​I've been looking at incorporating many more diverse picture books into my home library since last year, so some of the books I'm sharing today have been on my radar for awhile now & are now part of our collection. Some of the books are newer, & very powerful in the messages they teach about black history. My favorites are the stories of women in black history, black basketball players (especially Michael Jordan's story & Swish), Ready to Soar (about Sylvia, the bookmobile ballerina) & Harriet Tubman.
  I hope you will enjoy this list of 21 black history books & share with me some of your favorites as well! 

BLACK HISTORY MONTH PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS:   
1. Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History 
by: Vashti Harrison
(From Bessie Coleman to Katherine Johnson, a fabulous encyclopedia of black women who are part of our history & have made a difference.)
www.amazon.com/Little-Leaders-History-Vashti-Harrison/dp/0316475114/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=little+legends&qid=1611449622&sr=8-2
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2. The Undefeated (Caldecott Medal Award, 2020) 
by: Kwame Alexander & Kadir Nelson
(Forewarning: this book, with its masterful illustrations, will likely bring tears to your eyes as you see all the black people, who through history, have stood for something-- social justice & change for an oppressed people.  It's a beautiful book with the message that black people will stand up again & again.) 
www.amazon.com/Undefeated-Kwame-Alexander/dp/1328780961/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+undefeated&qid=1611596415&sr=8-1

3. Overground Railroad
by: Lesa-Cline-Ransome
(Ruth Ellen climbs on a train in North Carolina that's bound for New York, where she & her family will start a new life after living as slaves. While they are still segregated on the train, the family has great hopes for the freedom they will experience once they leave the South behind.) 
www.amazon.com/Overground-Railroad-Lesa-Cline-Ransome/dp/0823438732/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=overground+railroad&qid=1611590392&sr=8-2
4. Martin's Big Words
by: Doreen Rappaport
(Starting with his life as a young boy, this book illustrates the kind of life Martin led, including that he was a reverend like his daddy before he became actively involved in the Civil Rights movement.) 
www.amazon.com/Martins-Big-Words-Martin-Luther/dp/0786807148/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611725587&sr=8-2

5. Have you Thanked an Inventor Today? 
by: Patrice McLauriun & Dian Wang
(As a young boy goes throughout his day, he begins noticing how many inventions he makes use of & realizes all of them were created by African-Americans. In the book you'll find brief biographies of each inventor & a certain STEM theme as well!) 
www.amazon.com/Have-You-Thanked-Inventor-Today/dp/0997315202/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14D0Z74YHKQU8&dchild=1&keywords=have+you+thanked+an+inventor+today&qid=1611725620&sprefix=have+you+thanked+an+%2Caps%2C198&sr=8-1

6. The Story of Ruby Bridges
by: Robert Cols & George Ford 
(Have you ever heard the story or seen the movie of little Ruby? An exceptionally smart African-American girl who was sent to an all-white school for her education in the 1960s, but she was scorned & rejected by the unkind parents who refuse to send the children in the community to school with her.) 
www.amazon.com/Story-Ruby-Bridges-Special-Anniversary/dp/0439472261/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+story+of+ruby+bridges&qid=1611775313&sr=8-1 

7. Salt In His Shoes
by: Deloris Jordan
(This is a story about Michael Jordan as a boy, who was always wishing desperately to grow, & how his mama helped him have some self-esteem & confidence in himself.) 
www.amazon.com/Salt-His-Shoes-Michael-Pursuit/dp/0689834195/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=salt+in+his+shoes&qid=1611702616&sr=8-1 

8. Counting on Katherine
by: Helaine Becker & Dow 
(One of the "computers" who worked at NASA & helped calculate the route to get Apollo 13 safely to & from Earth, Katherine always loved counting! She was always excited & curious about calculations in relation to math & the universe & was a very gifted young lady.) 
*Also check out Hidden Figures. This tells the story of all of the black women "computers" on Katherine's team who worked for NASA. by: Margot Lee Shetterly & Laura Freeman
www.amazon.com/s?k=hidden+figures&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
www.amazon.com/Counting-Katherine-Johnson-Saved-Apollo/dp/1250137527/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=counting+on+katherine&qid=1611725846&sr=8-1

