Families who loved Materials by Alastair Smith often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.

Reach for this book when your child starts asking impossible questions about why water freezes, how metal is made, or what happens if you break a toy into its smallest possible pieces. It is the perfect tool for a child who has outgrown simple picture books and is ready for a more technical, yet accessible, look at the chemistry of the physical world. The book builds a bridge between everyday objects and the complex science of atoms and molecules. While the primary focus is educational, the book encourages a sense of wonder and a feeling of mastery as children learn to identify the properties of materials around them. By including safe home experiments, it helps build confidence in their own ability to act as scientists. This is an ideal choice for the curious 9 to 12 year old who loves to understand the 'how' and 'why' behind the objects they use every day.