s.t.e.m.—for science, technology, engineering, maths
Food waste is becoming a global concern. Economists, environmentalists and human rights advocates are all on the same page: we have to stop wasting, start sharing, and get fresh food to people who need it. They’re the sort of goals everyone can get behind.
Ages 3 - Grown Ups
This is a book full of gasping moments, the sort that deliver a sense of wonder and an appreciation for the grandeur of the natural world. And perhaps best of all, it’s lyrical to read aloud and beautiful to look at.
Ages 3 - 12
This post was first published in June 2017. It listed the fastest growing future jobs, with percentage growth predicted over the following five years (U.S.).
Crystal-balling the future is ever moving, but those predictions still seem to be pretty much on point. Which means today's kids will need to become comfortable with s.t.e.m. and s.t.e.a.m. concepts (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) as part of everyday life!
Fortunately, there's a wonderful subset of picture books to help with that. They're fun, beautiful and powerful, and they lead kids to the point of becoming s.t.e.m. and s.t.e.a.m. natives—which gives them so much advantage in interacting with the world, however it turns out for them.
ages 5 to 10 years
......... Ada is known as the first computer programmer as a result of a paper she published with Charles Babbage—he was the official author, but the footnotes were credited to her. Well, her initials were on them anyway: 'She was afraid her work wouldn’t be taken seriously if people knew it was written by a woman.'
Her life is captivatingly told, from her early years as a child fascinated with flying, to her marriage, her friendships
As you can probably tell from some of my other posts, we LOVE making/creating/experimenting at home. Besides being great fun, our crafty times educate, strengthen relationships and encourage communication and vocabulary—plus they're great for fine motor skills.
I’m always on the lookout for new inspiration and, although there are millions of activities on offer on the internet, I prefer to use books. ..... this one is chock full of boredom busters, crafts, games and simple science—there's no end of inspiration
ages 0 to 8 years
Books about happy homes speak to our need for security, love, generosity and kindness. Books about happy homes that are different to our own also offer the comforting idea that in the midst of tremendous diversity, there is more that connects us than separates us.
The Tree does all of that while extending those same ideas, thoughts and feelings
ages 4 to 10 years
Chris Hadfield (astronaut, musician, author, celebrity crush for stem-loving women around the world) has said: "Every single thing that you learn really just gives you more comfort.”
He was talking about taking the opportunity to learn any skill, any idea, at any time—embracing the notion that knowledge is power and that with knowledge comes freedom. And one of the freedoms most everyone seeks for their children is freedom from fear, real or imagined. The Darkest Dark is about just that: overcoming fear. It's also a love story, a promise, an inspiration.
It's the story of a boy, his love for space, and how that love overcomes his deepest fear: fear of the dark.
ages 2 to 10 years
There’s quite a collection of pregnancy/new baby books on my shelves (favourites: this one and this one) and I’m forever on the lookout for others with a fresh and interesting approach.
This one, 9 Months, is great:
Each month of a pregnancy—from conception to birth—is given a two-page spread that clearly sets out the stages of a baby’s growth.
ages 2 to 8 years
Kids seem to swing dramatically one way or the other when it comes to germs. There’s the group who, having heard about germs, bacteria, microbes and the like, immediately begin to wash their hands. And never seem to stop! And then there are the kids who seem to make it their life’s mission to collect as many of the little suckers as they can—and pop them in their mouths! Mine mostly fell into the last group.
For kids like mine, Do not lick this book is brilliantly funny and informative.
ages 0 to 8 years
‘It’s like ...who sank the boat!' That’s how my family often describes an overwhelming day, too much of something, or a time when we've gone one step too far.
In this story, there’s ‘a cow, a donkey, a sheep, a pig and a tiny little mouse’ who decide to go for a row on the bay. One by one, they gingerly climb in the rowboat and restore the equilibrium before the next passenger. Finally it’s the tiny little mouse’s turn and so in it jumps. You can guess what happens next I’m sure!
ages 0 to 8 years
"I'd say that's udderly fantastic!" - Ruby, agronomist
We’re all fans of the George the Farmer series. Knowing where food comes from and how it’s produced is empowering. Kids and adults alike need to know the process, and ideally we’d all know how to produce a little food ourselves too .... George’s stories are information rich and this time we learn about Ruby .... She’s an agronomist and is called on to help Alex who runs a robotic dairy.