9. Lizzie Demands a Seat
by: Beth Anderson & E.B. Lewis 
(Elizabeth Jennings was denied entry on a streetcar on her way to church one Sunday.  New York was a free state, but she was assaulted & not given a spot on the streetcar, so she took her case to court.) 
www.amazon.com/Lizzie-Demands-Seat-Elizabeth-Streetcar/dp/1629799394/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ERPT5RTDSOZL&dchild=1&keywords=lizzie+demands+a+seat&qid=1611860708&sprefix=lizzie+demands+a+%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-2

10. Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History
by: Vashti Harrison & Kwesi Johnson 
(Biographies of men who range from aviators to athletes.) 
www.amazon.com/Little-Legends-Exceptional-Black-History/dp/0316475149/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QAEPNODW7DYB&dchild=1&keywords=little+legends+exceptional+men+in+black+history&qid=1611934870&sprefix=little+legends%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1

11. If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks 
by: Faith Ringold 
( 
www.amazon.com/If-Bus-Could-Talk-Story/dp/0689856768/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=if+a+bus+could+talk&qid=1611936337&sr=8-1 

12. The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne 
by: Lesa-Cline Ransome & John Parra 
(She earned her title "First Lady of the Black Press" after traveling to Japan during WWII & then ended up in the White House briefing room later on.  Her questions sought answers that were most significant in the battle for Civil Rights.) 
www.amazon.com/Power-Her-Pen-Groundbreaking-Journalist/dp/148146289X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+power+of+her+pen&qid=1611936392&sr=8-1

13. Above the Rim
by: Jen Bryant & Frank Morrison 
(The story of one of the first professional, African-American athletes to play the game of basketball.  He was still mistreated at restaurants & hotels because he was black, so Elgin staged a protest.)   
www.amazon.com/Above-Rim-Baylor-Changed-Basketball/dp/141974108X/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=above+the+rim&qid=1611937317&sr=8-2

14. I Am Rosa Parks
by: Brad Meltzer & Christopher Eliopoulos
​(The story of short but spirited Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat for a white man who got on the bus after she had already been seated & was on the way home from work. Even though she was imprisoned, she started an important movement in the Civil Rights movement-- the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which ended bus segregation.) 
www.amazon.com/Parks-Ordinary-People-Change-World/dp/0803740859/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=i+am+rosa+parks&qid=1611936777&sr=8-1

15. Ready to Fly
by: Lea Lyon & Alex LaFaye
(the true story of Sylvia Townsend, the ballerina who learned ballet from the books she checked out at the bookmobile that came through town. She taught herself so well from books that she eventually auditioned & was able to dance at a school run by a Russian woman, even though she'd been rejected for skin color in the past. And she goes on to run her own school of dance when she grows up; I just LOVED this book!) 
www.amazon.com/Ready-Fly-Townsend-Bookmobile-Ballerina/dp/0062888781/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ready+to+fly&qid=1611941833&sr=8-2
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16. Before She Was Harriet
by: Lesa-Cline Ransome & James E. Ransome 
(All about Harriet's life before she was Moses & a leader for the Underground Railroad, when she was "Minty" or Araminta. I really love this picture book biography because Harriet Tubman has long been a favorite historical figure of mine.) 
www.amazon.com/Before-Harriet-Coretta-Scott-Illustrator/dp/0823420477/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611942643&sr=8-1

17. Mae Among the Stars 
by:  Roda Ahmed & Stasia Burrington
​(Sweet little Mae announces that she wants to be an astronaut when she grows up, when the teacher asks the kids what they want to be when they grow up. Mae is discouraged when her teacher suggest her being a nurse instead, because she has always grown up wondering what it will be like to fly to outer space....& one day, she does just that! And becomes the first African-American woman in space.)  
www.amazon.com/Mae-Among-Stars-Roda-Ahmed/dp/0062651730/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mae+among+the+stars&qid=1611942675&sr=8-1

18. Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids (51 Inspiring People) 
by: Arlisha Norwood
www.amazon.com/Black-Heroes-Inspiring-Modern-Day-U-S/dp/1641527048/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=10WJLPV8BW0NZ&dchild=1&keywords=black+heroes+a+black+history+book+for+kids&qid=1611726300&sprefix=kids+books+for+black+history%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVTdBQ1k2QUREOEFHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTM0MjM4MjcwTUVIWVZWOVZEWiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTU2NzQ5MVRYM1c4Nzg1SkU4UiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= 

