News

Scientists, Assemble! How Penicillin Changed the World, written by Sam Gayton and illustrated by Chiara Fedele, tells the story of how scientists at the Dunn School in the 1940s transformed penicillin into a life-saving medicine and launched the antibiotic era.

The idea of a new children’s book was first proposed by Rachel Exley, building on school outreach activities developed by members of the Tang lab. Their work demonstrated the potential of the penicillin story to engage children across science, history and literacy.

Oxford University Press (OUP) enthusiastically supported the idea, and took on members of the Dunn School as scientific advisers for the project.

From the outset, the team wanted to move beyond the familiar story of Alexander Fleming’s accidental discovery and show that major scientific breakthroughs depend on years of research and team-work (an idea also reflected in the Marvel-inspired book title).

“When I was approached to write this book, I think I had the fairly typical understanding of how penicillin came about,” said author Sam Gayton. “The truth – as ever – is far more fascinating! It involves mad inventions made from old dustbins, mouldy market melons, and a desperate race against time during the darkest hours of World War II.”

Historical and scientific accuracy were equally important to the illustrations. Italian illustrator Chiara Fedele travelled from Milan to Oxford to visit and sketch the Dunn School, where much of the original work took place.

Archival photographs, scientific papers and surviving features of the department helped recreate everything from experimental techniques to Howard Florey’s office, and even the colour of the two villains in the book (Staph and Step)

The book is now available to schools around the world through OUP’s Readerful series, and as a standalone title. A temporary exhibition about the project will also on display at the Dunn School during our centenary year.

Readerful is an OUP school reading programme designed to build motivation, fluency, vocabulary, and knowledge through reading for pleasure. It offers carefully levelled books that strike the right balance between challenge and confidence, ensuring every child can experience success and enjoyment in reading. It places strong emphasis on inclusion and representation, presenting fully rounded characters, diverse lives, and global perspectives so that all children can see themselves reflected in books while also encountering experiences beyond their own. Alongside this, Readerful intentionally develops vocabulary through meaningful, repeated, and useful word choices, and builds knowledge in a structured, well scaffolded way that respects chronology, context, and multiple perspectives, ensuring children not only read more, but read more deeply and insightfully.

As the Dunn School approaches its Centenary, Scientists, Assemble! offers a new way to share one of the defining stories in our history. Through it, we hope young readers will discover the importance of collaboration, perseverance and fundamental research – and perhaps be inspired to see themselves as part of the next generation of scientists.

The book can be purchased at a discounted price in our centenary shop.