Conquer the great unknowns from outer space to the deep sea below with our Storytime for Future Scientists picks. Our bookseller Kaycee picked stories that inspire and encourage creativity, exploration and growth in young readers.

The Octopus Escapes by Malie Meloy is a powerful, beautiful story of an octopus trying to find his way back home. Captured in the wild and brought into captivity, the octopus tires of boring food and easy puzzles, and desperately makes his escape to get back to his ocean cave. This book teaches compassion and empathy, while also encouraging growth and passion for underwater environments. 

The Tree in Me by Corinna Lukyen is the greatly anticipated follow up to My Heart. Every human is like a tree, we require nurturing, resilience, and connections to others. This powerful picture book in verse is a great gift for all ages and will captivate you with its beautiful illustrations. “The tree in me is strong. It bends in the wind, and has roots that go deep…to where other roots reach up toward their own trunk-branch-crown and sky.”

Did you know the Saguaro Cactus only blooms one night a year? In Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne, animals of all shapes and sizes have come to see the beautiful white petals of the rare desert flower. I had fun looking for all the different, uniquely illustrated animals on each page. This book has an informative and beautiful rhythmic verse that tells the story of the animals coming to visit.