STEM subjects like science, technology, engineering, and math are key in a child’s education. These subjects are important today and will be even more so in the future. The books we recommend are packed with exciting stories and fun project ideas.
They aim to build a strong foundation in STEM disciplines. We hope these books will ignite your child’s curiosity, teach them something new, and make STEM fun and accessible.
1. MAZIE’S AMAZING MACHINES
It’s National STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Day and we are celebrating with the brilliant new book MAZIE’S AMAZING MACHINES.
⚙️Mazie McGear was born to be an engineer. Whenever she encounters a problem, she immediately sets to solving it. Through the use of 6 simple machines, Mazie helps her family overcome a variety of obstacles. When her dog becomes stuck on the roof, however, the entire McGear family will have to work together to save the day.
⚙️Mazie’s enthusiasm for engineering is infectious and I just love the way simple machines are effortlessly introduced. Additionally, the eye-catching color palette with a surprise pop-up page adds to the fun of this engaging read-aloud.
2. A PENNY’S WORTH
I’ll give you my two cents on this book: it’s fantastic!
The main character is a penny named Penny. She feels like a million $$$ as she hops off the minting press. That feeling doesn’t last long though as she realizes all the other coins are spent while she remains forgotten. She can’t compete with a Quarter at the slot machine. Even the so-called “penny candy” now costs a Dime. But she has to be worth something, right?
So off goes Penny on a quest to find her worth. In the end, she realizes her self-worth in the big world in the sweetest way!
Your kids are sure to enjoy this action-packed story filled with puns about money, lessons about US currency, and a priceless reminder about self-worth. A fun STEM book with SEL?! We’re here for it.
3. USHA AND THE BIG DIGGER
There is so much to love about this book. I love that this is a STEM book centered around three female characters AND that it’s a fun read-aloud with movement and sounds. The illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and engaging. It contextualizes math concepts with a concrete example. It also shows children that math (and trucks!) aren’t gendered interests – anyone can enjoy them. Anyone can excel at them.
This joyful story incorporates geometry/spatial sense as three girls look at the stars together.
+ I love that Usha, a female character, loves trucks. She plays with trucks, she receives a truck as a gift from her family members, and she sees a truck – “the big digger”– in the stars. More than that, I love that her love of trucks is never discussed, questioned, or criticized. It’s accepted, embraced, and encouraged – as all healthy interests should be.
+ I love that Usha, her sister Aarti, and their cousin Gloria all see different shapes in the stars and learn to physically see things from other perspectives by rotating. This is such a clever way to discuss geometric and spatial concepts as well as learn about a famous asterism (a recognizable group of stars!).
+ I love that Gloria and Aarti help Usha achieve her goal of learning how to do a cartwheel. I love that this book enforces the idea that it’s okay to ask for help and to learn from others.
Talking points:
+ The idea of rotation is important to this story – we see it when Usha cartwheels when the three girls rotate to see the different shapes in the sky and in the wheels of Usha’s trucks. Discuss this further with your reader! What happens when we rotate familiar objects?
+ Can your reader remember a time that they asked a friend/sibling/cousin/classmate for help to learn something new? What happened? What did it feel like?
+ This book has fantastic activity suggestions in the back! Follow them with your reader!
4. JABARI TRIES
Jabari Tries is the super sweet follow-up to Jabari Jumps! I should start by saying that while we (for some odd reason!?) do not actually own Jabari Jumps, we have taken it out from the library MANY times. I’ve lost count… It’s by far one of our most frequently borrowed books! When I found out there was a sequel coming out I was overjoyed, and it did not disappoint. One of my favorite things about the first book is how wonderfully patient and validating the dad is, and yet again in this sequel, he gently encourages Jabari to work with his sister to figure out how to make his flying machine work. Like any older sibling, he resists because he doesn’t want his little sister getting into his work – but Dad’s gentle encouragement helps him include her. ⠀
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The other thing I love about this book is the open-ended play in their backyard. There are no other characters, this story is (unintentionally) reflective of the play that a lot of us are fostering right now with our kids. Alone, creative, and at home. Using what we have, books, blocks, and boxes can be anything if you open your imagination.
5. NERDY CORN
A story starring a confident, kind unicorn interested in STEM? Yes, please!
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Meet Fern! Unlike the other unicorns in her community, she prefers chemistry more than glitter. Fern may be different, but she is proud of who she is and always does her best to be a good friend and help others. When she encounters a few rude unicorns who tease her, however, she questions whether or not to help them when they are in need. She ultimately realizes that staying true to herself and doing the right thing is more important than holding a grudge. The unicorns come to appreciate Fern’s many talents and aim to be more like her.
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The bright cover has tons of kid appeal and adults will love how this story opens up discussions on friendship and celebrating differences.
