Pre-K
Growing Reader
Tween
15 Awesome STEM Books That Make Science and Technology Fun for Kids
by Melissa Taylor
STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering, and math — are a crucial part of a child’s education both now and in the future. These STEM books are filled with great stories and cool project ideas that can help lay a foundation for any mixture of STEM disciplines. We hope the books recommended here spark excitement, teach something new, and make STEM accessible to your children.
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STEM Books for Kids Ages 4 - 8
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Math Curse
Everything is a math Problem with a capital “P” thanks to Mrs. Fibonacci the math teacher! It starts at 7:15 AM when a girl wakes up and remembers it takes 10 minutes to get dressed, 15 minutes to eat breakfast, and 1 minute to brush her teeth so ... 1) if her bus leaves at 8:00 AM, will she make it on time? 2) how many minutes in 1 hour and 3) how many teeth in 1 mouth? This hilarious, math-disaster of a day continues with more math than you can imagine … but will it ever end?
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Math-terpieces
In this innovative picture book, add an “A” to STEM to make STEAM. Using fine art, readers practice mathematical problem-solving with four basic principles: keep an open mind, form unusual number combinations, use multiple math skills, and find patterns. Kids are asked to find solutions to the questions poised for each painting. For example, in Dali’s famous melting clocks painting, readers are tasked with finding 8 ways to group the clocks. Don’t worry, if you need help, answers are in the back of the book.
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Ada Twist, Scientist
Ada is a curious girl who loves questions, problem solving, science, and experiments. (Even in time out!) Readers will be inspired by her enthusiastic love of learning and laugh along at her daring experiments.
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Iggy Peck, Architect
Iggy has always loved to build (even when he was in diapers!), but his second grade teacher tells Iggy that buildings aren’t allowed in second grade. However, in a serendipitous turn of events, Iggy must use his architectural skills to save the class. This delightful book is sure to inspire an interest in architecture as well as many building projects.
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How Machines Work: Zoo Break!
Pop-ups, lift-the-flaps, and levers encourage kids to get involved in this STEM adventure story about two animals, Sloth and Sengi, who try to escape the zoo using simple machines. While reading the story, you’ll also discover information on each machine — machines such as a teeter-totter, a pulley, scissors, and a bike.
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Peg + Cat: The Pizza Problem
Peg and Cat are best friends who have just opened a pizza shop. But when the Teens come in to order, Peg and Cat have problems … to solve. First, they have to figure out what a half is. Then, they need to divide two and a half pizzas by four. All in a day’s work at Peg’s Pizza Palace.
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The Most Magnificent Thing
Just like STEM makers and inventors in real life, this little girl learns that success is based on frustration, failure, and determination. And unlikely mentors. Because when the girl is so sick of failure and gives up, it’s her dog who encourages her to try again. Which leads her to eventually create the most magnificent thing!
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STEM Books for Ages 8 - 12
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Nick and Tesla Series
Nick and Tesla, 11-year old twins, are budding inventors and detectives who live with their inattentive scientist uncle Newt. Each story is an action-packed mystery to solve using science and technology. Directions for some of the projects are included so readers can try them at home.
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Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist Series
Get ready to laugh because Franny’s adventures will crack you up! Franny is a socially awkward, mad scientist kid whose science and tech experiments end in complete disaster — all for your reading pleasure, of course.
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Super Cool Tech
Just like the title says, this book, with a sleek laptop-looking cover and eye-catching design and layout, showcases the coolest inventions in technology. Not only do you learn about today’s tech such as a bionic suit, a floating hotel, or a 3D printed car, but you’ll also discover future tech possibilities such as teleportation and artificial intelligence.
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Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women
Fascinating, well-written biographies of female inventors show how inventions such as an underwater lamp and telescope, diaper, chocolate chip cookies, and windshield wiper came to be.
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Reader’s Edition)
An inspiring true story of necessity and invention! Due to a drought, William’s African village has no water, no crops, and no income source. He researches solutions in the library and decides to build a windmill which successfully pumps water to the fields and generates electricity for his family.
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Maker Lab: 28 Super Cool Projects: Build * Invent * Create * Discover
Beautiful design and photographs showcase 28 kid-friendly, easy-to-follow experiments and activities. Only household materials are required, there are three levels of difficulty, and kids will learn the real world science behind each project.
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Secret Coders
In this interactive graphic novel, Hopper and her friends notice strange things at their new, creepy school including that the birds are robots. To stop the strange birds and the evil janitor controlling them, the kids need your help with logic puzzles and basic programming.
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Strange But True!
It’s practically impossible to resist reading this book about the most crazy, extreme, and unusual animals, places, and occurrences in our world. Paired with gorgeous photographs, you’ll read about zombie snails, fairy chimneys, killer plants, a crater of fire called the “Door to Hell”, and much more.
