Celebrate Your Little Engineers With Some Great Math and Science Reads

President’s Day, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day—you immediately think of February. National Freedom Day, Thank a Mailman Day, and Pizza Day are also celebrated in February. Perhaps an even lesser-known celebration during the month of hearts is that February 16-22 is National Engineers Week, which piques my interest because I studied engineering before attending law school.

Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty: This book instantly became a favorite in our house. It tells the tale of Rosie, a young girl who dreams of becoming a great engineer but is discouraged by some early failures and the perceived criticism of her eccentric zookeeper uncle. The story is told in rhyme and has some amazing illustrations by David Roberts.

How a House is Built by Gail Gibbons: This book by prolific children’s nonfiction author Gail Gibbons demonstrates to your little engineers how a house is built. From selecting a contractor to putting up the walls, this book covers it all. In describing this feat, it introduces new words and concepts, depicted by simple yet informative illustrations.

Rocks, Jeans, and Busy Machines: An Engineering Kids Storybook by Alane & Raymundo Rivera: Written by husband and wife engineers, this book introduces children to Violet and her dog Doc. En route to a trip to the park, Violet and her friend Pedro come upon a construction site. Similar to How a House is Built, the book explains some engineering concepts, like how concrete is made and used. 

Introductory Calculus for Infants by Omi M. Inouye: I perhaps not so secretly loved Calculus in high school. Suffice it to say that when I came across this book, I had to buy it. It is the fun story of two friends, F and X, and while it won’t make your babies little Einsteins or even teach them calculus per se, it is a great way to introduce your children to math concepts. It also would make a great, unique gift for any of your math-loving friends.