Children’s Books About Genetics and DNA
Sometimes, the hardest question that kids ask is “Why?” “Why am I different?” “Why is my body like this?” “Why do I have to take that medicine?” And for kids with a genetic disorder, the answer can feel complicated. These books can be a stepping stone. They can be a starting place for understanding the body, why certain bodies grow differently, and how we are the same in so many ways. Remember that these honest conversations are important part of a child developing their self-image and their coping skills. Depending on the child and their age, they might need different amounts of information and have different kinds of questions. So I’m suggesting some books below with descriptions of what you can expect. I have put the simplest books at the beginning and ended with the books that have lots of information for your curious question askers and older kids. These books can also be helpful for teachers who are teaching about cells and the body and those teaching about similarities and differences.
I have shared a few books about genetics in the past as well. So please use the ‘Is There a Book for That? Blog search bar to find some more great titles, and stay tuned next week when I share some books about specific genetic conditions. As always, I get a small commission if you purchase a book through my links, several of them are often on sale. The links also allow you to see the book and some of their pages.
Grow: Secrets of our DNA by Nicola Davies
Genetics and DNA can be really hard things to explain. This is a challenge because a lot of health issues that children deal with are caused by genetics. This book could be an important step in educating your child about their diagnosis and their body. This book would also be a great fit for a classroom. It explains genetics in an easy to understand way and ties it to how we grow and how we are connected to the living world around us. Good for elementary school and middle school.
https://amzn.to/43mOkO3
Baby Biochemist: DNA by Cara Florence
This board book explains the very complex world of DNA in an easy to understand way. It explains cells and their many jobs, followed by explaining that the DNA in each cell’s nucleus is like their instructions. When wanting to talk to kids about what makes them who they are or maybe how they have gotten traits or a medical diagnosis that runs in a family. This book can help their scientific questions. I honestly found this book helpful as an adult, as it breaks genes down into brief, easy-to-understand descriptions. This book does not get into specifics of passing on genes from one generation to the next or how genes relate to other animals. It just very basically covers what genes are and what they do. Good for school age kids through adults who are looking for a way to understand genetics in a very brief and simple way.
https://amzn.to/3Sg0Psd
The Smallest Spot of a Dot by Linsey Davis and Michael Tyler
This book uses a very simple explanation of genetics to promote inclusion and similarities over differences. Using a less scientific approach, this book uses the simple analogy of our genes being like a dot or a spot. It explains that we all are made of almost the same dots, but that a few determine the few differences. This book would be great for caregivers, teachers, and hospital staff who want to talk about genetics in a non-scientific way and talk about differences and similarities. I really appreciate the beautiful and inclusive illustrations as well. Good for preschool through middle elementary.
https://amzn.to/43YDTQR
See Inside Genes and DNA by Alice James
This book digs deeper but also keeps things engaging for kids. The book digs deeper into multiple aspects of genetics including passing genes down, the double helix, and mutation but explains them in a way that is interesting to kids, sometimes using little monsters to demonstrate. The book also has flaps to lift which makes it engaging and means the pages are thick and easy to clean/wipe down (take note my hospital friends). I think this book is a great in betweener. Engaging for kids, but still loads of information. Would probably be best processed a couple pages at a time. A great book to increase a child’s understanding of their own body and genes. Good for middle elementary school through elementary.
https://amzn.to/4fBsTQH
The DNA Book by DK Publishing
This book does a good job explaining things in easy to understand language, but it is far from a simple book. This book explores many aspects of genetics, explaining in short easy to understand sections, with lots of illustrations and photos to demonstrate. The book covers topics such as what DNA is, passing down genes, evolution, family,mutations, gene therapy, cloning, the history of genetics, and more. The book includes hands-on experiments and could be a great tool into understanding genetics and DNA much further which can also be an important part of kids understanding their own biology and genetic disorder. Great for upper elementary through high school.
https://amzn.to/4xk3oK0
