Kids Books about Marie Curie to Inspire Your Little Scientist

Marie Curie is considered one of the greatest female scientists of all time. With her birthday coming up on November 7th, and my sons love of all things science, I felt a post dedicated to kids’ books about Marie Curie, and to inspiring little scientist everywhere was needed. I mean, it’s not every day that someone wins the Nobel prize, or that someone wins the Nobel prize twice and in two different fields, or that your discovery helps usher in the atomic age!

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Marie Curie’s Search for Radium by Beverly Birch – tells of Marie Curie’s research and discovery of radium in 1902 and how it helped open the door to the modern nuclear age.

Who Was Marie Curie? by Megan Stine – a fantastic book detailing how Marie Curie was forbidden to attend the male-only university in Warsaw, so she enrolled in the Sorbonne in Paris to study physics and mathematics. There she met a professor named Pierre Curie, and the two soon married, forming one of the most famous scientific partnerships in history.

Kids Books about Marie Curie

Marie Curie for Kids: Her Life and Scientific Discoveries by Amy M. O’Quinn –  the first woman to win the Nobel prize, the first person to win in two fields (chemistry and physics), and the first woman to hold a chair at the Sorbonne. This book details Marie Curie’s remarkable life, from her childhood under a repressive czar in Poland to her tireless work supporting herself through college to meeting her ideal match in scientist Pierre Curie to her revolutionary research.

Marie Curie And Radioactivity (Inventions and Discovery) by Connie Cowell Miller – perfect for children that love comics! This book tells the story of Marie Curie’s discovery of radium and radioactivity but in comic book form!

Kids Books about Marie Curie to Inspire Your Little Scientist

Marie Curie (Giants in Science) by Kathleen Krull – learn more about the woman who coined the term radioactivity and won two Nobel prizes.

Marie Curie (Scientists Who Made History) by Liz Gogerly – Children will learn about the woman who discovered radium, the scientist who gave greater understanding to the nature of the atom and who ultimately died from the effects of the substances she discovered.

Kids Books about Marie Curie to Inspire Your Little Scientist

Marie Curie: Scientist Who Made Glowing Discoveries by Mike Venezia – an entertaining biography with cartoon illustrations. This easy to read text covers the basics of Marie Curie’s discoveries and is easy for elementary children to understand.

DK Biography: Marie Curie by DK – filled with archival photographs and amazing fact boxes, this book tells the story of the discovery of radium and Marie Curie’s experiments with radioactivity.

Marie Curie (Kids Can Read Series, Level 3) by Elizabeth MacLeod – this biography begins with Marie Curie’s early years in Poland, where women could NOT attend university. This book also touches on her marriage to Pierre Curie; her discovery of polonium and radium, which led to two Nobel prizes; and ends with her fatal illness and her stature as “the most famous scientist.”

Kids Books about Marie Curie to Inspire Your Little Scientist

The Value of Learning: The Story of Marie Curie by Ann D. Johnson – a brief biography emphasizing the importance of learning in the life of the scientist who was awarded the Nobel prize for her work in chemistry.

Additional Marie Curie Resources

Marie Curie (Animated Hero Classics) DVD – a 30-minute animated video takes you through the life of Marie Curie as she discovers the importance of an education. This video takes you through her life and achievements in the world of science.

CurrClick – Great Inventors and Scientists: Marie Curie

Confessions of a Homeschooler – Marie Curie Unit Study and Lap Book

Brain Pop – Marie Curie

Need More Inspiration for Your Little Scientist?

Here are some excellent books about problem-solving, the scientific method, and making mistakes!

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty – Inspired by real-life makers such as Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist, Scientist champions girl power and women scientist. Touching on themes of never giving up and problem-solving, Ada comes to learn that her questions might not lead to answers, but rather to more questions.

Women of Science and Female Inventors

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky – Chances are you’ve heard of Jane Goodall and Marie Curie. But what about other female titans of the science world? This book highlights 50 women who have changed the course of science.

What Do You Do With An Idea? by Kobi Yamada – This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps bring it into the world. As the child’s confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens.

11 Experiments That Failed by Jenny Offill – Is it possible to eat snowballs doused in ketchup all winter? Can a washing machine wash dishes? By reading the step-by-step instructions, kids can discover the answers to such all-important questions along with the book’s curious narrator.

Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Jones – Popsicle, potato chips, silly putty, Velcro and many other familiar things have fascinating stories behind them. In fact, dozens of products and everyday items had surprisingly haphazard beginnings. This book is perfect for the little perfectionist in your life!

Solar System Bracelets are a great hands-on stem activity!