These books, some award-winning, embrace everyday STEM concepts accurately and have lots of engaging illustrations and photos to talk about with your young children. You may want to explore other books by the authors listed here – their other titles are often just as good! Each book indicates the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) domain and some books indicate character or author representation (Asian-Pacific, Black, Disability, Girl, Hispanic/Latinoa, and/or Native American).
These books embrace and celebrates Asian-Pacific Heritage & Innovators in STEM with engaging illustrations and photos to talk about with your young children. You may want to explore other books by the authors listed here – their other titles are often just as good! Each book may also indicate and embrace everyday STEM concepts accurately indicate the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) domain as well.
These books embrace and celebrate Black innovators in STEM with engaging illustrations and photos to talk about with your young children. You may want to explore other books by the authors listed here – their other titles are often just as good! Each book indicates Black representation (author, STEM innovator, character) and indicates the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) domain as well if they also include accurate and age-appropriate STEM concepts.
According to the 2019 report by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only 3.4% of children’s and young adult books include primary characters that have a disability. Once we started reviewing through the lens of books that also included explicit STEM concepts or nonfiction books that were about scientists with disabilities, the number of books that intersected STEM and disabilities became even scarcer.
As of 2019, about 18.5% of the population in the U.S. are Hispanic/Latino/a (U.S. Census). Yet only about 5% of children’s picture books depict Hispanic/Latine characters (Huyck, David & Dahlen, 2019 June 19). In our search for books, we considered how the books could offer mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors (Bishop, 1990) that positively depict Hispanic and Latino/a characters and heritage, while offering opportunities for conversations about STEM concepts or STEM identity.
In our search for books, we considered how the books could offer mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors (Bishop, 1990) that positively depict Native American characters and heritage, while offering opportunities for conversations about STEM concepts or STEM identity. We also considered not just if the books were about Native American characters but also if they were written by Native American authors.
Women are underrepresented in the STEM field and there is evidence that seeing positive representation and role models can impact girls’ aspirations in STEM and confidence in STEM. This cultivation of a positive STEM identity can begin in the early years through books. The books in this curated list celebrate women innovators in STEM fields with engaging illustrations and/or photos to talk about with your young children.