Top 35 Amazing STEM Books for Kids
Posted June 19, 2018
Updated February 2024
Are you looking to add to your kid's summer reading list? Need new educational books for your classroom? Whether you will be reading to little ones, recommending books for teens, or diving into books as an adult, there are a multitude of STEM books on the market to suit any interest. We listed some of our favorite STEM books and book series below for you to read this summer or any time of the year.
First, let us briefly explain what makes a “STEM book”.
Vivify STEM presents a list of top STEM books, what defines a STEM book, and further resources for STEM reading.
A STEM book does not need to be a textbook (although they obviously can be!) or even touch on all or any technical STEM content. At least one of the following statements must be true for a book to be a STEM book.
Contains and discusses concepts from science, technology, engineering and/or math.
Describes the story of a fictitious character who is a STEM professional or STEM enthusiast and details the career or interest in STEM.
Offers biographical details of a present or historical STEM professional or enthusiast.
Teaches foundational Stage 1 or 2 STEM concepts such as critical thinking and perseverance through failure. (See this post for more on Stage 1 STEM)
Describes STEM careers in a nonfiction or fiction text.
Note that even seemingly non-STEM books can be used as a springboard for STEM activities. For young children, adding activities relating to books reinforces concepts learned and provides more opportunity to use new STEM vocabulary. Make sure to read through to the bottom of this post for some great additional resources for getting the most out of STEM books.
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STEM books for elementary school aged children or younger.
Elementary STEM Books
11 Experiments That Failed by Jenny Offill and Nancy Carpenter
100 Steps for Science: Why it Works and How it Happened by Lisa Jane Gillespie
Mistakes that Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones
Hello Ruby – Adventures in Coding by Linda Liukas
Crazy Concoctions- A Mad Scientist’s Guide to Messy Mixtures by Jordan D. Brown and Dr. Viskus Von Fichleschmutz
Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak Ph.D.
How To Code a Sandcastle (Girls Who Code Book) by Josh Funk
Elementary STEM Book Series
Kristi Grisby’s STEM Girls Books – Sophie and the Airplane, Chelsea Discovers Chemistry, and Zelda the Curious
Andrea Beaty books:
Shine-a-light books by Carron Brown
If I Built a… books by Chris Van Dusen
Bedtime Math Series by Laura Overdeck
Ada Lace Series by Emily Calandrelli
You Do The Math series by Hilary Koll and Steve Mills – complete the math exercises to solve a crime, build a skyscraper, or fly a fighter jet!
Biographical Elementary STEM Books
Solving a Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor by Robert Burleigh
Ada Byron Lovelace & the Thinking Machine by Laurie Wallmark
Look Up! Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer by Robert Burleigh
Amazing Scientists Series by Julia Finley Mosca (The Doctor with an Eye for Eyes: The Story of Patricia Bath, The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin, The Girl with a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague)
You Should Meet series (Katherine Johnson by Thea Feldman, Mae Jemison by Laurie Calkhoven)
STEM books for middle school aged children.
Fiction STEM Books for Middle Schoolers
Girls Who Code series by Reshma Saujani
The Testing* by Joelle Charbonneau – A post-apocalyptic tale that follows a teen girl whose life hinges on a test. Covers botany, engineering, green technology, orienteering, and more.
Dark Life* by Kat Falls – Explores engineering, climatology, echolocation, marine biology, and oceanography while following a gripping story of undersea pioneers. Also see: Inhuman by Kat Falls
Non-Fiction STEM Books for Middle Schoolers
Electronics for Kids by Oyvind Nydal Dahl
Why is Milk White? And 200 Other Curious Chemistry Questions by Alexa Coelho and Simon Quellen Field – Answers a variety of science questions with fascinating explanations and real world examples. It also contains several project instructions to reinforce and have fun with concepts explored.
One Minute Mysteries series by Eric and Natalie Yoder – one minute mysteries you solve using STEM concepts.
STEM books for teens and adults.
Fiction STEM Books for Teens
Feed* by MT Anderson
Ashfall Trilogy* by Mike Mullin – After a super-volcano erupts and disaster ensues, a boy fights to find his family while exploring volcanology, physics, engineering, and food science.
The Martian and Artemis by Andy Weir
Non-Fiction STEM Books for Teens
Electronics for Kids by Oyvind Nydal Dahl
Why is Milk White? And 200 Other Curious Chemistry Questions by Alexa Coelho and Simon Quellen Field – Answers a variety of science questions with fascinating explanations and real world examples. It also contains several project instructions to reinforce and have fun with concepts explored.
The Disappearing Spoon and other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean – follows every element on the table in entertaining detail, showcasing the role each element and its discoverer played in our history.
Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel by Michio Kaku
Boost your library with STEM books for all ages!
Additional STEM Book Resources
For more great STEM book selections, check out this list from the NSTA for the best K-12 STEM books (2022).
Hope this fuels your desire to get reading about STEM!
If you have a favorite STEM book not listed here, let us know!
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