100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock 🇳🇿

Overnight NZ-wide Delivery 🚀 Thank you for supporting our 100% NZ-owned store ❤️

How To Save Your Granny From a Runaway Train

Brief Description
Bonkers dilemmas that can be solved with science and a bunch of brilliant physics experiments. No grannies were harmed in the making of this book! Trick a shark! Lift a jumbo jet! Escape a deserted island! Stop a runaway train! Explore a bunch of ridiculous (and... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2299
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Bonkers dilemmas that can be solved with science and a bunch of brilliant physics experiments.

A funny children’s illustrated science book with experiments for ages 8+ that is new for 2025 and perfect for the summer holidays

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Bonkers dilemmas that can be solved with science and a bunch of brilliant physics experiments.

No grannies were harmed in the making of this book!

Trick a shark!

Lift a jumbo jet!

Escape a deserted island!

Stop a runaway train!

Explore a bunch of ridiculous (and not-so-ridiculous) dilemmas – with solutions from the astonishing world of physics.

Sounds unbelievable? Test the science for yourself, with easy-to-follow experiments throughout!

What are you waiting for? Let’s save Granny!

Written by bestselling and award-winning author Swapna Haddow, with brilliantly funny colour illustrations from award-winning illustrator Jess Bradley.

Series: Solved by Science

View all
  • How To Save Your Granny From a Runaway Train
    Bonkers dilemmas that can be solved with science and a bunch of brilliant physics experiments. No grannies were harmed in the making of this book! Trick a shark! Lift a jumbo jet! Escape a deserted island! Stop a runaway train! Explore a bunch of ridiculous (and not-so-ridiculous) dilemmas – with solutions from the astonishing world of physics. Sounds unbelievable? Test...
    Paperback
    $2299
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008713355

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 31 July 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Red Shed

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Jess Bradley

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 4.0mm

Width: 213.0mm

Height: 276.0mm

Weight: 320g

Pages: 64

About the Author

SWAPNA HADDOW is the bestselling and award-winning author of over 30 books for young readers, including the Dave Pigeon and Bad Panda series. She was the winner of the Fantastic Book Award, Surrey Libraries Children’s Book Award and North Somerset Teachers’ Book Award and been shortlisted for the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards, Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards and The Alligator’s Mouth Awards. She was an official World Book Day author in 2023. With a degree in Medical Sciences and International Health, Swapna is a proud, self-proclaimed science geek. Originally from the UK, Swapna now lives in New Zealand with her husband, son and dog, Archie.

JESS BRADLEY is an award-winning illustrator and writer living in Devon. She has drawn many books and comics about science, superheroes and giant monsters and is also a regular contributor to The Phoenix comic. She works from her home studio, and likes drawing in her sketchbooks, reading, playing video games and watching cartoons with her son.

Also by Swapna Haddow

View all
  • The (Not So) Superheroes (The Terrible Trio #1)
    The first in a terrible, terrific, funny and heartwarming new series by award-winning children’s author, Swapna Haddow, hilariously illustrated by Minky Stapleton. In a world where all animals have superpowers, café workers Zeb the zebra, Margarine the penguin and Barry the lemur have been given the worst powers of all. Watching all the other superheroes save the world, day in...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dave Pigeon (Zombies!)
    Help! There are zombie animals in the garden! Dave and Skipper think this is the work of some dreaded green cookies. (Eat them at your peril.) But a cookie's a cookie, and Dave can't resist taking a peck. Now Skipper is in quite the flap! Is Dave about to turn into a zombie? Or are those animals actually just in...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Bad Panda: For Sale
    Oh no! The zoo is going to close! And all of the animals will be sent back to where they came from. Lin the Bad Panda is happy about the idea of being returned to the panda sanctuary from where she came. She can't wait to be reunited with her beloved brother, Face-Like-A-Bag-Of-Potatoes. But Lin is definitely NOT happy about...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Dave Pigeon (Kittens!)
    The fifth book in the best selling Dave Pigeon series. A guaranteed laugh on every page! Dave Pigeon and his trusty sidekick, Skipper, are minding their own business in the garden shed when they see Mean Cat behaving very strangely... And why is she multiplying? The arrival of some very cute kittens is disastrous news! More cats? Ugh. But then...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Dave Pigeon (Royal Coo!)
    Dave Pigeon (Royal Coo!) follows Dave Pigeon and his best friend, Skipper, as they take in the sights of London. Whilst pecking around the gates of the Royal Palace in search of high-brow snacks, they encounter Prince Raju Pigeon, one of the Queen's personal birds from the Royal Lofts. Raju, tired of royal life, longs to see beyond the palace...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Little Dinosaurs, Big Feelings
    Little Dinosaurs, Big Feelings by Swapna Haddow introduces Doctor Diplo, the Jurassic kingdom's best-loved therapist. Meet him and ten of his Jurassic friends: Steggie the Angry Dinosaur Rex the Scared Dinosaur Bruno the Sad Dinosaur Minka the Happy Dinosaur Poppy the Lonely Dinosaur Percy the Shy Dinosaur Terrie the Excited Dinosaur Trev the Overwhelmed Dinosaur Iggy the Bored Dinosaur Nino...
    Hardback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Little Dinosaurs, Big Questions
    Meet Diplo - the Jurassic kingdom's best-loved therapist - on his second adventure. This time, tackle some of life's biggest questions with Diplo and his 10 dinosaur friends as they understand more about complex questions, including: Does it hurt the grass when I chomp it? Is it ever good to lie? Why do bad things happen? What is fairness? How...
    Hardback
    $3499
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Little Myths: Rama and Sita
    Most people know Rama and Sita as the good guys and VIP guests at Diwali. But once upon a time, Rama and Sita were just a little boy and girl. Sure, he was the reincarnated god Vishnu, and she was a champion archer with super strength, but in lots of other ways they were just like you. But they grew...
    Hardback
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Mindful Dinosaurs
    Help your little one feel calm, grounded and focused with this boxed deck of 30 mindfulness activity cards, inspired by Dr Diplo and his friends. Full-colour illustrations on both sides of the cards break down each practice into easy-to-follow steps. A booklet is also included to help guide carers through the activities. More in the Series If you enjoyed these...
    Cards
    $2999
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Bad Panda
    Are you sick of being utterly adorable? Tired of being cuddled and hugged? Fed up of having your head confused for your bottom because you just so happen to be SOOOOPER-DOOOOOPER fluffy? Lin: If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you're in the right book. Everyone thinks that Lin is the cutest panda in the world. So...
    Paperback
    $3600
    Available
    Ships in 2-3 weeks
  • Bad Panda: The Cake Escape
    Bad Panda: The Cake Escape by Swapna Haddow tells the story of Lin the panda, who embarks on a mission to find her best friend, Fu. He's disappeared from the zoo! Has he been stolen by the Horrid Human, the boy who was looking to add to his sinister collection of stuffed animals? Can Lin and her animal friends find...
    Paperback
    $1899
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Day the Mac 'n' Cheese Ran Out (The Terrible Trio #2)
    When Zeb uses his superpower to blend in with a zebra crossing to play tricks on unsuspecting pedestrians, he finds himself in hot water with a very angry lion who threatens to eat him! In an effort to extricate himself from the cooking pot, he promises Marge will make endless mac’n’cheese to feed Lion’s whole pride. Not a great time...
    Paperback
    $1700
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today

