Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer Books in Order
Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer is a 4-book series by Martha E. H. Rustad for ages 5–8, at a grades 3–4 reading level, with gentle content (HootRated intensity 1/5).
- Books
- 4
- By publication date
- Content intensity
- Gentle
- HootRated 1/5
Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer Reading Order
Series numbers aren't available for most Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).
| # | Title | Reading Level | Ages | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Space 2013 | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 2 | African Animals 2014 | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 3 | Airplanes 2014 | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 4 | Volcanoes 2014 | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
Content Intensity Across the Series
ConsistentContent stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.
Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer (4 books by Martha E. H. Rustad) lands at a grades 3–4 reading level, with average content intensity 1/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.
The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.
All Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer Books
Space
Martha E. H. Rustad
Space
Martha E. H. Rustad
African Animals
Martha E. H. Rustad
African Animals
Martha E. H. Rustad
Airplanes
Martha E. H. Rustad
Airplanes
Martha E. H. Rustad
Volcanoes
Martha E. H. Rustad
Volcanoes
Martha E. H. Rustad
Series Like Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer: What to Read Next
Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.
- Smithsonian Little Explorer; Little Scientist by Megan Cooley Peterson 4 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- Little Entomologist 4D; Smithsonian Little Explorer by Megan Cooley Peterson 7 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- Transportation Explorer by Heather E. Schwartz 3 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- Crabtree Connections by Angela Royston 3 books · Grades 2–5 · gentle content
- Meet the Dinosaurs by Don Lessem 9 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- All Aboard Science Reader; All Aboard Reading: Station Stop 2 by Ginjer L. Clarke 4 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
Questions about the Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer series
- What reading level is the Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer series?
- Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer books are at a grades 3–4 reading level (average grade level 3.6), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 5–8. There are 4 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer books?
- Series numbers aren't available for most Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Space (2013); African Animals (2014); Airplanes (2014); Volcanoes (2014).
- What age is the Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer series appropriate for?
- HootRated recommends Little Scientist; Smithsonian Little Explorer for ages 5–8. Content is gentle (HootRated intensity 1/5). Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.