Last summer, following Induction day, Year 11 students who intended taking Biology A-level, were invited to take out one of a large selection of new biology books from the school library. All were paperbacks and many fell into the category now known as 'popular science'. While some students reported that they 'couldn't get into the book', others returned for more, and several students bought copies of books on the recommendation of others. The reviews that follow were written by students prior to their taking up places on the A-level course. They reflect the genuine enthusiasm with which this project was embraced by students.

• Clone: the Road to Dolly and the Path Ahead by Gina Kolata
• Darwin by Jonathon Howard
• Deadly Feasts by Richard Rhodes
• The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
• In Search of a Double Helix by John Gribbin
• The Diversity of Life by Edward O Wilson
• The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
• The Science and Ethics of Genetic Engineering by Michael J Reiss and Roger Straughan
• The Science of Jurassic Park and the Lost World by Rob DeSalle and David Lindley