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Children's reading lists

24 must-read books for 9-12-year-olds

Image showing a selection of books for children who love science

Books-for-children-who-love-science

14 kids’ books for science fans

An illustration by Henry Paker of a man being operated on before anaesthetic had been discovered. He is screaming whilst the three surgeons pull out his intestines using a pickaxe and rusty saw

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Fun facts

5 major medical moments from history

Illustration of the organs inside the human body by Henry Paker

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Children's quizzes

Are these facts about the human body true or poo?

An illustration by Henry Paker of a man with his pants down in front of a toilet, getting ready to fight the germ that has slithered out with a plunger

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Kay’s Kwestions: answers to your questions about the human body

A fascinating and fantastically funny guide to inventions that changed the world (and some that definitely didn't)

Kay’s Incredible Inventions

Adam Kay (Author) Adam Kay is a former doctor who has written five million books and sold seven copies. No, hang on – he’s written seven books and sold five million copies. His debut book, This is Going to Hurt, is a literary sensation: a Sunday Times number one bestseller for over a year, winning a record-breaking four National Book Awards and selling over 3 million copies. Kay adapted This is Going to Hurt as a BAFTA-winning comedy-drama series for the BBC. Adam Kay’s children’s books have been translated into 29 languages and sold over 750,000 copies, making him one of the UK’s bestselling children’s authors. Kay’s Anatomy became the fastest-selling children’s general non-fiction hardback of the decade. His first picture book Amy Gets Eaten was published in 2023. His first children’s fiction hardback, Dexter Procter the Ten-Year-Old Doctor will be published in Autumn 2024. Henry Paker (Illustrator) Henry Paker was once a little boy who did silly doodles in the margins of books. Now he is a grown man who does silly doodles in the middle of books. He is an award-winning comedian, writer and illustrator. He co-writes and performs in the Radio 4 sitcom ReincarNathan and co-hosts the Three Bean Salad podcast. Henry has illustrated all of Adam Kay's children's books.

Do you ever wonder where the stuff around you all came from? No, not from eBay. I mean, who had the amazing idea of making a mobile phone or the annoying idea of building a school? For example, did you know that Velcro was invented by a dog and WiFi by a movie star? (Spoiler alert - it wasn&rsquo;t Zendaya.) 
 
In the fourth laugh-out-loud book from Adam Kay and Henry Paker, you&rsquo;ll learn all about the coolest, grossest and most ridiculous inventions in the world. You&rsquo;ll meet the queen who used the first ever toilet, learn why margarine used to be full of maggots and find out why Ancient Greeks wiped their bums on dinner plates. Oh, and hopefully some slightly more useful facts as well&hellip; 
 
An A to Kay to Z of the random, ridiculous and revolutionary inventions that changed our lives. (And some that definitely didn't . . .) 
 
 
Praise for Kay's Anatomy: 
'An enjoyably gross look at the human body. Hours of gruesome fun guaranteed' i 
'Like listening to a teacher who makes pupils fall about' Sunday Times 
'Totally brilliant!' Jacqueline Wilson 
'Fun and informative' Malorie Blackman 
'Very funny - this exciting book is bound to inspire the next generation of medics' Sunday Express 
 
Praise for Kay's Marvellous Medicine: 
'A ridiculously funny read that will delight, gross out and educate all at the same time' Independent 
'Educational and entertaining. It should be on the national curriculum!' Harry Hill 
'Completely marvellous and very funny' BookTrust

The laugh-out-loud picture book from bestselling Adam Kay and Henry Paker

Amy Gets Eaten

Adam Kay (Author) 
Adam Kay is a former doctor who has written five million books and sold seven copies. No, hang on – he’s written seven books and sold five million copies. His debut book, This is Going to Hurt, is a literary sensation: a Sunday Times number one bestseller for over a year, winning a record-breaking four National Book Awards and selling over 3 million copies. Kay adapted This is Going to Hurt as a BAFTA-winning comedy-drama series for the BBC. Adam Kay’s children’s books have been translated into 29 languages and sold over 750,000 copies, making him one of the UK’s bestselling children’s authors. Kay’s Anatomy became the fastest-selling children’s general non-fiction hardback of the decade. His first picture book Amy Gets Eaten was published in 2023. His first children’s fiction hardback, Dexter Procter the Ten-Year-Old Doctor will be published in Autumn 2024. 
 
