Buster Books, the children’s imprint of Michael O’Mara Books, is to publish A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire, and Other Fantastic Finds by author Mike Barfield and illustrator Jess Bradley this autumn.

A laugh-out-loud guide to discoveries from all over the world, the book includes comics explaining the origins of everything from loo roll to penicillin, and uncovering the first dinosaur to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

The first in the series, A Day in the Life of a Poo, a Gnu and You, won the Blue Peter Award for the Best Book with Facts in 2021, and was followed by A Day in the Life of a Caveman, a Queen and Everything In Between, focused on history, and A Day in the Life of an Astronaut, Mars and the Distant Stars, all about astronomy. 

Mike Barfield, author, said: ‘I’m delighted to be working once again with Buster Books and the brilliant Jess Bradley on a fourth title in this Blue Peter award-winning funny non-fiction series. A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire and other Fantastic Finds is a book all about discoveries, from fossils to fire to pharaohs to phosphorus, and many more wonderful things that don’t actually start with an ‘F’ sound, but are all equally exciting! I discovered so much myself in writing and researching it, and I look forward to fans of this series finding it for themselves in bookshops this Autumn!’

Jess Bradley, illustrator, said: ‘I never pass up the chance to work on one of Mike’s books and A Day in the Life books are my favourite – I loved drawing all about inventions and discoveries and I learn a thing or two from every book!’

Susannah Bailey, Managing Editor at Buster Books, said: ‘We are thrilled to be publishing the fourth title in this hilarious series. Mike and Jess have done such a brilliant job bringing the fascinating topic of discoveries to life, and we’re sure readers will love learning about them.’

A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire and Other Fantastic Finds will publish in full-colour illustrated paperback on 11 September 2025, priced £10.99.