History teaches us that through images and words, human beings are capable of communicating apparently abstract and invisible concepts, making themselves understood by the various interlocutors with whom they interface.

Particle physics is a science that most of all tries to explain the infinitely small, the invisible and often does so through infinitely large machines such as particle accelerators.

Trying to understand it through written texts, whether they are school books or science articles, is often very complicated due to the scientific language and the basic knowledge that the reader needs.

Telling about science to a child is a really complex thing that requires a great deal of imagination. Yet, recently, three CERN scientists have created books for children and teenagers in which they talk about particle physics through a language not only made up of words, but also of images. Below are three interesting particle physics books suitable for young children, elementary and middle school students and also teenagers and young university students. Obviously, nothing prevents adults from reading these texts to understand, through a very understandable language, the basis of particle physics.

 

The Baby Book is a book characterized by the presence of colored shapes dedicated to babies still in diapers. The baby book was designed by experimental physicist Louie Corpe who works at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN.

After becoming a father, he wanted to share his greatest passion with his daughter: particle physics. Combining concepts from infant development psychology—basic shapes and bright colors that help develop vision and focus—and lots of amazing physics images, Louie has created this picture book that's suitable for younger children.

 

The book contains colorful pictures that attract children's attention. The images correspond to fundamental parts of the working tools of particle physics. In this way children come in contact for the very first time with quarks, bosons and the collisions that take place in the LHC. The book is accompanied by free downloadable captions online that allow parents / adults to know and introduce children to the largest particle accelerator in the world. It is not necessary to be an expert in particle physics to read and understand these texts.

 

The book is available at the CERN gift shop and on Louie's blog: louiecorpe.com.

 

Yours adventures at CERN is undoubtedly one of the best books in scientific literature for children. Written by Letizia Diamante (science communicator) and illustrated by Claudia Flandoli, this book transforms the child who reads it into the protagonist of the adventures present in the book and which will lead her/him to discover the world of CERN.

Writing children's books is an art. Doing it with an attempt to explain particle physics is a real mastery and Letizia has proven to be a master at it.

 

As she herself declares on her website: with this book the young reader is catapulted to CERN, one of the most famous scientific centers in the world. Situated between Switzerland and France, this is a true science wonderland of underground tunnels, huge experiments and new technologies.

The entire book is set at CERN and contains a series of games that will entertain those who decide to embark on this science adventure.

 

Children and teenagers who read the book will take on the role of a researcher, a student or even a tourist, who decides to venture into the wonderful world of science. Inside the book there is also a science-themed goose game. But not only that, also delicious recipes and a very useful scientific glossary.

 

The book is written in English and is available at the CERN shop and on the letizia website: letiziadiamante.com

 

Become a particle physicist in eight simple steps the revelation book by Simone Ragoni, a young particle physicist based at CERN in Geneva who works in the ALICE experiment. The volume is written in two languages: in Italian and in English and has been very successful not only in Europe, but also in the USA, Japan and India.

 

In the book, Simone introduces the reader to physics through simple words that can be understood even by those who don't know strictly scientific language. He does it in a light and nice tone. A smooth, interesting and decidedly intriguing read.

 

The book is published by Acrobat Edizioni and is on sale at the Mondadori store and online at acrobatedizioni.it