Henry Paker (Illustrator) 
Henry Paker was once a little boy who did silly doodles in the margins of books. Now he is a grown man who does silly doodles in the middle of books. He is an award-winning comedian, writer and illustrator. He co-writes and performs in the Radio 4 sitcom ReincarNathan and co-hosts the Three Bean Salad podcast. Henry has illustrated all of Adam Kay's children's books.

The first-ever picture book from Adam Kay and Henry Paker - now Children’s Picture Book of The Year 2024 – The Week Junior Book Awards! 
 
The judges said: “This poo-filled picture book [...] reveals scientific facts in an engaging, silly and original way, with lots of icky illustrations to add to the fun.” 
 
This is the hilarious (and admittedly a tiny bit gross) tale of Amy, a small piece of sweetcorn who is eaten by Noah, a medium-sized boy. The story follows Amy on her funny, gooey and anatomically-accurate adventure through the human body as she discovers lots of facts about digestion. (It's fair to say that parents might learn a little bit too.) 
 
Praise for Kay's Anatomy: 
'An enjoyably gross look at the human body. Hours of gruesome fun guaranteed' i 
'Like listening to a teacher who makes pupils fall about' Sunday Times 
'Totally brilliant!' Jacqueline Wilson 
'Fun and informative' Malorie Blackman 
'Very funny - this exciting book is bound to inspire the next generation of medics' Sunday Express 
 
Praise for Kay's Marvellous Medicine: 
'A ridiculously funny read that will delight, gross out and educate all at the same time' Independent 
'Educational and entertaining. It should be on the national curriculum!' Harry Hill 
'Completely marvellous and very funny' BookTrust

A Gross and Gruesome History of the Human Body

Kay's Marvellous Medicine

The hilarious history book for kids, all about the human body, from bestselling, record-breaking author and illustrator Adam Kay and Henry Paker. 
 The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people's heads off. 
But there was one TINY LITTLE problem back then . . . doctors didn't have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked. 
 It's time to delve into history and get some answers to some big questions, like: <ul><li>Why did patients gargle with wee?</li><li>Why did people used to get paid for farting? (Unfortunately that’s no longer a thing – sorry.)</li><li>How did a doctor save people's lives using a washing machine, a can of beans and some old sausages?</li><li>What was the great stink? (No, it's not what doctors call your bum.)</li></ul> 
 If you're sure you're ready, then pop a peg on your nose (there was a lot of stinky pus back then), pull on your wellies (there was a lot of poo there too), wash your hands (because they certainly didn't) and explore this gross and gruesome history of the human body! 
 Praise for Kay's Anatomy:'An enjoyably gross look at the human body. Hours of gruesome fun guaranteed' - i'Like listening to a teacher who makes pupils fall about' - Sunday Times'Totally brilliant!' - Jacqueline Wilson'Fun and informative' - Malorie Blackman'Very funny - this exciting book is bound to inspire the next generation of medics' -Sunday Express

Adam Kay is a former doctor who has written five million books and sold seven copies. No, hang on – he’s written seven books and sold five million copies. His debut book, This is Going to Hurt, is a literary sensation: a Sunday Times number one bestseller for over a year, winning a record-breaking four National Book Awards and selling over 3 million copies. Kay adapted This is Going to Hurt as a BAFTA-winning comedy-drama series for the BBC. Adam Kay’s children’s books have been translated into 29 languages and sold over 750,000 copies, making him one of the UK’s bestselling children’s authors. Kay’s Anatomy became the fastest-selling children’s general non-fiction hardback of the decade. His first picture book Amy Gets Eaten was published in 2023. His first children’s fiction hardback, Dexter Procter the Ten-Year-Old Doctor will be published in Autumn 2024.

The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people's heads off but there was one TINY LITTLE problem back then . . . doctors didn't have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked. 
 
 It's time to find out why Ancient Egyptians thought the brain was just a useless load of old stuffing that might as well be 
 chucked in the bin, why teachers forced their pupils to smoke cigarettes, why hairdressers would cut off their customers' 
 legs, and why people used to get paid for farting. (Unfortunately that's no longer a thing - sorry.) 
 