19. Black Women in Science
by: Kimberly Brown Pellum
(Features 15 stories of female scientists from doctors, to mathematicians & astronauts, who helped advance the STEM movement.) 
www.amazon.com/Black-Women-Science-History-Book/dp/1641527072/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=black+history+month+books&qid=1611937055&sr=8-11 

20. All Because You Matter 
by: Tami Charles & Bryan Collier 
(A love letter to beautiful brown & black children everywhere, especially through the hardships of current events, to remind them of how much they DO matter.) 
www.amazon.com/All-Because-Matter-Tami-Charles/dp/133857485X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1611775478&sr=8-1
​ 
21. The Girl With a Mind for Math: the Story of Raye Montague
by: Julia Finley Mosca & Daniel Rieley 
​(Written in prose, this is the story of young Raye, who dreamed of being an engineer, even though sexism & racism would both pose obstacles to her achieving that dream. She persisted, & eventually altered the course of ship design forever.) 
www.amazon.com/Girl-Mind-Math-Montague-Scientists/dp/1943147426/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+girl+with+a+mind+for+math&qid=1611942800&sr=8-1

I have been in the process of building & compiling this list for quite some time! There is so much out there to cover the topics of STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics) & I should have included the "A" in STEAM because there's more art-based books coming out now too.
Why the sudden focus on STEM though? Hasn't it always been a part of our educational system? Well, I will be discussing this at length in my next podcast, but I wanted to "prime the pump" for that discussion by sharing these books with you; enjoy!

​
SCIENCE:
1. Newton & Curie: the Science Squirrels
​by: Daniel Kirk
(Newton begins to wonder how the world works after an apple hits him in the head one day. After hearing a bit about gravity, he decides to set up an experiment with his sister, Curie, & they then learn to make simple machines together to make some more scientific discoveries.) 
www.amazon.com/Newton-Curie-Squirrels-Daniel-Kirk/dp/1419737481/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=newton+%26+curie&qid=1610414220&sr=8-1

2. Cece Loves Science
by: Kimberly Derting
(Cece is a budding scientist who decides to conduct an experiment with her friend Isaac to see if her dog will eat vegetables.) 
www.amazon.com/Cece-Loves-Science-Kimberly-Derting/dp/0062499602/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=cece+loves+science&qid=1610414356&sr=8-1
​
3. Discovering Energy
by: Sanz Veronica & Altairriba Eduard
(Energy comes in many forms; using our muscles to lift heavy things or capturing the power of the wind with windmills or harnessing water's power to create electricity in a hydroelectric power station.)
www.amazon.com/Discovering-Energy-Big-Ideas/dp/1787080498/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=discovering+energy&qid=1610503596&sr=8-1

4. Magnet Max
by: Monica Lozano Hughes
(Max loves experimenting with magnets; what kid doesn't? He decides to show their power & pull to his friend Nick, who becomes baffled as Max shows him magnets sticking to refrigerators or small items like paperclips.) 
www.amazon.com/Magnet-Learning-League-Monica-Lozano/dp/1612542247/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=magnet+max&qid=1610579137&sr=8-1

5. Geraldine & the Most Spectacular Science Project
by: Sol Regwan 
(Like my son, the sweet girl in this book dreams of becoming an astronaut someday. She's determined to enter the winning project in her 2nd grade class science contest. She sets out using spare parts & pieces of various gizmos around the house to complete her project; will her invention turn her into a creative scientist?)
www.amazon.com/Geraldine-Spectacular-Science-Project-Gizmo/dp/0764358987/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3NYLN6SA3X7O6&dchild=1&keywords=geraldine+and+the+most+spectacular+science+project&qid=1610649595&s=books&sprefix=geraldine+a%26+the+most+%2Cstripbooks%2C204&sr=1-1

6. Magnets Push & Magnets Pull
by: David A. Adler
(A friendly nonfiction picture book about the power of magnets & their polarity that encourages kids to get curious & experiment with magnets.) 
www.amazon.com/Magnets-Push-Pull-David-Adler/dp/0823440184/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610642044&sr=8-2 

