Sharing picture books is a fun, easy way to introduce young children to early science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) concepts. Through engaging storytelling and vibrant illustrations, the titles included in this list encourage children to explore new ideas and practice problem-solving. 

As you enjoy STEAM-focused storybooks, ask your child questions about what they see on the page and encourage them to make predictions about what will happen next. These interactions spark curiosity and build children’s confidence while developing important critical thinking and communication skills.

Baby Loves Lunar Phases on Chinese New Year

Written by Ruth Spiro
Illustrated by Irene Chan

While celebrating Chinese New Year, Baby learns the science of lunar phases! This fun book simplifies the lunar calendar, the moon’s orbit, and why the moon changes shape.

Age level: 0 – 3

Talking Tip: While reading Baby Loves Lunar Phases on Chinese New Year, you and your child can explore the moon’s different shapes and sizes during its phases.

The sun, moon, and stars offer wonderful ways to teach children about science. After reading, step outside or look out the window to spot the moon. Observe its shape together, and encourage your child to draw what they see. Repeat this over several days to track how the moon changes, and compare their drawings to see the lunar phases in action!

Check out our interactive read aloud videos and activity guides in English, Spansh, and Chinese for Baby Loves Lunar Phases on New Year!

A Seed Grows

Written & Illustrated by Antoinette Portis

Follow the life cycle of a sunflower and watch it go from tiny seed, to tender sprout, and grow into a beautiful bloom and back again!  Follow each stage and learn what seeds and plants need to grow and flourish. 

Age level: 3 – 6

Talking Tip: After reading A Seed Grows, talk with your child about what a seed needs to sprout and grow. Have them draw the life cycle in order, asking which stage comes first, second, and so on. 

Try it! 
Plant a sunflower seed together in a small pot, discussing how water, sunlight, and soil help it grow.

Make predictions together! Ask questions like: “What do you think will happen after the plant grows leaves?” “How long do you think it will take for this seed to sprout?” or “How tall do you think this flower will grow?”

Track the seed’s progress and measure the sprout as it gets taller!

What If…

Written by Samantha Berger
Illustrated by Michael Curato

A young artist asks, “What if…?” as she imagines life without her art supplies. If pencils are gone, she’ll fold and rip paper, use light and shadow and even dance to keep creating! This is a beautiful book about the power of imagination, creativity, and art.

Age level: 3 – 6

Talking Tip: After reading What If… ask your child what would happen if you had no crayons, paint, paper, or any art supplies? How and what could you create? Talk about the many ways the young girl in the story created art and how she used her imagination and creativity.

Additional resources: Check out this activity kit from the illustrator’s website.

Crash! Boom! A Math Tale

Written by Robie H. Harris
Illustrated by Chris Chatterton

Elephant finds a container of square and rectangle wooden blocks and decides to stack the blocks until they are as tall as themself. Elephant stacks the blocks to match their height and CRASH! BOOM! the blocks fall down! Elephant feels frustrated, but tries again and discovers different ways of stacking the blocks as they play.

Age level: 3 – 6

Talking Tip: While reading Crash! Boom! A Math Tale, practice counting the blocks together, pointing out numbers in print, identifying shapes, and using relational language (taller, shorter, longer, bigger) to develop your child’s early math skills.

Check out our interactive read aloud videos and activity guides in English, Spansh, and Chinese for Crash! Boom! A Math Tale.

One Little Lot: The 1-2-3s of an Urban Garden

Written by Diane C. Mullen
Illustrated by Oriol Vidal

This counting book showcases how a community comes together to clean up an abandoned lot and transform it into a community garden. As the garden grows, neighbors and strangers become friends, eventually sharing in a special feast with their harvest bounty.

Age level: 3 – 7

Talking Tip: Watching seeds sprout into plants or observing caterpillars transform into butterflies helps children comprehend the concept of growth and life stages. While reading One Little Lot, children have the chance to observe how plants grow and change over time. 

Afterwards, talk with your child about the garden in the book and ask:

• What are all the things that seeds need to grow into plants?
• How do the seeds change over time to become plants?
• If you had a garden, what would you grow?

Check out our activity guides in English, Spansh, and Chinese for One Little Lot!

Amara’s Farm

Written by JaNay Brown-Wood
Illustrated by Samara Hardy

Amara has invited her friends to her farm for an autumn potluck and needs pumpkins for her special cake recipe. As she searches for the perfect pumpkins, she discovers a variety of fruits and vegetables, carefully noting their shapes, colors, and sizes to find just what she needs. In this story, follow along to learn more about the different plants on the farm and help Amara find her pumpkins.

Age level: 4 – 8

Talking Tip: While reading Amara’s Farm, practice describing the textures, shapes, sizes, and colors of the plants to enhance your child’s vocabulary and understanding of the characteristics of objects all around them.  Talk about the fruits and vegetables in the book. Ask questions such as: Have you tried this fruit/vegetable before?  How is it similar or different to a pumpkin? Does it have seeds, a thick shell, orange pulp, or squishy innards?

Check out our activity guides in English, Spansh, and Chinese for Amara’s Farm!

Jabari Tries

Written and Illustrated by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari builds a flying machine but struggles to make it work. With patience, creativity, encouragement from his dad, and help from his sister, he learns that perseverance can turn challenges into success.

Age level: 4 – 8

Talking Tip: As you read Jabari Tries, ask your child to think about Jabari’s problem and come up with ideas that may help his flying machine soar across the sky. Ask: “What can Jabari try next?” “What do you think Jabari’s flying machine needs?” “Should Jabari change his ramp or his flying machine?” “What would you do?”

Check out our interactive read aloud and activity guide for Jabari Tries!

Additional Resources

• See Tandem’s picks for Children’s Books on Nature and Science – with Activity Guides!
• Check out our list of STEM-focused storybooks
• Check out our STEM in Storybooks discussion panel featuring children’s book authors Ana Crespo, Rajani LaRocca, and Omowale Moses in conversation with mathematics learning researcher Marlene Kliman. In this video, we explore how pictures books can help children gain a foundation for STEM and see themselves as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and more!