 You'll get answers to questions like: 
 Why did patients gargle with wee? 
 How did a doctor save people's lives using a washing machine, a can of beans and some old sausages? 
 What was the great stink? (No, it's not what doctors call your bum.) 
 
 If you're sure you're ready, then pop a peg on your nose (there was a lot of stinky pus back then), pull on your wellies (there was a lot of poo there too), wash your hands (because they certainly didn't) and explore the gross and gruesome history of the human body in . . . 
 
 KAY'S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE - the brand-new, hilarious book from bestselling, record-breaking author, Adam Kay. 
 
 Praise for Kay's Anatomy: 
 'An enjoyably gross look at the human body. Hours of gruesome fun guaranteed' i 
 'Like listening to a teacher who makes pupils fall about' Sunday Times 
 'Totally brilliant!' Jacqueline Wilson 
 'Fun and informative' Malorie Blackman 
 'Very funny - this exciting book is bound to inspire the next generation of medics' Sunday Express

Adam Kay Bundle

Learn all about the human body with this bundle of Kay's Anatomy and Kay's Marvellous Medicine from bestselling author, Adam Kay. 
 
From what's going on inside our bodies, to when and why we discovered how our insides actually work, Adam Kay has every (slimy and smelly) detail covered! 
 
In Kay's Anatomy you'll find out: 
Why your skin gets wrinkly in the bath 
Whether bogies are safe to eat 
How much of your life you will spend on the toilet 
And loads more fascinating facts you can wow (and horrify) your parents and teachers with. 
 
In Kay's Marvellous Medicine, travel back in time and find out why: 
Doctors made patients gargle with wee 
A washing machine, a can of beans and some sausages helped save lives 
Ancient Romans ate lying down 
You won't believe the wacky ideas people had back in those days. 
 
So, if you can handle the pus and the snot, step into the weird and wonderful world of the human body with Adam Kay! 
 
Praise for Adam Kay: 
'Will delight, gross out and educate all at the same time' Independent 
'Totally brilliant!' Jacqueline Wilson

A Complete (and Completely Disgusting) Guide to the Human Body

Kay's Anatomy

THE RECORD-BREAKING NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER FROM THE UK'S BESTSELLING NON-FICTION AUTHOR. 
 
Discover all the weird and wonderful things that go on inside your body with Adam Kay. This fun-filled anatomy book for kids covers key stage 2 / 3 human biology syllabus (in a slightly repulsive way). 
 
'Hilarious and fascinating! I wish Adam had been my biology teacher' - Konnie Huq 
 
Do you ever think about your body and how it all works? 
Like really properly think about it? 
 
 
The human body is extraordinary and fascinating and, well . . . pretty weird. Yours is weird, mine is weird, your maths teacher's is even weirder. 
 
This book is going to tell you what's actually going on in there, and answer the really important questions, like: 
 
Are bogeys safe to eat? 
Look, if your nose is going to all that effort of creating a snack, the least we can do is check out its nutritional value. (Yes, they're safe. Chew away!) 
 
And how much of your life will you spend on the toilet? 
 
About a year - so bring a good book. (I recommend this one.) 
 
So sit back, relax, put on some rubber gloves, and let a doctor take you on a poo (and puke) filled tour of your insides. Welcome to Kay's Anatomy*. 
 
*a fancy word for your body. See, you're learning already. 
 
 
 
Discover why readers love Kay's Anatomy: 
 
 
 
'The sort of book I would have loved as a child' - Malorie Blackman 
 
'Like listening to a teacher who makes pupils fall about' - The Times 
 
'Absolutely packed with facts... Entertaining and highly informative' - Daily Mail 
 
'As brilliant, and revolting, as the human body it celebrates' - The i newspaper 
 
'Totally brilliant!' - Jacqueline Wilson 
 
'If only this funny and informative book had been around when I was too embarrassed to teach my kids about bodily functions' - David Baddiel

[An] enjoyably gross look at the human body. Hours of gruesome fun guaranteed.

...it is like listening to a teacher who makes pupils fall about

Kay's Anatomy is totally brilliant - it's ultra child-friendly and chatty, and any young reader will learn a great deal about the body as they chuckle through each chapter.