7. Science Comics: Solar System, the Brain, Robots & Drones 
by: Rosemary Mosco 
(Comic books about some fascinating scientific topics with full-color illustrations!) 
www.amazon.com/Science-Comics-Boxed-Set-System/dp/1250269431/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=robots+%26+drones&qid=1610649755&s=books&sr=1-7 

8. Pete the Cat & the Super Cool Science Fair
by: James Dean 
(Pete & his buddies create a new version of the typical exploding volcano for the school science fair.) 
www.amazon.com/Pete-Cat-Supercool-Science-Fair/dp/0062868357/ref=sr_1_1?crid=INR6AAEZR443&dchild=1&keywords=pete+the+cat+and+the+supercool+science+fair&qid=1610649958&s=books&sprefix=pete+the+cat+%26+the+science+%2Cstripbooks%2C203&sr=1-1 

9. First How Things Work Encyclopedia 
by: DK 
www.amazon.com/First-How-Things-Work-Encyclopedia/dp/1465443495/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1HZ0Z2QTHFHPT&dchild=1&keywords=first+how+things+work+encyclopedia&qid=1610650584&s=books&sprefix=first+how+things+work%2Cstripbooks%2C197&sr=1-1
​10. See Inside Atoms & Molecules (Usborne flap book) 
by: Rosie Dickens &  Shaw Nielsen 
(Find out how these tiny little particles, atoms, make up everything & everyone in the universe!) 

11. Ada Twist, Scientist 
by: Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
(Ada has always been curious; even when her science experiments don't go as planned, Ada learns the value of problem-solving & staying curious as she goes!) 
www.amazon.com/Ada-Twist-Scientist-Andrea-Beaty/dp/1419721372/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Ada+Twist&qid=1610670891&sr=8-1

TECHNOLOGY/ENGINEERING:
1. Jabari Tries
by: Gaia Cornwallis
(Jabari is trying to design a small airplane that will fly in his backyard. His sister wants to help though, & he isn't sure he wants her to. But then Jabari learns the value of teamwork, while he engineers the proper changes to get his aircraft flying!)
www.amazon.com/Jabari-Tries-Gaia-Cornwall/dp/1536207160/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jabari+tries&qid=1610414451&sr=8-1

2. Rosie Revere, Engineer
by: Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
(Where most people see garbage & rubbish, Rosie just sees inspiration. Rosie creates inventions in her room at night, from helium pants to hot dog dispensers; but she is shy & doesn't let anybody see them. Finally her great-aunt Rose comes from a visit & convinces her that mistakes shouldn't be feared & Rosie learns she only truly fails if she quits.) 
www.amazon.com/Rosie-Revere-Engineer-Andrea-Beaty/dp/1419708457/ref=sr_1_1?crid=U9YD1AIALA2Z&dchild=1&keywords=rosie+revere+engineer&qid=1610416757&sprefix=rosie+rever%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1

3. Future Engineer
by: Lori Alexander & Allison Black
(A baby board book that shares some fun engineering facts to foster curiosity & empower little ones to keep learning, failing, & trying!) 
www.amazon.com/Future-Engineer-Baby-Lori-Alexander/dp/1338312235/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=future+engineer&qid=1610503770&sr=8-1

4. Will, the Civil Engineer
by: Chadd Kahlsolorf
(STEAM At Work series; )
www.amazon.com/Will-Civil-Engineer-STEAM-Work/dp/1589486439/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39AIP459L8N6A&dchild=1&keywords=will+the+civil+engineer&qid=1610571129&sprefix=Will+the+civil+eng%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-1

5. Iggy Peck, Architect
by: Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
(Iggy has loved building & constructing things from a young age! But he gets discouraged in 2nd grade when his teacher, with a real fear of heights from tall buildings, forbids any learning or speaking of architecture. But one day, on a class picnic when the footbridge falls through, Iggy comes through to save the day with the help of his classmates as they build a bridge with shoestring suspension to the other side.)
www.amazon.com/Iggy-Peck-Architect-Andrea-Beaty/dp/081091106X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TUJIB2UP3KJK&dchild=1&keywords=iggy+peck+architect&qid=1610571224&sprefix=iggy+peck%2Caps%2C204&sr=8-1
​
6. How Computers Work (Computing for Kids)
by: Nancy Dickmann
(Since computers are literally everywhere now, from your watch to your smartphone, it probably is important to understand somewhat how they function. This book introduces kids to the design of hardware & networks that connect us all digitally.) 
www.amazon.com/How-Computers-Work-Computing-Kids/dp/1538252589/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=how+computers+work&qid=1610571446&sr=8-6

