This year, why not treat your little Nerdlings to something better than candy conversation hearts — the gift of STEAM. Here are five books that will foster an early adoration for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math!
You Are Stardust by Elin Kelsey. Not only is the art in this book breathtaking, but it’s all based on scientific fact. We are all made from atoms that contain particles of stars that exploded long before we ever walked this earth. But despite being made of stars, we are all connected to the Earth in a million minute ways. The best part of reading this book is when your child inevitably asks, “Is this all true?,” being able to answer, “Yes. Absolutely.”
For the littlest nerds, the My Little Geek board books are a great way to get your baby prepped for preschool. Forget alligators, apples, books and balls — this book is more about A is for Android and B is for Binary. Written by Andrew and Sara Spear – bona fide nerd parents in their own right, there’s also Sci-Fi Shapes and Nerdy Numbers to complete the trilogy. Because we all love a good trilogy, right?
On A Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne. What was it that made Albert Einstein such a genius? The key is imagination. The story of how young Albert went from being a child who barely spoke to the greatest thinker of all time is inspiring to young and old alike. It’s a way of looking at the world, and noticing the details. The smallest ideas can lead to the biggest concepts of the world around us, and change the way we see things.
Rosie Revere, Engineer – through little Rosie, Andrea Beaty teaches kids something that’s the most common and important part of life: failure. In order to be a successful engineer, you have to accept that at some point, you’re going to fail. But you’ll learn from that failure and move on to create something even better — something that you wouldn’t have been able to create had you not crashed and burned at least once in the process.  She’s also the author of the wonderful Iggy Peck, Architect – a book that teaches kids to follow their passions no matter what (or who) gets in your way.
Math Doesn’t Suck – Danica McKellar’s book is aimed at middle school girls, but it’s a lesson all of us can learn. How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m not good at Math?” Would you ever say “I’m not good at reading.”? Math is everywhere, not just something reserved for the hallowed halls of academia. Though, to be fair, McKellar is a math genius – she’s even got a proof named after her. Which makes her the perfect person to remind our tweens, especially girls, that Math can be fun! Take a look at Math Bites, her show here on the Nerdist network, and you’ll see how fun math can be. Here’s Danica doing the “Dance of the Sugar Pi Fairy.”
Happy Valentine’s Day!
