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187 ratings | 10 reviews | avg rating:4.37

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Mary Kay Carson

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

November 18, 1964

Website

http://www.marykaycarson.com

Twitter

marykaycarson

Genre

Children's Books, Nonfiction, Science

Member Since

June 2009

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/marykaycarson

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Mary Kay Carson is an award-winning children’s nonfiction author. She has written more than thirty books for young people about wildlife, space, weather, nature, and history. Her recent non-fiction titles include Emi and the Rhino Scientist, about the Cincinnati Zoo's famous rhino mom; Exploring the Solar System, recipient of the 2009 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Children’s Literature Award; The Wright Brothers for Kids; Inside Tornadoes; and the Far-Out Guide to the Solar System series. The author also gives presentations at schools and libraries about space, animals, history, and writing. ...more

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Mary Kay Carson’s books

Average rating: 4.1 · 1,525 ratings · 395 reviews · 99 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Bat Scientists 4.12 avg rating — 199 ratings — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mission to Pluto: The First Visit to an Ice Dwarf and the Kuiper Belt 4.03 avg rating — 101 ratings — published 2017 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The River That Wolves Moved : A True Tale from Yellowstone by Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author), David Hohn (Illustrator) 4.33 avg rating — 90 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Park Scientists: Gila Monsters, Geysers, and Grizzly Bears in America's Own Backyard – A Science Book About Citizen Scientists and Nature for Children (Ages 10-12) (Scientists in the Field) 4.12 avg rating — 86 ratings — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Inside Biosphere 2: Earth Science Under Glass 3.63 avg rating — 92 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Magic School Bus: Ocean Adventure by Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author), Carolyn Bracken (Illustrator) 4.03 avg rating — 74 ratings — published 2014 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Tornado Scientist: Seeing Inside Severe Storms by Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author), Tom Uhlman (Illustrator) 4.06 avg rating — 68 ratings — published 2019 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Urban Coyotes by Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author), Tom Uhlman (Illustrator) 4.30 avg rating — 60 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Emi and the Rhino Scientist: Saving Species from Extinction by Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author), Tom Uhlman (Photographs) 4.07 avg rating — 55 ratings — published 2007 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Escape from . . . the Titanic by Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author), Nigel Chilvers (Illustrator) 3.91 avg rating — 47 ratings — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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90 posts
Mary Kay Carson's Blog

HANDS-ON-BOOKS IS GOING STRONG!

Welcome! Our decade-long blog is a rich resource forteachers and parents. Explore scores of hands-on activities for middle-gradekids, each connected to a delightful book. NONFICTION ROCKS!

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Published on July 08, 2026 11:04

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Series by Mary Kay Carson

Scientists in the Field (62 books)
by

Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author),

Tom Uhlman (Illustrator)

4.04 avg rating — 10,021 ratings

Good Question! (15 books)
by

Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author)

4.00 avg rating — 255 ratings

Far-Out Guide to the Solar System (5 books)
by

Mary Kay Carson (Goodreads Author)

4.02 avg rating — 126 ratings

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Mary Kay Carson is now following LdyLiberty's reviews
Aug 05, 2026 02:14PM · like
Mary Kay Carson wants to read The Lesson by Cadwell Turnbull (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Mary Kay Carson is now following Lois McMaster Bujold Author of The Curse of Chalion (World of the Five Gods, #1)
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Mary Kay Carson wants to read [Grass] (By: Sheri S. Tepper) [published: February, 2002] by Sheri S. Tepper	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Mary Kay Carson rated a book really liked it Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Mary Kay Carson rated a book liked it Recursion by Blake Crouch (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 05, 2026 02:03PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Recursion by Blake Crouch. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Recursion by Blake Crouch <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
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Mary Kay Carson has read The Tremor of Forgery by Patricia Highsmith	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by Mary Kay Carson (?)

“The Big Bang theory says that billions of years ago, a great explosion created all of space, matter, light, and even time. The clock of the cosmos starting ticking as all the stored energy in the explosion changed into matter. Einstein’s E = mc2 explains it, actually. An enormous eruption of energy flies apart, converting E into mass, or m. The earliest matter was just particles and atoms, but those eventually formed stars, solar systems, and planets.”
― Mary Kay Carson, Beyond the Solar System: Exploring Galaxies, Black Holes, Alien Planets, and More; A History with 21 Activities

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Goodreads Librari...: need help separating	9	102	Feb 04, 2018 10:06AM
NonFiction Pulitzers: Debbie L 2020 Reading Challege	178	50	Jan 10, 2021 10:09AM
The County Library: 2021 January Reading Challenge	43	57	Jun 08, 2021 04:41PM
Children's Books: June 2021: Scientists in the Field	76	23	Jul 30, 2021 08:33AM
NonFiction Pulitzers: Debbie L 2021 Reading Challenge	98	52	Dec 23, 2021 01:50PM
Children's Books: April 2018: Outer Space	43	63	Jun 21, 2023 06:57PM
The Lost Challenges: Musician: Aaliyah	52	33	Jun 22, 2023 09:49AM

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Mary Kay’s Quotes

“He's getting old. I don't count the years. I don't multiply by seven. They bred dogs for everything else, even diving for fish, why didn't they breed them to live longer, to live as long as a man?”
― Peter Heller, The Dog Stars

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