This study explores children's reading response towards illustrated science curricula based on gender and age. The study involves 256 children, aged 5-8 years old in the Tainan area of southern Taiwan, and is performed using questionnaires. The Reading Behavior and Reading Preference of Science Picture Book Checklist are adopted applied employed as instruments. The findings of this study are as follows. 1. Girls are more motivated than boys in reading illustrated science curricula; they also have a stronger preference than boys for the <||>picture with text<||> contents of science picture books. 2. 5-6-year-old children are more motivated than 7-8-year-old children in reading illustrated science curricula. 3. 5-6-year-old children prefer comic books, cubic books, and 'encyclopedia of science' picture books. and focus on the contents of <||>picture with text<||> when reading. 4. 7-8-year-old children prefer content such as digital picture books; and science magazines, and they focus on the text descriptions when reading.