One of our favourite family pastimes is planning trips. (We plan many more trips than we actually take!) Ivy gets into it too, she has plans to see sharks in the Great Australian Bite, visit the Eiffel Tower and go to Japan—no prizes for guessing where we’ve been talking about going lately.JAs well as trip planning, books with maps are great for learning about borders and sovereignty. Those are tricky concepts, but
The movie Hidden Figures is just wonderful—funny, frustrating, uplifting, beautiful—the full cinematic experience! But the book covers so much more (naturally). Here’s a clip of author Margot Lee Shetterly talking to one of Dorothy Vaughn’s* grandchildren. She talks about the movie and the other parts of the book.Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition is wonderful too—
ages 6 years to adult
Is there a more universal and constant battle for western parents than the fight to limit technology? We so want all the benefits of technological immersion but also feel instinctively that lives need a bit of analogue in them too. Labyrinth is like a book bridge—it crosses the chasm between story and interactive play...
Counting is fun. Counting backwards is even more fun. Counting funny animals backwards — best! In this totally charming book, animals line up roughly by size—and there’s a bossy seagull who keeps them all in line while they wait. The animals make cheeky jokes, push and shove each other and play a game of animal Word Chain. It’s all lots of fun and things build to a surprising and funny climax.
A beautiful look at some fascinating animals. Full of detail and fascinating facts, this is a book to mesmerise young animal lovers. Gorgeous & interesting enough for the coffee table too.
ages 2 years to grownup
ages 2 years to adult (a beautiful gift or coffee table book)
What does your home have lots of? Cars, cheese, Atlantic puffins? Lots beautifully illustrates cities and regions around the world, showing what they have lots of.
ages 2 to 8 years
A lovely gift book, this is a collection of poems and stunning pictures of animals from all over the world. Some are familiar and much loved, some obscure, some much maligned—all are imbued with wonder.
Set in Australia, Amazing Animals is great non-fiction with cross generational appeal. There are lots of quick facts to grab, plus longer passages of information, both chock full of interesting information. It's permanently on our side table.
ages 2 years to adult
ages 5 to 10 years
We really shouldn't assume that we know Number Three—he has hopes and dreams and doubts, you know. Follow his journey as he finds where he truly belongs.
ages 2 to 8 years
Even when you create and care for a planet, you still need to let it go. Planets are meant to be with the stars after all. But there's still joy and growth along the way and, in the end, you might find something else to create.
8 brilliant stories about real-life men who have impacted the world for good - in art, science, maths, literature and more.
for all ages
ages 6 to 12 years
An inspiring story about perseverance and appreciating the natural world. A boy and his uncle embark on an amazing hike through the magnificent Grampian mountain ranges. Not everything goes to plan, but there's physical and metaphorical beauty each step of the way.
8 great chicken books - about some wonderfully entertaining egg-layers and the power that chickens have to reduce poverty and increase social and economic security - for all ages
Adult + children's book for ages 4 years and up
Books to spark or feed an interest in the shining planets and how they move. Two lovely and lyrical approaches to the study of the planets.
A funny and opinionated duck struggles to work out why a friend doesn’t look or act the same as other ducks. (It’s because the friend is a goat!) Great for talking about valuing differences.
ages newborn to 8 years / heartwarmers, s.t.e.m.
ages birth to 10 years
There’s an unforgettable beauty to birth—the kind of beauty that links generations. And I can’t imagine a more tender and gentle tribute to mothers and the wonder of birth than Hello Baby. I still get goosebumps every time I read it.
ages 2 to 8 years
Did you know that if a sheep is ready for shearing it’s important that they don’t get wet? Or that a shearer can shear up to 200 sheep a day? Or that the record for shearing a sheep is 1 minute and 30 seconds? All this and more in 'George'.
Lovely for talking about progress and learning – Galileo learned, the scientific community learned, and ultimately we all learned - and thinking deeply, the stars, tolerance and courage.
ages 4 to adult / powerful lives, s.t.e.m.
At the moment they are fascinated with the book Moonwalkers by Matthew Greenwood and Terry Denton. It’s quite a long book but the story and illustrations keep them interested time after time.