Science

I'm not a scientist, which is exactly why this shelf favors science books that explain things clearly. This shelf runs from the Big Bang and black holes to dinosaurs, diseases, cadavers and the basic systems that keep the modern world running. Most of these are written for curious people without a technical background, and several are genuinely funny. A few are older, so some of the details have moved on since they were written, and I say so when that matters. Others come with the author's own worldview baked in, and I point that out too. If your kids ask questions you can't answer, a few of these are great to read alongside them.