Teachers often use science trade books in the classroom for a number of reasons: to enhance science instruction, to augment an adopted science textbook, or to integrate literacy with subject-area content. Using Patricia Hunsader's mathematics trade book evaluation rubric published in the April 2004 issue of "Reading Teacher" as a model, the authors present a rubric useful in assessing both the science and literacy value of science trade books. After using the instrument to evaluate 28 science trade books suggested by a science textbook publisher, the authors determined that the quality of science trade books varies greatly. Based on initial pilot testing, the rubric developed in this study served as an effective tool for beginning teachers as they selected science trade books for elementary classroom use. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)