If you have a budding young engineer at home and are searching for a good read with a strong message, the books on this list fit that bill.
If you have a budding young engineer at home and are searching for a good read with a strong message, the books on this list fit that bill. Many of them feature female protagonists, but all of them will leave an impact on your burgeoning engineer – male or female.
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal
This is the book I needed to read in my childhood. If I could write letters to my younger self and compile them into a book, this would be the result. In this #1 New York Times Bestseller, author Amy Krouse Rosenthal and her daughter, Paris, deliver a powerful message about confidence in a world that is increasingly jagged, unforgiving, and unstable. Sub-themes include resiliency and self-acceptance while staying curious and adaptable.
(Image source: HarperCollins)
Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site
by Sherri Duskey Rinker
The story of a group of construction vehicles winding down from their day and getting ready for bed is a book you buy – not borrow or check out. It deserves a permanent spot on any personal bookshelf for its treatment of work-life balance and the underlying message: There’s a time to play/work and a time to rest – and we need them both to be successful.
(Image source: Chronicle Books)
by Josh Funk
A “Girls Who Code” book, this read is a fun and effective way to introduce coding to kids. Pearl is determined to make a sandcastle but keeps running into obstacles. She and her robot friend, Pascal, decide they’ll code their way through the obstacles, breaking down a big problem into small steps, while learning about sequences, loops, and more. If you’re wondering how coding can possibly intersect with the world of sand, get your hands on this book and see how author Josh Funk brings coding to life. It might even inspire a trip to the beach.
(Image source: Viking / Penguin)
by Brad Meltzer
This book is a part of the Ordinary People Change the World series, and once you read this one, you’ll want to read them all. These books are biographies tailored for kids (omitting details related to tragedy or sadness) in a picture book format, and all of them are highly-rated. The story begins with a 7-year-old Amelia portrayed as an ordinary, curious child and unfolds into bigger adventures. Amelia is just a regular relatable person, determined and confident in doing the impossible.
(Image source: Penguin Young Readers Group)
by Deborah Underwood
Unlike the traditional Cinderella, this book is less about what to wear to the ball and more about problem solving. You might call it a Cinderella remix. Delve into these pages and find a Cinderella story you didn’t know existed – one peppered with themes of space, robots, and rockets. Even breaking from tradition, author Deborah Underwood does a good job of staying true to a Cinderella-like storyline while delivering an ending with a surprising twist.
(Image source: Chronicle Books)
by Ashley Spires
The book’s protagonist, who is highly focused and works independently (well, mostly, except for her dog), has an idea and she’s ready to bring it to life. While the book delivers a strong impact for kids, it will also remind adults of the excitement of innovation and the frustration and disappointment of failure. The message is one that every engineer can relate to: Success isn’t possible without failure.
(Image source: Kids Can Press)
by Joan Holub
This whimsical story of some basic tools and their functions is upbeat and purposeful. Each tool has its own personality and personal project. Soon, however, they each realize that they could be much more effective working as a team than individually. Read this book to your youngster and teach them that teamwork really can get the job done faster and more efficiently.
(Image source: Scholastic Press)
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by Aviaq Johnston
As adults, many of us spent much of our lives wondering what our true calling is. This book is about a little girl who wonders the same thing–what makes her special? She sees so much talent around her and feels she has nothing to offer. There’s no superlative to attach to her name—she’s not the fastest or the best at anything. She doesn’t have “a thing.” The powerful message in this book is that the concrete foundation for anything STEM-related is instilling the belief in children that they can do anything and always have something to offer.
(Image source: Inhabit Media)
by Niki Alling
This short read is sure to stimulate some creative block building, as well as requests to read it over and over again. And, you’ll want to because the book offers just the right amount of inspiration for your child to dust off their neglected wooden blocks and build something new. In addition to being inspiring, the message is timeless: We are limited only by our imagination.
(Image source: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform)
Amee Meghani is a mechanical engineer graduate from The University of Texas at Austin and engineering manager at GoEngineer. Her industry experience is in material handling and consumer products, focusing on product development.
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