One of the best things about kids is that they are naturally curious and want to explore the world around them. The love asking questions about their discoveries as well. My husband has an ongoing list in his phone of the crazy, silly things our girls have said or asked when they were really young. I remember when my younger daughter was 3 and wanted to know if fish dream. This enthusiasm for exploration and discovery should be encouraged and nurtured. My older daughter told me that she wants to be a scientist one day. She loves learning and experimenting. There are so many awesome books about science and scientists, especially female scientists. I can't help but wonder if I would have been more excited about science if there were all these great resources available when I was a kid. I. Am. Not. A. Fan. Of. Science. Actually, that's not totally true. I love science on a preschool/early elementary level, when it's almost like playing. It was around 7th grade when I really became adverse to science. The anxiety of knowing that I would have to dissect worms, frogs, and eventually pigs in high school ate away at me. Then there was that time in college when my statistics class was in the same building where they were dissecting cats and owls (I AM TERRIFIED OF OWLS!) I swear I could feel their souls haunting me... Even all these years later, walking into the science lab of my old elementary school during open house with my kids makes me feel some kind of way. I am a natural klutz, so chemistry also brought its own set of challenges. I mean, you don't want to be the one who spills acid or sets the school on fire. Then there's physics, where science brings its buddy math to the party. Math is okay(ish) on its own, but when it teams up with science, that's just a recipe for disaster. Now of course I went to school in the dark ages of the 20th century so the learning process was totally different. It was pretty much all textbook learning with limited hands on learning. These days it seems to be the opposite. Being a hands on, visual learner, I think things could and would be different had I gone to school now. For starters, dissection can be done via computer where you don't have to experience that smell. Science is fun and cool now. The power of female scientists is strong! The learning process is exciting and engaging. This is why I am hoping my girls have a more positive experience than I did. The stage is set for this to happen, especially because there is so much geared towards younger kids when they are at their most impressionable.
While working in my library one day I discovered two picture books with a female character who loves science! I quickly checked them out and began to read them. They have since become a hit with my rising 3rd grader/future scientist. She also lists dancer, teacher, librarian, fashion designer, singer, and gardener among her career aspirations! My rising 2nd grader has wanted to be a "zoo doctor" from the moment she could vocalize it! During the Great Quarantine of 2020, we watched daily Facebook Live videos from the Cincinnati Zoo where they highlighted a different animal each day. She also loves experiments like slime making. These books are super fun and have led to my girls conducting their own tests and continuing to ask their thoughtful questions. I also discovered an additional book in the series geared towards older readers and one coming soon, all promoting girls in science. All are fabulous! Find out why the authors created these books here.
Cece Loves Science
By Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illustrations by Vashti Harrison
Meet Cece, a young girl born curious. Her mother says her first word was "Why?" and her father said it was "How?" Most of all she loves asking "What if?" She asks a lot of questions, and her teacher thinks she would make a great scientist. Her teacher tells Cece and her friends about different scientific figures, introduces them to different sciences, and encourages them to investigate further. When assigned a project to pick a science she is curious about, Cece and her best friend Isaac form a team. What follows is a dive into zoology with some assistance from a furry test subject. Along the way she discovers that real scientists can have fun finding answers to their questions.
Cece Loves Science and Adventure
By Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illustrations by Vashti HarrisonCece is back! She is just as curious as ever and loves science just as much! Now she is also an Adventure Girl about to earn her camping pin. In the past she had some trouble earning Adventure Girl pins, but now she is relying on a lesson from her science teacher to get her through. "Real scientists are always prepared." Cece takes her scientific enthusiasm into nature and uses STEM skills to help her reach her goal.
Another series I want to highlight is The Questioneers by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts. Geared towards early elementary, the books highlight STEAM and are inspired by real life scientists.
Never forget that your local librarian would be thrilled to connect you to STEAM themed and other books! Happy reading!
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