Nancy Drew and the Quandary of Quantum Chromodynamics

Ok - so Nancy Drew was never into string theory. But parents and teachers, take note: the Magnet Lab website at FSU mantains a list of books that incorporate painless, plot-relevant science lessons:

Take as an example the below excerpt from one of our featured books, Danny Dunn and the Swamp Monster. Enterprising middle school teachers could use this story as a jumping-off point for a discussion about superconductors.

"Don't you see?" said the Professor. "It's a superconductor."

"But that's incredible!" Dr. Fenster said. "At room temperature?"

"So it appears. There's no other explanation."

"A superconductor?" Danny put in. "What's that?"

I was all ready to ho-hum this site - I mean, how hard is it to find examples of science in fiction these days? But their recommendations for adults stopped me cold! The too-short list includes classics like Proof, Flowers for Algernon, and something I have got to read called The Wizard of Quarks: A Fantasy of Particle Physics:

"I should like to hear more about leptons," stated the Tin Geek. "And bosons," cut in the Scarecrow, just to show that he was still there. "Yes, certainly," agreed Dorothy. "Bosons and leptons and quarks, certainly," she repeated. Somehow after that they all found themselves singing Bosons and leptons and quarks, oh my!

Yay!

Then I realized that just reading the excerpts, especially from the picture books, is a lot of fun in itself:

TV news channels broadcast twenty-four-hour coverage of the "airborne vegetal event." Cauliflower carpets California, spinach blankets Greenwich and arugula covers Ashtabula.
Holly is puzzled. Arugula is not part of her experiment. (June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner)

It was Kitten's first full moon. When she saw it, she thought, there's a little bowl of milk in the sky. And she wanted it. (Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes)

The whole morning is one problem after another. There are 24 kids in my class. I just know someone is going to bring in cupcakes to share. We sit in 4 rows with 6 desks in each row. What if Mrs. Fibonacci rearranges the desks to make 6 rows? (Math Curse by John Scieszka)

"Don't eat me. I am an inchworm. I am useful. I measure things."
"Is that so!" said the robin. "Then measure my tail!" (Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni)

I don't have kids, but I love giving books to my friends' children - usually science and art books, of course! What books have you given to kids to interest them in science?