Perfect for days of home-schooling!

It's fun and informative and just the sort of book I would've loved as a child. And I loved the True or Poo sections!

If only this funny and informative book had been around when I was too embarrassed to teach my kids about bodily functions

Hilarious and fascinating! I wish Adam had been my biology teacher

Packed with anatomical facts - and very funny - this exciting book is bound to inspire the next generation of medics

This is brilliant. I'm not jealous that I didn't write it at all. No, not one little bit.

Much funnier and more informative and more gross than Gray's Anatomy... I highly recommend for anyone

Do you ever think about your body and how it all works? Like really properly think about it? 
 
The human body is extraordinary and fascinating and, well... pretty weird. Yours is weird, mine is weird, your maths teacher's is even weirder. 
 
This book is going to tell you what's actually going on in there, and answer the really important questions, like: 
 
Are bogeys safe to eat? Look, if your nose is going to all that effort of creating a snack, the least we can do is check out its nutritional value. (Yes, they're safe. Chew away!) 
 
 And . . . 
 
 How much of your life will you spend on the toilet? About a year - so bring a good book. (I recommend this one.) 
 
So sit back, relax, put on some rubber gloves, and let a doctor take you on a poo- and puke-filled tour of your insides. Welcome to Kay's Anatomy*. 
 
*a fancy word for your body. See, you're learning already.

Adam Kay

Henry Paker

'Brilliant! Full of big laughs and kindness'

Frank Cottrell Boyce, Children's Laureate

'Hilarious, disgusting, then hilarious again!'

Danny Wallace, author of The Day the Screens Went Blank

'I love this book - so funny and such an original idea.'

'I laughed my head off, but luckily Dexter stitched it back on again. What a genius!'

Charlie Higson, author of the Young Bond series

Maz Evans, author of Who Let the Gods Out?

'I LOVED Dexter - fiercely funny and informative'

'Prepare to have your funny bone tickled. This is going to make you laugh until you hurt.'

David Solomons, author of My Brother Is a Superhero

'SO funny! It’s not just belly laughs though, there’s brain food in there too. I actually learned a lot about medicine via the medium of young Dexter’s preternatural career. Consider this a hard recommend.'

'Outrageously funny... Kay and Paker are on their best form in this laughter-fuelled romp which blends riotous humour with fascinating facts.'

‘Outrageously funny... Kay and Paker are on their best form in this laughter-fulled romp which blends riotous humour with fascinating facts.’

'Just what the doctor ordered - laughter, and lots of it!'

Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G.

It was clear from an early age that Dexter Procter was different. 
 
He started speaking at four seconds old. By the age of three, he had 87 A-levels, from Afrikaans to Zoology. 
 
And by ten, he was working as a paediatrician at Lilydale General Hospital. 
 
Despite a loving but annoying family and a couple of good friends (Rupi and Otto), Dexter’s always struggled to fit in. Add to this a mortal enemy (Dr Drake) and a major problem at his old school (all the teachers struck down with awful diarrhoea) – will Dexter be able to save his job, save the school and find his place in the world? (Spoiler alert: yes!) 
 
A laugh-out-loud new series about the world's youngest doctor from the record-breaking Adam Kay and Henry Paker. 
 
'Original, very funny, ultra-informative - and children will love all the disgusting parts.’ Jacqueline Wilson 
 
'If laughter truly is the best medicine, book this hilarious appointment with Dr Procter immediately.' David Baddiel

Adam Kay

Praise for Dexter Procter the 10-Year-Old Doctor

'Brilliant! Full of big laughs and kindness'

'Hilarious, disgusting, then hilarious again!'

'I love this book - so funny and such an original idea.'

'Brilliant! Full of big laughs and kindness'

'Hilarious, disgusting, then hilarious again!'

'I love this book - so funny and such an original idea.'

'Brilliant! Full of big laughs and kindness'

'Hilarious, disgusting, then hilarious again!'

'I love this book - so funny and such an original idea.'

Books by Adam Kay

Articles featuring Adam Kay

24 must-read books for 9-12-year-olds

14 kids’ books for science fans

5 major medical moments from history

Are these facts about the human body true or poo?

Kay’s Kwestions: answers to your questions about the human body

Resources

Kay's Anatomy activity sheets

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