6. GROW
Grow, Secrets of Our DNA is the *perfect* book to begin to introduce the science of who and what we are in our science-minded household. This book is amazing for explaining the interconnectedness of all living things, while also explaining how our ‘building blocks’ also make us each unique and special in our own ways. No one – not even your siblings (unless you are a twin!) is made from that same set of building blocks, but at the same time, there is enough of the same that we can use our DNA to tell who is a part of our family. ⠀
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We loved the gorgeous illustrations and straightforward, storybook format of this non-fiction read. We also loved that they used a bi-racial family and featured a little girl prominently in the illustrations throughout. There is so much to talk about on each page and you can easily spend time pouring over the pages and identifying plants and animals as you go.
7. WHAT’S INSIDE A FLOWER?
🌺 I have been waiting to get this book from the library for quite some time but I decided to just go ahead and buy it without seeing it first (something I rarely do) and I am SO glad I did!
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Not only is this book drop-dead gorgeous, it is incredibly informative as well. I have many favorite picture books about flowers/gardens for preschoolers, but since I no longer have preschool-age children in my house this is the perfect book to level up our collection and our science lessons.
Have I mentioned that this book is absolutely stunning? I just want to make that abundantly clear! I am thrilled there are more “What’s Inside?” books forthcoming. I can’t wait to see them!
8. ERNO RUBIK AND HIS MAGIC CUBE
Have you mastered the Rubik’s Cube yet? I’m sorry to say that I haven’t been able to solve one yet. But, I think I’m getting close?! 🤔
Erno Rubik and His Magic Cube is a fantastic picture book biography all about the man who invented the most popular puzzle in history. Raised in Budapest, Erno was always curious about geometric shapes. He studied art and architecture and eventually became a professor. He built models to teach his students about three-dimensional objects.
One day, Erno decided to try an experiment with small cubes. He wondered if it was possible to build a big cube out of smaller cubes that moved around each other but still stayed connected. The Magic Cube was released in 1974 in Hungary. Later, it was rebranded as the Rubik’s Cube.
What a fascinating picture book biography that shows how one curious young boy grew up to create a world-famous puzzle!
Did you know that as of 2024, more than 450 million Rubik’s Cubes have been sold worldwide? Competitions to see who can solve one the fastest are held regularly all around the world!
Don’t you just adore this secret cover?
9. BOXITECTS
Do you have a child who loves to tinker, create, and build? Or, are you looking for ways to inspire your children to upcycle all the boxes from online purchases from the last few months? Either way, you’re going to want to check out Boxitects by Kim Smith for your builders or builders-to-be, as it’s fully of both creative and teamwork inspiration!
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Meet Meg, a “boxitect.” Yes, that’s right, a boxitect, as in one who loves “to make things out of boxes.” In fact, she loves her cardboard creations so mucht hat her mom enrolls her in Maker School, where she’ll create with makers of all kinds. As the only boxitect in her class, she feels pretty darn special and learns to build useful, strong, and beautiful structures… Until Simone, another boxitect, shows up. From the first moment in class together, Meg and Simone feel a strong rivarly, pointing out flaws in each other’s creations. Then comes the Maker Match, a competition to build the most amazing thing with only one rule — you had to work with your team of like-minded builders, so Meg and Simone are forced to work together. Will they be able to cooperate enough to have a structure for the contest? You’ll have to wait and see!
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Y’all, Boxitects has just about everything one might hope for! From the diverse characters, to girls in STEM, to creative inspiration out the wazoo, to important teamwork and collaboration messages, to the bright and inviting illustrations, you are going to love this book. And, to add to that list, be sure to check out the end matter, as Smith also includes terrific information about cardboard, boxitects, and building your own Boxitect Castle!
10. HOW COLOuR WORKS
Say HELLO to these bright and vibrant endpapers; begone, grey day!
🌈I’m continuing with my recommendations with this corker of an introduction to the concept of colour, how we see it, and how other creatures see colours differently or have evolved to use colour to warn, attract, survive, camouflage or protect. It makes a fantastic accompanying resource to David Attenborough’s recent Life In the Colour programme, covering the way bees see ultraviolet and how mandrills use their colourful faces and bottoms!
🌈The explanation of how our eyes work is particularly excellent – did you know we can see up to TEN MILLION different colours? Snails, however, see shades of grey. There are explanations for why the sea appears blue, snow appears white and plants generally appear green. The nighttime/glow-in-the-dark spread is particularly striking, and the glossary at the back is brilliant.
🌈The illustrations here are bold and striking, and the bite-size chunks of information on each page make a huge and difficult-to-explain concept really accessible; Catherine Barr has pitched it perfectly for 5+ learners.
11. THE BARE NAKED BOOK
“The Bare Naked Book” is a fantastic updated version of the 1986 book by Kathy Stinson with fresh new illustrations by Melissa Cho!
This new version was created to reflect the realities that we understand better today surrounding gender identity and is a wonderful portrait of how completely diverse human bodies are.
This book is a wonderful place to start a variety of discussions about our bodies, and the bodies of others.
Skin colour, size, hair, and disability, this book features normalizes and celebrates everybody.
This book is essential for every child.
