The purpose of this research study was to explore the effects of children's trade books on the development of science concepts. The two objectives of this exploratory study were to determine whether children's ideas about specific science concepts change when trade books containing information about those concepts are read to them, and characterize any such changes toward the development of more scientifically valid concepts as positive. The questions which guide the study pertain to prior knowledge, the role of trade books in concept formation, and the nature of the changes in students ideas. The instructional topic of whales is represented in five trade books that are used in the study. For each book, a set of true-false questions is read aloud to students with students recording responses on a prepared answer sheet. The results of the study indicate that the use of trade books may facilitate or interfere with learning and that teacher knowledge and understanding are required for effective use of these books in science instruction. Contains 30 references. (DDR)