7. The Science of Bridges & Tunnels: The Art of Engineering
by: Ian Graham, Diego Vaisberg & Bryan Beach
(It's fascinating how over time, scientists & engineers started to understand the laws of nature better & began to create newer ones with concrete & steel. This book shows all kinds of bridges from suspension to arch bridges & is really neat!) 
www.amazon.com/Science-Bridges-Tunnels-Art-Engineering/dp/0531133990/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YUB1XO7SIS69&dchild=1&keywords=bridges+book+for+kids&qid=1610583460&sprefix=kids+books+bridges%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-3

8. Violet the Pilot
​by: Steve Breen
(A young girl named Violet grows up with a junkyard next to her house & she loves to tinker from toddlerhood on. Violet really wants to fly, though, so she experiments & tinkers until she creates a satisfactory airplane & enters it in a competition. Although the race doesn't go as planned, Violet does a good deed in her airplane that makes the entire story so heartwarming.)  
​www.amazon.com/Violet-Pilot-Steve-Breen/dp/0803731256/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610641896&sr=8-1 

9. Simple Machines: Wheels, Levers & Pulleys
by: David A. Adler & Anna Raff 
(Who doesn't love machines? They make everyday work easier! They can lift heavy objects & break things apart; they can even change the direction of force applied to them. Two kids & their cat use machines to do simple things from seesawing to eating apples.) 
www.amazon.com/Simple-Machines-Wheels-Levers-Pulleys/dp/0823435725/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=simple+machines&qid=1610642525&s=books&sr=1-2 

10. See Inside Bridges, Towers & Tunnels (Usborne Flap Book)
by: Struan Reid & Annie Carbo 
www.amazon.com/See-Inside-Bridges-Towers-Tunnels/dp/0794545114/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=bridges+towers+%26+tunnels&qid=1610645606&s=books&sr=1-2

11. When Grandpa Gives you a Toolbox 
by: Jamie L.B. Deenihan & Lorraine Rocha
(Grandpa gives you a toolbox instead of that dollhouse you asked for. What do you do with that thing? With Grandpa's help, the boy in this story learns that with Grandpa's help, he might just be handier than he thought!) 
www.amazon.com/When-Grandpa-Gives-You-Toolbox/dp/1454932325/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LYIVEXP1C5Q5&dchild=1&keywords=when+grandma+gives+you+a+toolbox&qid=1610645467&s=books&sprefix=when+grandpa+give%2Cstripbooks%2C199&sr=1-1 

12. Go For the Moon
by: Chris Gall  
(A young boy obsessively follows the Apollo 11 astronauts, as he constructs & launches his very own rocket at the same time the U.S. sent Saturn V to space. In great depth he describes that historic journey from the Earth to the Moon, & touches on important scientific concepts like gravity.)  
www.amazon.com/Go-Moon-Rocket-First-Landing/dp/1250155797/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=go+for+the+moon&qid=1610650328&s=books&sr=1-1

13. Space Exploration for Kids
by: Bruce Betts, ph.D
(From daily life as an astronaut to learning the history of space exploration & even construction of rockets, this book covers it all! It will even answer questions like: how does space affect the body? What training do astronauts receive beforehand?) 
www.amazon.com/Space-Exploration-Kids-Scientists-Astronauts/dp/1647397561/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=space+exploration+for+kids&qid=1610650038&s=books&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRjdOQ1I4Q0VCTzZLJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjk0NDM3MTRGRUlRVDlKODJYRiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwODMzMDE3M0JWNzJBRjM4Mjc1RSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= 

14. Fly Girl, Fly! Shaesta Waiz Soars Around the World 
by: Nancy Roe Pimm
(First a refugee & secondly, afraid of flying, Shaesta overcomes both conflicts & is the first in her family to go to college & then she becomes the only woman from Afghanistan to circumnavigate the globe by herself in a single-circuit aircraft.) 
www.amazon.com/Shaesta-Waiz-Soars-around-World/dp/1506464688/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=fly+girl+fly&qid=1610757145&sr=8-2