12. PRINCESSES CAN FIX IT
Say goodbye to tired gender stereotypes with this new standout story! PRINCESSES CAN FIX IT! not only entertains but encourages kids to pursue any hobbies that interest them!
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When a castle is overrun by alligators, it is up to three clever princesses to construct a contraption to rid their home of the unwanted pests. Unfortunately, the king believes that proper princesses should not build. Naturally, this doesn’t stop the three determined girls who stay awake each night assembling the perfect invention to return the gators to the moat.
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While the focus is on the three STEM-oriented sisters, I also love that their brother who enjoys sewing follows his heart too. With its playful pictures and empowering storyline, this has become a new favorite in our house!
13. POP! POP! POPCORN!
🍿Pop! Pop! Popcorn! We love popcorn! We have it at least once a week and my kids are still mesmerized by the little hot air popper we have. And who could blame them? Exploding food is fascinating!
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This fun book takes us through the entire process of how popcorn is grown, harvested, and made into popcorn. Fun illustrations and lively, rhyming text make this a fun read-aloud. This book would make a great introduction to a STEM or cooking activity. There’s additional scientific information as well as science and art activities in the backmatter.
14. HOW A SEED GROWS
How A Seed Grows, from the Let’s Read And Find Out series has been a fun companion to our outdoor planting adventures. As we endured the longest spring (winter?) we can ever remember, while being cooped up in our house, we are especially appreciative that summer has finally arrived. We planted a few seeds in the spring, some milkweed, sunflowers, tomatoes, and basil, and watching them grow has been quite a joy. This book helped us to understand better what is happening with those seeds and how they will develop and then apply them directly to life.
This isn’t a deep or extensive review – but this series of books does have some great diversity of characters compared to a lot of non-fiction, particularly non-fiction geared to pre-school/kindie age kids. This series is bright, colorful, easy to follow for littles, and hits all the right points. ⠀
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It’s one of the extremely few books with the science angle of gardening that I could find a few months back that actually had a Black child on the cover, and to follow along through the book (not just a token appearance!). The lack of representation in non-fiction for kids is absolutely astonishing. ⠀
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What this book is *not* is own voices. We want to see SO MUCH MORE non-fiction written by BIPOC for kids to experience. We need more perspectives in our learning rather than the default to the white perspective. To that end, we are posting twice today (gasp!) because we have a very special own voices non-fiction book that is part of a series we really really love!
15. 🪐 Am I Made of STARDUST?
Dr Maggie Answers the Big Questions for Young Scientists.
The hardback cover of this fantastic guide around our galaxy is stunning as are the wonderful illustrations and photographs on every page.
This book starts of with a lovely introduction from Dr Maggie and an explanation of how the book works.
If you have a young scientist at home this is the perfect book for finding out the answers to all the questions they may have ever had about space.
Ethan was fascinated to learn so many interesting facts. The book confirmed things he already knew and also surprised and enthralled him with additional information.
Initially I had thought we might dip in and out of this book, using the contents page and index to read about things that might interest us but the format is so well presented and the information so interesting we read it cover to cover.
One of the questions we liked most was What would happen if I fell into a black hole? We discovered you would get stretched out in a process described as ‘spaghettification’.
We also liked the Try This At Home activities suggested in the book helping to make science both practical and fun.
Am I Made of STARDUST? is a great learning resource and helps make science something everyone can enjoy discovering.
16. WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKET?
What’s in Your Pocket?: Collecting Nature’s Treasures is a celebration of kid’s natural curiosity and love of collecting. It highlights nine scientists who were interested in nature at a young age.
My 6-year-old is obsessed with collecting sticks and both my kids like to collect shells and rocks. Do you collect anything?
17. IZZY GIZMO AND THE INVENTION CONVENTION
Have you read the IZZY GIZMO series by Pip Jones & Sara Ogilvie? They’re super fantastic. Not only are they excellent STEM picture books, but they’re also rhythmic read alouds. These are the kind of books children will want to read again and again and adults won’t mind!
IZZY GIZMO introduces Izzy, her grandfather, and Fixer the crow. When a crow takes a tumble from the sky, he breaks his wing and can no longer fly. Izzy loves inventing machines, so the crow enlists her help to make a machine that will get him in the skies again. With lots of trial and error, both Izzy and the crow finally create the perfect wing prosthetic. Because he turns out to be a scientist like Izzy, Izzy calls the crow Fixer.
I love picture books that show failure is the only way to learn. One small critique of this one is that Izzy steals a bunch of stuff without asking to build the prosthetic, and then everyone gets mad but there’s not much resolution.
In IZZY GIZMO AND THE INVENTION CONVENTION, Izzy has been invited to join a children’s invention competition. She’s so nervous, and when a wealthy stuck up white child takes equipment before Izzy gets a chance to look at it, Izzy despairs. With encouragement from Fixer and her grandfather, she decides that instead of building something cool like the other kids, she’ll build something useful. Of the two, I like this one best. But we’ve read both endless times.
