Ellie Ment
Ellie doesn’t believe in magic, she believes in science.
But science is magic!
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter
Released TODAY (June 26th 2025)
“Edutainment at its finest—exciting, funny, and impossible to put down!”
- Chris Riches, Daily Express
"Brilliantly clever!
Pure scientific magic!"
- John Ward, The Star
“Encourages kids to think deeply, explore bravely, and believe their questions matter.”"
- Will Barker, The Sun
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Explore:
Now also available as a major audiobook release, read by JENNIFER SAUNDERS
- LoveReadingUK
Mission
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter is an energetic, STEM-driven fantasy adventure that fuses real science with fast-paced storytelling and environmental themes.
Magic isn’t science, but science is magic.
The first book follows 11-year-old Ellie Ment, a fiercely curious and resourceful science whizz, whose life is upended when she witnesses her school burn down in mysterious purple flames. Shortly after, her favourite teacher—Professor Fialova—entrusts her with a secret pair of Elemental Bracers: scientifically engineered wrist devices that allow the user to summon, manipulate, and interact with elements such as Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, and more.
But Ellie soon discovers that her gift is part of a much larger mystery. As she learns to master her new skills, she becomes embroiled in a hidden world where environmental threats, corporate secrets, and scientific wonders collide. Along the way, she’s joined by her inventive best friend Michael Upperton, a passionate upcycler and musician, who must find his own way to contribute, even without the Bracers.
Through humour, daring experiments, quantum echoes, and thrilling missions, Ellie must navigate the tension between the idealism of youth and the pragmatism of adults—and figure out whether real change is possible when the world seems stacked against her.
Key Themes
STEM
Adventure
Introduces children to real scientific concepts (elements, compounds, chemical reactions, quantum superposition) through thrilling, accessible storytelling.
Friendship and Teamwork
Ellie and Michael's frienship highlights the importance of diverse talents—science and art, logic and creativity—working together toward a bigger goal. There isn’t just one type of ‘smart’.
The
Environment
Tackles real-world issues like microplastic pollution, unsustainable industry practices, and the importance of circularity.
Courage and Curiosity
The bravery to ask questions, experiment, and stand up for what’s right underpins Ellie’s journey.
Youth Empowerment
Ellie symbolises the next generation challenging the old way of doing things. The story explores the frustration and hope young people experience when confronting adult compromise.
"Edutainment at its Finest"
Chris Riches and the Daily Express says it the best... "Edutainment at its finest - exciting, funny and impossible to put down!"
Tone and Narrative Style
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Playful, witty, and self-aware.
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The narrator often breaks the fourth wall with cheeky asides, drawing the reader deeper into the adventure.
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The tone balances humour and high-stakes tension, keeping younger readers excited while introducing meaningful messages.
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Ellie’s failures, experiments, and messy victories are relatable and inspiring for a generation taught that progress is built on persistence.
Scientific and Educational Foundations
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The Elemental Bracers are grounded in real atomic theory and chemical science.
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Concepts such as compounds, states of matter, reaction chains, the conservation of mass, and quantum mechanics (especially quantum superposition and the observer effect) are woven into the story naturally.
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Ellie Ment makes science fun, magical, and powerful—without distorting the real-world possibilities of STEM.
Book 1 - Fact file:
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Pages: ~320 (depending on edition)
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Words: ~70,000
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Author: Bertie Stephens
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Editor: Lil Chase
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Publisher: The Clean Planet Foundation
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Foreword: Stanley Johnson
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Cover Art: Farras Raihan
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Chapter Art: Milena Vieira
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Target Audience: Middle-grade readers (9–14 years), STEM-curious, environmentally-minded young readers, plus their parents too!
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Series? Yes - Six book series, plus companion books.
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First Book: Ellie Ment and the Material Matter
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Encourages kids to think deeply, explore bravely, and believe their questions matter.
“...This book pulls off something quite remarkable. It makes science genuinely exciting, the problems facing our world accessible, and environmental responsibility fun....”
"Ellie Ment and the Material Matter is a brilliant fusion of education and entertainment, making complex scientific concepts accessible and exciting through Ellie’s infectious enthusiasm.
Bertie Stephens’ storytelling, paired with a cast of relatable characters, creates a narrative that is both thought-provoking and laugh-out-loud fun.
The environmental themes, underscored by the Clean Planet Foundation’s mission, resonate deeply, urging young readers to question systems and take action.
I highly recommend this book to young readers and adults alike who love science, adventure, and stories that inspire courage and curiosity.
The story blends quantum physics, environmental activism, and youthful rebellion, and leads to a thrilling cliffhanger with a neon green sky.
This is a must-read that will leave you eagerly awaiting Ellie’s next move. Ellie has more adventures to come!"
Cherubimaris Casino, for Readers' Favorite
Ellie perfectly embodies the children of the STEM generation as she regularly engages in scientific observation and experimentation that would often be considered far beyond her years....
...A brilliant beginning to a series that promises many more adventures, Ellie's quest to protect the planet earns five out of five stars for storytelling excellence. Read In Full
Dakota Love, for Reedsy Discovery
Latest News
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘩-𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭, 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘴. 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 (𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴) 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺.”
“𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 11 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳. 𝘏𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘵. 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.”
Our children’s STEM novel 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 has just been 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐒𝐍.𝐜𝐨𝐦, Yahoo and Female First.
📚🌍 With toxic PFAS chemicals now found in 90% of English rivers, environmental education has never been more urgent. That’s why we’re thrilled to see Ellie Ment getting national attention.
"The Future of Books"
We sent Charlotte of popular YouTube channel Charlotte’s BookNook an advanced copy to read.
What was her honest review?
Foreword by Stanley Johnson
Stanley Johnson—renowned environmentalist, former MEP, and founder of Europe’s first Environmental Action Programme—provides the foreword for Ellie Ment and the Material Matter.
Johnson praises the novel’s ability to make science exciting and accessible while handling deep environmental and ethical themes through story, not lectures.
He notes the book’s exceptional balance of idealism and pragmatism, its relevance to real-world ecological challenges, and its capacity to inspire action and curiosity in young readers.
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About the Series
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter is the first of a planned 6-book series + companion books.
Timeline:
June '25
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter (#1)
June '26
2.5
Novella (#1.5)
2
Janaury '26
Ellie Ment Book (#2)
3
December '26
Book 03
More to be announced!