15. Moonshot
by: Brian Floca (*check out all of his books; they're truly amazing) 
(The flight of Apollo 11 is depicted beautifully in these pages.  While it is not a textbook, its a very scientific, nonfiction read with beautiful illustrations. Kids learn about the steady & brave astronauts who took that journey to make a giant leap for mankind.) 
www.amazon.com/Moonshot-Richard-Jackson-Atheneum-Hardcover/dp/1534440305/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=moonshot&qid=1610650451&s=books&sr=1-2  

16. How We Got to the Moon: The Technology, & Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure
by: John Rocco 
(
www.amazon.com/How-Got-Moon-Technology-Humanitys/dp/0525647414/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=how+we+got+to+the+moon&qid=1610764274&sr=8-1

17. How to Code a Roller Coaster
by: Josh Funk  & Sarah Palacios
(Pearl & her robot, Pascal are out an amusement park, keeping track of their ride tokens & the length of lines through the use of code & if-then sequences.) 
www.amazon.com/How-Code-Rollercoaster-Josh-Funk/dp/0425292037/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=how+to+code+a+rollercoaster&qid=1610764608&sr=8-1

MATHEMATICS:
1. Math Curse
by: Jon Scieszka
(It is anything but normal when the kid in this story wakes up & everything becomes a math problem; from how long it takes them to get ready for school, to how many cupcakes are needed for the entire class to get served.)
www.amazon.com/Math-Curse-Jon-Scieszka/dp/0670861944/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=math+curse&qid=1610501412&sr=8-1

2. The Doorbell Rang
by: Pat Hutchins
(Mom makes some cookies & the kids are dividing them up, when the doorbell rings & some friends come in. The kids decide to share, so once again, they start divvying up the cookies & more friends keep interrupting until only 1 cookie remains for each child out of the original dozen.)
www.amazon.com/Doorbell-Rang-Pat-Hutchins/dp/0688092349/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+doorbell+rang&qid=1610501563&sr=8-1

3. One Hundred Hungry Ants & A Remainder of One (to teach division)
by: Elinjor J. Pinczes & Bonnie MacKain
(100 hungry ants head off for a picnic, single file, but the going is too slow. So then they split up into two rows of 50 & then they decide on four rows of 20....but they continue changing formation & then miss the picnic!) 
www.amazon.com/Hundred-Hungry-Ants-Elinor-Pinczes/dp/0395971233/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=one+hundred+hungry+ants&qid=1610503535&sr=8-1

​4. Ten for Me (an addition adventure!) 
by: Barbara Mariconda
(Two friends are off on a butterfly hunt {Rose & Ed} & they are competing with one another to see who can catch the most butterflies. Who will win this competition? They count the butterflies together.) 
www.amazon.com/Ten-Arbordale-Collection-Barbara-Mariconda/dp/1607180855/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ten+for+me&qid=1610645839&s=books&sr=1-1

5. The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos
by: Deborah Heiliegman & LeUyen Pham 
(Paul was an unusual boy, who at the age of 4, could do the calculation of how many seconds you'd been alive when you told him what year you were born in. He traveled around the world collaborating on publications with other mathematicians & his unique character traits that helped him be such a great mathematician, are exemplified in this story.) 
​www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Loved-Math-Improbable/dp/1596433078/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+boy+who+loved+math&qid=1610571536&sr=8-1

6. Pete the Cat & The Missing Cupcakes
by: James Dean
(Pete has made 10 cupcakes for a party with friends; but every time he leaves the kitchen, some cupcakes go missing. Who's the culprit? This very basic picture book helps children learn the concept of subtraction or counting down.) 
www.amazon.com/Pete-Missing-Cupcakes-James-Dean-ebook/dp/B01AFXMGXU/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=pete+the+cat+and+the+missing+cupcake&qid=1610642001&sr=8-1

