Round out your summer reading list with these engaging STEM books for kids, teens, and adults too.
You’ve made it to the halfway point of summer and, let me guess, everyone in your family could use a little bit of quiet downtime? Why not settle down with a good book? A great STEM book can fire up your imagination and inspire you to take on new hands-on challenges this summer and beyond.
Why it matters
Research shows that literacy skills and hands-on STEM experiences go hand in hand, each enhancing and building upon the other. The STEM Next Opportunity Foundation and the Molina Foundation recently published a report that focuses on this very topic. Understanding the importance of this connection can help us strengthen childrens’ comprehension of STEM topics.
“We have seen that the strongest STEM educational programs interweave literacy-rich materials with hands-on investigation and experimentation.”
From the Study: The Role of Books and Reading in STEM: An Overview of the Benefits for Children and the Opportunities to Enhance the Field.
Read more about their findings and learn how you can help build your child’s 21st century skills through reading and hands-on STEM learning.
Luckily, finding engaging STEM books for kids or for any family member is easy. Our friends at Hennepin Public Library – Oxboro Library helped us narrow down the list and I think you are going to love what they found.
STEM books for elementary age children
The choices for this age group seem almost endless but here is a small sample to get you started on your exploration.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
The Story of Buildings From the Pyramids to the Sydney Opera House and Beyond by Patrick Dillon
Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty
For more engineering adventures with Rosie check out the Rosie Revere, Engineer© Camp at The Works Museum.
STEM Picks for Tweens and Teens
Reading a book might not be on the top of this age group’s summer fun list. But, with a wide variety of STEM books that range in topic and format, there is bound to be something that draws them in. Here are just a few:
Girl Code Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done by Andrea Gonzales
Grown-ups love STEM too
Curiosity has no age limit, nor does this list, so why not add some STEM reads to your summer reading list too?
Packing for Mars The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach
Thing Explainer Complicated Stuff in Simple Words by Randall Munroe Warning: this one may draw in the whole family so be prepared to take turns with it.
Find out more
What are others saying about the connection between literacy and STEM? Find out on the STEM Read podcast produced by NPR. It is full of lively discussions with authors, librarians, teachers, and scientists about nurturing young scientists and engineers through reading.
I hope you will have the opportunity to explore engineering through some of these great reads and through hands on experiences this summer. When you have turned the last page on your summer STEM read be sure to stop by The Works Museum for some hands-on engineering exploration.
Very special thanks to Audra Kerlin from Hennepin Public Library – Oxboro Library for contributing to this article!
