Mom Approved: The 12 Best STEM Books for Kids

Looking for a STEM book that features hands-on learning for kids? The Kitchen Pantry Scientist Series is our top pick. This series includes five engaging guides that center around a different STEM concept. Each book highlights 25 scientists, shares their famous achievements, and provides a step-by-step, illustrated experiment with each of their stories.

We love Ecology for Kids because it showcases the genius of Eunice Newton Foote, George Washington Carver, and Rachel Carson just to name a few. Kids can explore ecological concepts through age-appropriate experiments like building insect habitats, growing plants, studying animal habitats, and so much more.

Physics for Kids is another one of our favorites from The Kitchen Pantry Scientist Series. The experiments in this book rival the cool factor of high school physics course but are simplified in ways that are enlightening for kids and adults alike. Kiddos can make a water rocket and engineer the perfect paper airplane, play with mirror images, use atmospheric pressure to push an egg into a bottle, and crush a mint to create a flash of light. Who wouldn't want to learn more about physics with experiments like that?

Andrea Beatty can do no wrong when it comes to STEM children's literature—Ada Twist, Scientist is a must-have for parents who want to stock their shelves with stories of creation, problem-solving, and staying true to who you are despite struggle and outside noise.

This one ended up being a favorite for my then 1-year-old and I loved that he was getting an age-appropriate take on something that I continue to be fascinated by.

Getting your youngest readers interested in the complexity of the world is easy with this book. Simple words and stunning illustrations draw everyone in to the beauty of our earth and its people.

This charming story of using coding concepts to manage the struggles of beach sandcastle building is brought to you by the creators of the phenomenal program, Girls Who Code.

With a little boy who loves sharks, I started to look into books that featured this fascinating animal. I fell in love with the story of Eugenie Clark who defied not only sexism but also the common fears related to diving deep to study these ferocious and graceful animals.

Looking to spice up your little one's block building? Inspire their architectural designs with this accessible take on the complexity of engineering and art.

Katherine Johnson's story became popular due to the standout film, "Hidden Figures." Her story is much deeper than that and so relatable for little kids who love numbers, problem-solving, and figuring things out.

Temple Grandin is one of the most incredible minds of modern science, and the fact that she has autism simply added to her unique abilities to connect and relate to animals. What that resulted in is groundbreaking breakthroughs in farm science around the world.

The story of Mae Jamison, the first African-American to travel in space, is one that both adults and children will love. Mae's curiosity, intelligence, and determination, coupled with her parents' support, will inspire everyone to reach for the stars.

For every little child who looks at the stars and wonders what is out there comes the story of Carl Sagan—a little boy who looked at the stars and never stopped wondering.