 
7. The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague  
by: Julia Finley Mosca & Daniel Rieley 
(Young Raye sets her sights on the career engineer after touring a German sub. She eventually became a pioneer who impacted & changed the course of ship design forever.) 
www.amazon.com/Girl-Mind-Math-Montague-Scientists/dp/1943147426/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+girl+with+a+mind+for+math&qid=1610649412&s=books&sr=1-1

8. Molly  & the Mathematical Mysteries
by: Eugenia Cheng & Aleksandra 
​(Molly faces a number of challenges amongst other things in a world where nothing is quite as it seems. And someone is leaving clues for her, too!) 
www.amazon.com/Molly-Mathematical-Mysteries-Interactive-Adventures/dp/1536217107/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=molly+the+mathematical+mystery&qid=1610650836&s=books&sr=1-1

9. Spaghetti & Meatballs for All! 
by:  Marilyn Burns & Debbie Tilley 
(There's a family reunion for Mr. & Mrs. Comfort to get cooking for, & there are 32 chairs & 8 tables that are arranged just so everyone has a seat!) 
www.amazon.com/Spaghetti-Meatballs-All-Scholastic-Bookshelf/dp/0545044456/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=spaghetti+%26+meatballs&qid=1610649514&s=books&sr=1-1

10. Ten Apples Up on Top
by: Dr. Seuss
(A rhyming favorite for counting up to ten & back down from ten, all while a tiger, dog & a lion do crazy feats with apples stacked up on their heads....they start to annoy some of the village though & they run the risk of losing all their apples!) 
www.amazon.com/Ten-Apples-Top-Theo-LeSieg/dp/0394800192/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ten+apples+up+on+top&qid=1610649359&s=books&sr=1-2 

11. Counting on Katherine:
by: Helaine Becker & Dow Phumiruk 
(Katherine was a girl who loved calculations & counting; even as a child, she would count steps on the road or spoons in the kitchen sink. As a gifted student, Katherine learned more & more about mathematics & became a prominent mathematician at NASA, who calculated the course of moon landings & saved lives, all while making history.) 
www.amazon.com/Counting-Katherine-Johnson-Saved-Apollo/dp/1250137527/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=katherine+counts&qid=1610651055&s=books&sr=1-1 

12. The Grapes of Math
by: Greg Tang
(The author shares how he has solved some problems in creative ways, through rhyming couplets & riddles) 
www.amazon.com/Grapes-Math-Greg-Tang/dp/0439598400/ref=pd_crcd_7?pd_rd_w=bCJI5&pf_rd_p=8019ba47-0a12-4976-b76b-5c932d60db6f&pf_rd_r=H75KDW15XH43R8R10TRM&pd_rd_r=4b730afd-292a-428d-8e2f-b936af6ad3d3&pd_rd_wg=vhSMF&pd_rd_i=0439598400&psc=1

All STEM Topics + Inventions:
1. The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be
by: Joanna Gaines
(A darling book about a group of kids building hot air balloons, but also highlighting the different approaches we each take to solving problems, & how that makes the world a better place.)
www.amazon.com/World-Needs-Who-Were-Made/dp/1400314232/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=who+the+world+needs+you+to+be&qid=1610397891&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExR1FTUTIyR09VUDFIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDI4MzcxMTNUSlZJUUdJUTJZTiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjI3NzM0SzZJR0hRTzgwOFZVJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

2. What Can I Be? STEM Careers from A to Z
by: Tiffani Teachey
(Six diverse children picture all of the different careers in STEM, from astronauts & doctors to engineers!) 
www.amazon.com/What-Can-Be-STEM-Careers/dp/0578616580/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=stem+books+for+kids&qid=1610492468&sr=8-7

3. The Steam Team Explains: More than 100 Amazing Science Facts
by: Robert Winston
www.amazon.com/Steam-Team-Explains-Amazing-Science/dp/1465493182/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=steam+team+explains&qid=1610500395&sr=8-1

4. Mistakes that Worked
by: Charlotte Foltz Jones
(
www.amazon.com/Mistakes-That-Worked-Familiar-Inventions/dp/0385320434/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mistakes+that+worked&qid=1610570851&sr=8-1
​
5. 100 Inventions That Made History
by: DK
www.amazon.com/Invents-That-Made-History-Breakthroughs/dp/1465416706/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=invention+books+for+kids&qid=1610570972&sr=8-5