STEM Books for Children and Young Adults

This list aims to provide books recommended by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) for children and young adults which are available through the Sussex County Library System.

Updated January 5, 2026
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American wings : Chicago's pioneering Black aviators and the race for equality in the sky
Smith, Sherri L.
Paper Book
From the acclaimed author of Flygirl andthe bestselling author of Code Name Verity comes the thrilling and inspiring true story of the desegregation of the skies. "This beautiful and brilliant history of not only what it means to be Black and dream of flying but...
Before colors : where pigments and dyes come from
Pimentel, Annette Bay
Paper Book
Colors don't come out of nothing. They always start somewhere . . . With something . . . With someone.
Bounce! : a scientific history of rubber
Albee, Sarah
Paper Book
Ever wondered what makes rubber bounce? Or why it's stretchy? And WHY is rubber so . . . rubbery?! Learn the facinating science and history behind this ubiquitous material! With sidebars, graphics, fun facts, and more, the history of rubber reveals plenty of fascinating secrets...
Ellen takes flight : the life of astronaut Ellen Ochoa
Rappaport, Doreen
Paper Book
A Junior Library Guild Selection, Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year, and National Science Teaching Association Best STEM Book ● Celebrate the groundbreaking life of astronaut and Johnson Space Center director Ellen Ochoa, the first Latina in...
The enigma girls : how ten teenagers broke ciphers, kept secrets, and helped win World War II
Fleming, Candace
Paper Book
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. With numerous starred reviews and accolades, from award-winning author Candace Fleming, comes the powerful and fascinating story of the brave and dedicated young women who helped turn the tides of World War II for the Allies, with their hard work and...
Evidence! :
Hopkinson, Deborah
Paper Book
The incredible true story of the doctor who traced London's cholera outbreak to a single water pump, and went on to save countless lives through his groundbreaking research! Dr. John Snow is one of the most influential doctors and researchers in Western medicine, but before he...
A girl can build anything
Charlton-Trujillo, e. E.
Paper Book
A brilliant, inclusive ode to self-expression, girl power, and the many things readers can create. Have you ever dreamed of building something? Maybe something little-like a birdhouse? Or something big-like a skyscraper? If you can envision it, you can build it! A Girl Can...
Hidden systems : water, electricity, the internet, and the secrets behind the systems we use every day
Nott, Dan
Paper Book
We use water, electricity, and the internet every day--but how do they actually work? And what's the plan to keep them running for years to come? This nonfiction science graphic novel takes readers on a journey from how the most essential systems were developed to how they are implemented in our...
The iguanodon's horn : how artists and scientists put a dinosaur back together again and again ... and again
Rubin, Sean
Paper Book
Highlighting the role of artists in the scientific process, this crowd-pleasing look at dinosaurs explores how new discoveries deepen our understanding of the world. AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING 2024 KID'S BOOK AWARD WINNER A HORN BOOK FANFARE TITLE ...
Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Clendenan, Megan
Paper Book
Psst . . . Guess what? 800 miles from the North Pole, buried deep in a mountain, the Svalbard Seed Vault holds priceless treasure. Seeds! Perfect for 5-8-year-old future conservationists, this is a fascinating glimpse into unique conservation, highlighting the importance of natural...
Masked hero : how Wu Lien-teh invented the mask that ended an epidemic
Liu, Shan Woo
Paper Book
Meet Dr. Wu Lien-teh, defeater of the Manchurian plague--in a story authored by his great-granddaughter, an emergency physician who relied on his life-saving invention during a pandemic a century later. More than a hundred years before Covid, a deadly pneumonic plague threatened...
Never give up : Dr. Kati Karikó and the race for the future of vaccines
Dadey, Debbie
Paper Book
The first-ever picture book biography about Dr. Katalin Karikó, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Growing up in a small Hungarian town, Kati Karikó was curious about everything.That included her family's farm animals--and the cells inside of them. As an adult, she...
Rooting for plants : the unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black botanist and collector
Harrington, Janice N.
Paper Book
Meet Charles S. Parker, an unsung yet trailblazing Black scientist who made major contributions to the fields of botany (the study of plants) and mycology (the study of fungi) in this inspiring STEM/STEAM picture book biography from the creators of Buzzing with Questions. ...
Safe crossing
Percival, Kari
Paper Book
How does an amphibian cross the road? With the help of the Amphibian Migration Team! Learn all about a citizen scientist who acts as a crossing guard for migrating amphibians and helps build them a tunnel to safety in this delightful nonfiction picture book! From...
Santiago saw things differently : Santiago Ramón y Cajal, artist, doctor, father of neuroscience
Iverson, Christine
Paper Book
In an exquisitely illustrated nonfiction picture book about the childhood and discoveries of the "father of neuroscience," science and art--together--work wonders. Santiago Ramón y Cajal's father, the village doctor, wants Santiago to be a doctor. He discourages his willful son's...
Sew sister : the untold story of Jean Wright and NASA's seamstresses
Matich, Elise
Paper Book
Did you know that the white material on the outside of space shuttles was not metal or glass but actually fabric? Specialized quilts, two inches thick, covered the space shuttles and protected the astronauts from deadly heat and radiation. Jean Wright was one of the eighteen "Sew Sisters" who...
Smash, crash, topple, roll! : the inventive Rube Goldberg : a life in comics, contraptions, and six simple machines
Thimmesh, Catherine
Paper Book
A 2025 Science Friday Best Science Book for Kids A joyfully illustrated picture book biography of Rube Goldberg for STEM-loving children and the many people who enjoy doing simple tasks the hard way. Award-winning author Catherine Thimmesh's...
Urban coyotes
Carson, Mary Kay
Paper Book
A new addition to the acclaimed Scientists in the Field series, Urban Coyotes follows the scientists of the Urban Coyote Research Project as they track, study, and care for coyotes living among humans in one of America's largest cities, Chicago. But that's the thing about...
The wild river and the great dam : the construction of Hoover Dam and the vanishing Colorado River
Boughton, Simon
Paper Book
★ "In this detailed and informative work, Boughton chronicles the construction of the Hoover Dam via compellingly comprehensive text." --Publishers Weekly, starred review ★ "This well-written narrative is bound to become...
Wildlife crossings: protecting animal pathways around the world
Barr, Catherine
Paper Book
How have we prevented wild animals from accessing the pathways they need to survive? A look at seven species that humans have put at risk and are now trying to help. From the cocreators of Water: How We Can Protect Our Freshwater comes a compelling picture book about...

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