By Jonathan Drori (author) , Jiatong Liu & Raxenne Maniquiz (illustrator)
"An awe-inspiring guide to the many ways plants have been used for centuries to enrich our lives."
Hardback In Stock £16.99 £15.29
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October 2025 Book of the Month
We are all familiar with many different types of trees, leaves and plants, but have you ever considered just how important they are to our lives? How many uses they have and how many things they have been used to make? If so, this is the book for you!
In this celebration of the natural world, Drori introduces us to the stories and behaviours of 30 different plants, sharing the myriad of ways humans have (and in many cases still do) used them. From the familiar, such as wheat, cacoa and tea, to the more surprising, each plant and its history is fascinatingly described. With every page turn bringing a fresh eye-opening fact, there are far too many to list, but my own favourites include the fact that seaweed is used to make ice cream smooth and that mandrake plants may be the reason that we belief witches fly on broomsticks!
Drori’s respect for the natural world and his meticulous research shine through. Whilst the beautiful illustrations and hardback format make this a book to enjoy returning to time and time again. I particularly enjoyed the large illustrations of each plant that so perfectly capture the style of traditional natural history drawings.
The very best type of information book – The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of reveals a whole new world of facts to wonder at and leaves you wanting to know more. Perfect for curious minds of all ages.
Did you know that there's seaweed in ice cream, cork in spacecraft and dandelion in truck tyres? Have you wondered how paper or thread are made, or why the mandrake is so mysterious?
Read the full description
Meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated, this book of wonder gives a young reader the knowledge of how the things we use every day are born from natural materials, and the surprising stories behind their creation.
Best-selling author Jonathan Drori brings life to the science of plants, revealing how their worlds are entwined with our own in this one-of-a-kind family book. For readers 7 to 100.
Jonathan Drori CBE is a Trustee of both Cambridge and Oxford Botanic Gardens and Honorary Professor at Birmingham University's Institute of Forest Research. Previously, he was a Trustee of the Eden Project and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and for BBC TV, was responsible for many science documentaries. He is known for his TED talks on botany, which have been viewed millions of times. Jon is the author of the runaway best-sellers, Around the World In 80 Trees and Around the World in 80 Plant s, revealing how the worlds of trees and plants are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore. The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of is his first book for children.
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The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of and determined it is suitable for children aged 7-10 years old
The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of features in the following genres: Featured Books for 7+ readers, Featured Books for 9+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, The Natural World, Science, Work / Industry, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Plants and trees, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Inventors, inventions and experiments, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Hardback. £15.29, down from the £16.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of was written by Jonathan Drori and published by Magic Cat Publishing
The Stuff That Stuff Is Made Of has 63 pages
£15.29, reduced from £16.99. In Stock.
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