More from Children's Books

View all
  • Cass and the Beast
    New Release
    Cass and the Beast
    A sweeping and original picture book about a girl who chooses not to be afraid, a modern-day heroine in a story we feel in our bones like an ancient folktale. When a fearful beast arrives in the township, Cass finds her courage and is rewarded with a wild and magical journey. The creature takes her on a thundering ride through...
    Hardback
    $2399
    Elsewhere:
    $2999
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    The Case of the Viral Video: Violet and the Velvets 3
    Violet and the Velvets can hardly believe they've come so far in the BandChamps competition with only hard work, a smidge of talent, and a whole lot of thinking outside the box. This time, they get to record their new song in a proper recording studio and star in their very own music video! But Violet is letting her perfectionism...
    Paperback
    $1600
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise for Dreamslinger: “A mind-blowingly original fantasy adventure—Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan, New York Times #1...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Detective Beans and the Map of Mystery
    Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Mei Mei the Bunny Mei Mei the Bunny
    New Release
    Mei Mei the Bunny
    Mei Mei the Bunny is Laufey's picture book debut about a bunny learning to believe in herself through music. Experience a heartwarming tale of self-belief in this enchanting picture book by GRAMMY Award-winning musician Laufey. Meet Mei Mei, a little bunny with a big dream—to spread joy through her music! As her debut recital at the H'Opera House draws near,...
    By Laufey
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    Hunted: Wolf Girl 15
    Just when Wolf Girl is finally reunited with her father, he is torn away from her once more, and Gwen vows to stop at nothing to track him down. But danger is closing in: a giant snow leopard and a mysterious hooded figure are hot on their trail. As Gwen and the pack race through deep caverns to snowy peaks,...
    By Anh Do
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    What If You Could
    From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed — herself included....
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Lonasei and the Mystery of Origin Grove
    Eleven-year-old Lonasei is lonely — she wishes her older sister Eva Grace wasn't so mean, and that her mum Aria didn't have to work so much. But when Aria inherits her childhood home, Lonasei discovers she can enter her late Aunt Malia's paintings and experience the memories within. Through them, she discovers that her mother had another sister, Agnes, who went...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Dawn Raid: The Apology
    This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Savea’s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2099
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Big Bang Bread
    New Release
    Big Bang Bread
    In this time-travel storybook and cookbook with a cosmic twist, take a journey through time and space to discover the secrets of baking! Did you know that bread is made from stardust? Board the rocket and blast off on an adventure through time and space to discover the secrets of a home-baked loaf! Big Bang Bread is a kids' time-travel...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • New Release
    B is for Bird
    From award-winning artist, Lily Emo, comes a beautiful celebration of birds. Paired with a fun rhyming story, gorgeous illustrations, and fold-out pages, this book is set to be a favourite for everyone and the perfect gift. Make your way through the alphabet with this stunning book featuring a cast of familiar birds. From albatross to fantails, gannets to quail, and...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today
  • Signed Copy
    The Curse of the Carnivorous Cactuses
    (Sam: Nothing could be as bad as being covered in icky purple blobs ... wait, what does carnivorous mean again?) The gang is determined to defeat Glam-Evil and her nasty curses so that they can save their park and get back for Shackleton and Amelia's very first sleepover. But Glam-Evil has a few new tricks up her ultravillainous sleeve ......
    Paperback
    $1400
    Elsewhere:
    $1499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.