Mr Shaha's Recipes for Wonder

Alom Shaha was born in Bangladesh but grew up in London. A parent, teacher, science writer, and filmmaker, he has spent most of his professional life trying to share his passion for science and education with the public. Alom has produced, directed, and appeared in a number of television programmes for broadcasters such as the BBC, and has received fellowships from the National Endowment for Science, Technology, and the Arts (NESTA) and the Nuffield Foundation. He has represented his community as an elected politician and volunteered at a range of charitable organisations. He teaches at a comprehensive school in London and writes for a number of print and online publications, including The Guardian.Emily Robertson creates her delicately organic illustrations with watercolour and ink. She has worked as an illustrator since graduating from the Glasgow School Of Art in 2006. Her clients include Anthropologie, The Guardian, and Condé Nast.

Several collections of kid-friendly experiments have been published recently, but Mr Shaha’s Recipes for Wonder (Scribe) knocks most into a cocked hat. From a catapult constructed from a Pringles tube to the chemistry of a microwave cupcake, Alom Shaha first dangles an enticing activity, then meticulously — and thrillingly — details the scientific principles behind its operation. Emily Robertson’s glorious illustrations add to the book’s bursting, irresistible sense of excitement.