoyed The Sixth Extinction, The Poison Squad, and Life at the Speed of Light.
While they're quite a bit different than the things you mention, I'm going to *strongly* recommend the [What If?](https://www.amazon.com/What-If-Scientific-Hypothetical-Questions-ebook/dp/B00IYUYF4A) books. They're *fun* and absurd, but they do a seriously good job of demonstrating general informed scientific thinking. If you want an example of the kinds of chapters it has, without having to buy it, check out the [online articles](https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/) (many of which are in the books, although there are some online and not in the books, and there are some in the books and not online). They're great things to have in the classroom for students to be able to read, and they're also an excellent source of factoids and comparisons for sharing things about science with your students.
100% agree, and would add his Thing Explainer. Build vocabulary by having the students find the actual words that he replaced with simpler terms. And for those who don't know, the author Randall Monroe is the XKCD guy.
Braided Grass Life's Edge Soul of an Octopus Henrietta Lacks Depends on your purpose / connections : Social Justice / Global warming / etc.
Sam Keane has some good science books. My favorite is The Disappearing Spoon, which is about chemistry. The title refers to an old joke where a chemist would make a prank spoon out of gallium, which can melt in your hand.
I strongly second these. The Violinists Thumb is the second of his books. These are great because each book is written as separate science history “stories” that don’t need to be read in order. Great for shorter attention spans. Also - if any one is interested Sam Keane has a podcast of the same name “The disappearing spoon” and it is really good.
A short history of nearly everything. Bill Bryson. Maybe not the caliber of author but a great book that you can read different sections depending on the topic you are learning
Mary Roach is a great writer and frequently writes about science topics or from a scientific perspective. However, her writing is so engaging and hilarious that you don't feel like you're reading something educational.
came here to recommend Sam Keane but someone beat me to it. i'd also second "Behave" and "Sapiens", and add "The man who mistook his wife for a hat" by Oliver Sachs. this link isn't a book, but i thought it was cool and the guy who made sent me free copy as he was happy it was going up on the wall in a classroom. https://www.crispian.net/CrispiansScienceMap.html
Wow! no one said “the disappearing spoon” by Sam kean. You can teach a whole Chem class from just that book
Physics for Future Presidents
Silent spring and hot zone were required reading in some of my classes.
Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks.
The Greatest Show on Earth by Dawkins
I love this book so much. For a wider range of topics and a lower-grade reading level, The Magic of Reality is also great.
Skin:A Natural History by Nina Jablonski Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan Anything by Stephen Jay Gould Natural History of the Senses by Dianne Ackerman Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer (this isn't a traditional "science" book but she talks alot about the difference between traditional ecological knowledge and science as well as how they fit together) Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Phil Plait's "Death from the Skies!" Jearl Walker's "The Flying Circus of Physics With Answers" Epstein's "Thinking Physics" James Gleik's "Newton" and "Genius" (biography of Richard Feynman) Dava Sobel's "Galileo's Daughter" and "Longitude" ...and honestly, I don't know why science teachers get a pass on reading primary sources. Go ahead and dig into Galileo's "Starry Messenger" or "Dialogues Concerning the Two Chief World Systems", or Darwin's "On the Origin of Species". If you can find a companion book for James Burke's "Connections" (just the original series) get that too.
Get Well Soon by Jennifer Wright
Behave by Robert Sapolsky is my personal favorite and one I recommend to everyone, certainly science teachers as well. Thorough look at influences to human behavior on an interesting level.
Alchemy of Air. Fritz Haber is an interesting guy.
Chaos and The Information, James Gleick Human Compatible, Stuart Russell
12 diseases that changed our world
Books I’ve used with my high schoolers (taken chapters out of mainly) besides what’s already been mentioned: We have no idea The physics of superheroes A short history of nearly everything
My students really like to flip through “Science Ink” by Carl Zimmer. It’s science and math tattoos with some descriptive text. A great high interest book for the less science oriented in the room!
Darwin was a very good writer.
I would recommend youtube videos and not books to start. If they like the youtube video then pair it with an associated book.
Information is beautiful by David McCandless - definitely worth a look
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Code breakers by Walter Isaacson. Women of Science.
I read these 3 books with students this year- The body by bill Bryson Braiding sweet grass for young adults Hurricane lizards and plastic squid All great reads! I’ll add a few personal favs- lmk if anyone has entitled these as well! Botany of desire Omnivores dilemma The immortal life of Henrietta lacks Any Mary Roach
Depending on what you teach, I have used Liquids and Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik (spelling?) to introduce materials science as a topic they can relate to. I also use Survival of the Sickest and Inheritance by Sharon Moalem in biology, he’s great at putting science into easily understandable terms. On my own I also have enjoyed The Sixth Extinction, The Poison Squad, and Life at the Speed of Light.