Susan Martineau author page

Susan Martineau biography

Susan Martineau is an author, editor and fact finder who writes creative and educational books for children. She has been writing information books for children for more than twenty years, and her career began as a non-fiction books editor with the BBC in London. Her work is especially relevant for classroom non-fiction because it often asks children to investigate evidence, interpret facts and think critically.

Her book Real-Life Mysteries won the Blue Peter Book Award for Best Book with Facts. Real-Life Mysteries & Disasters: Deadly Facts, Amazing Evidence, and the True Stories Behind 22 Incredible Events was written by Martineau and illustrated by Vicky Barker; it presents real events, mysteries and disasters through case files, eyewitness statements, newspaper clippings and specialists’ opinions for readers aged 8 to 12.

Martineau’s books include Infographics for Kids, illustrated by Vicky Barker, a 48-page non-fiction activity book about reading and creating infographics. Question Everything!: An Investigator’s Toolkit, also illustrated by Vicky Barker, focuses on critical literacy skills, including spotting fake news, solving mysteries and investigating disasters.

Real-Life Mysteries & Disasters was published by Bright Matter Books on 4 November 2025.

Bestselling books by Susan Martineau

Real-Life Mysteries: Can You Explain the Unexplained? by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker

Strange noises, ghostly sightings and famous puzzles invite children to test the evidence rather than simply believe the rumour. With cases including Shackleton’s ghostly companion and the Loch Ness Monster, this Blue Peter Book Award-winning nonfiction title gives 7-12 year olds a lively way into critical thinking, scepticism and deciding what the facts really show.

Real-Life Disasters: Investigate What Really Happened! by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker

Natural mega-eruptions and human-made catastrophes are treated as investigations rather than sensational headlines. For 7-11 year olds, the book asks why disasters happen, whether they can be predicted or prevented, and what expert investigators can tell us afterwards. It works well for pupils who like frightening real events but need careful, fact-based context.

How to Question Everything!: A Kids’ Toolkit for Critical Thinking by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker

Breaking news, noisy claims and statistics can feel like an information jungle, so the toolkit shows 7-12 year olds how to slow down, check sources and think about language. Its updated material on AI gives school libraries a timely nonfiction option for media literacy, fake news discussions and classroom research skills.

How to Think Like a Scientist!: A Kids’ Toolkit for Scientific Literacy by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker

Studies, statistics and scientific claims appear everywhere, and this guide helps children ask what the evidence actually shows. A useful 7-12 title for science and information-literacy shelves, it introduces the scientific method through questions, problem solving and clear communication, with a revised edition that also includes AI.

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!: Bugs Are Cool and So Is This Book. Fact. by Susan Martineau, illustrated by Vicky Barker

Insects, ants, spiders and minibeasts with impressive senses fill this large-format nature book, giving bug fans plenty to spot and question. Children aged 5-12 can dip into facts about why even pesky bugs matter, while Vicky Barker’s illustrations make it easy to use for home reading, topic work or a classroom nature table.

Susan Martineau teaching resources

• b small publishing’s Real-Life Mysteries page gives the book details for ages 7 to 12 and links to a downloadable poster and Real-Life Mysteries teaching resource.
• The Real-life Disasters Book Club Kit is a one-page PDF for readers aged 8 to 12, with a book summary, chapter list, discussion starter, six discussion questions and a true-facts activity using eyewitness statements.
• The Tales of Ghosts and Hauntings Book Club Kit is a PDF for readers aged 8+, with a suitability note, chapter list, critical-thinking discussion questions and investigator activities covering case files, diary entries and news articles.
• Literacy Tree’s Real-life Mysteries Literary Leaf provides a 15-session Upper KS2 Year 5 reading sequence covering vocabulary, debating, fact checking, fake news, internet safety, inference and fact retrieval.
• Hamilton Brookes’ Real-life Mysteries English unit provides Year 3/4 planning for reports and recounts, with core reading work, SPaG units on adverbs, headings and paragraphs, PowerPoint links and a composition unit on writing a hoax report.
• The Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! colouring sheets are a two-page b small publishing PDF linked to Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker’s Nature Investigator title for ages 5 to 12.