Books for Children

The Microscope Book by Shar Levine

This book is our first choice for beginning microscope experiments! A reading child can guide herself on basic microscope care, slide preparations, and over 40 easy-to-perform experiments (with common household objects) in biology, geology, forensic science, food, and the environment. Filled with dozens of full-color photos of what you'll see in each experiment! BestScopes.com's first choice for ages 8 and up. (Of course, a parent can do these experiments with their younger children too!) Ages 9-12, paperback, 80 pages, 1997

The Usborne Complete Book of the Microscope by Kirsteen Rogers

A fascinating yet practical beginner's guide, with an abundance of amazing photographs and realistic illustrations. This is our first choice for becoming excited about and amazed by the microscope world. (The picture of a black fly at 50x actually horrified us!) Sections cover basic microscope education and usage, the human body, plants and fungi, the insect world, rocks to robots, microscope history, and practical points. Dozens of practical, step-by-step experiments are intertwined amongst the pages. Definitely a must if you are purchasing your first microscope! Ages 8-adult, paperback, 96 pages

Books for Older Children and Adults

Adventures With a Microscope by Richard Headstrom

This is one of our favorite microscope books because it has the most interesting and educational experiments we've come across! The author takes you and your child through 59 "adventures" into the natural world. You'll examine everyday objects from human hair and sugar crystals to potato starch and chalk. You'll be taught how to carefully catch and dissect a fly to see what makes it stick to the ceiling! Dozens of other adventures take you on a tour of algae, fleas, bees, amoebas, paramecium, molds, yeast, ferns, spiders, plants, fibers, insects, and more. Aside from having real fun experiences, both you and your children will learn a lot about biology! This is a 1977 reprint of the 1941 classic and is mostly text written at a level for ages 12 and up. However, we urge you to read each experiment yourself and perform them with your younger children! Ages 12-adult, paperback, 232 pages, 142 illustrations, 1941

Adventures With a Hand Lens by Richard Headstrom

Similar in format and readability to Adventures With a Microscope (see above), Mr. Headstrom will lead you in 50 more "adventures" with your magnifying glass or stereoscope! Contains a study of plants, insects, pond life, and the natural world. A marvelous adventure in natural science. Ages 12-adult, paperback, 220 pages

How to Dissect: Exploring With Probe and Scalpel by William Berman

If you want to know how to dissect those critters you've purchased, you'll need this guide for detailed descriptions and detail on the internal anatomy of dozens of specimens. Great experiments go with each dissection! This book is written for the teen to adult age group, but a parent could use it to guide a young child in proper dissection techniques. A must-have for your dissection kit! Ages 10-adult, paperback, 223 pages

Exploring With the Microscope: A Book of Discovery and Learning by Werner Nachtigall

This is the complete handbook for microscopes and their uses. If you're a student or adult hobbyist into microscopy, you'll love this basic handbook for ages 9 and up. If you're a homeschooling parent, then this book will give you a superb education in microscopy that you can pass on to your children. Filled with hundreds of glossy, full-color photos, this book will give you expert instruction and advice on how to purchase a microscope, how a microscope works, how to do all slide preparations, homemade microtomes, and microscopy techniques as they relate to botany, zoology, and general biology. Ages 9-adult, hardcover