What do scientists do? by Tom Mumbray. Illus by Can Tugrul & Geraldine Sky

Within the series of books called Jobs People Do, and promoting STEM, What do scientists do?, this brightly coloured and information filled book will satisfy those young inquisitive minds found in primary schools.

Nine chapters offer jobs looking at life on earth, life in space, investigating the universe, combatting illnesses, protecting our universe, developing new technologies, and two chapters showing what scientists do and how to become part of that world.

Each chapter is full of information in the form of small paragraphs of text, diagrams, lists, graphs maps and illustrations. The illustrations show people in the science jobs talked about, giving a hands on image to the reader.

The chapter about working in diseases starts with a startling question, 'Can you imagine finding a cure for cancer?' A list of the scientists involved in this area of research is listed with a little of what they do. Over the page is found information about stopping the spread of COVID and from there the work being done in virus research and the development of vaccines. Clinical trials are done again with specialist scientific jobs and on to being sold by a pharmacist.  It is a timeline of fascination, showing all the scientific jobs so important in this one area. Similarly every area spoken of is dealt with in the same way, extolling the range of expertise needed by scientists. Quicklinks are available from the publisher.

Themes: STEM, Science, Scientists, Space, Disease, Geography.

Fran Knight