Some of the most important lessons for kids—and adults—don’t come from a syllabus. Instead, they’re gained by trying, failing, and trying again, and can be learned by doing: through play, experimentation, and creative pursuits.
Many of the books on our list below feature kids who did just that, encountering a difficult situation and finding a way to overcome it or to succeed in spite of it. With STEM- or STEAM-based themes, these picture books have something for every kid aged three to ten, with lessons for readers of any age along the way. Visit your local library branch, or pick up a copy at your favorite independent bookstore!
The Most Magnificent Thing, by Ashley Spires
Ages 3-8 | Subject: Growing Up | Published in 2011 by Kids Can Press
Why We Love It: A young inventor has big ideas about making a magnificent thing. But once she begins, she finds it’s harder than she thought. After repeated attempts and failures, she nearly gives up, but her dog encourages her to take a walk, and she tackles the project again with fresh eyes. Peppered with action verbs that will help build a young reader’s vocabulary, this story about perseverance shows kids what can happen when they work through challenges and don’t quit.
Discussion Questions: What do you think helped the book’s main character finish building her magnificent thing? Name a time when you tried to make or do something and had trouble finishing it. How did you handle it?
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes, by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein, illustrated by Mark Pett
Ages 5-8 | Subject: Emotions, Self-Esteem | Published in 2011 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Why We Love It: Perfectionist Beatrice Bottomwell is known around town as the Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes, and it’s a lot to live up to. When the annual school talent show arrives, Beatrice’s worst fear comes true: she makes a mistake. But when she finds out it’s not the end of the world, readers learn that making mistakes can be fun.
Discussion Questions: What did Beatrice learn from her mistake? Is there something you are afraid of trying? Why? What can you learn from Beatrice to overcome your fear?
What Kind of Scientist Can a Girl Be?, by Ruth E. Propper, illustrated by Tanja Varcelija
Ages 4-8 | Subject: General Science | Self-published in 2003
Why We Love It: When a little girl tells her younger brother she wants to be an entomologist, he insists that girls can’t be scientists. What follows is a lively debate between two siblings, with simple-to-understand definitions of different scientific fields. The book ends with a list of women scientists to educate readers about what girls can do—and have done—to contribute to the sciences. (For more about women in STEM, check out our Women’s History Month post.)
Discussion Questions: What did you learn about who can become a scientist? Which scientific field mentioned in the story interests you most?
The Coral Kingdom, by Laura Knowles, illustrated by Jennie Webber
Ages: 4-7 | Subject: Animals, Environmental Science | Published in 2018 by Words & Pictures
Why We Love It: Gorgeous illustrations accompany this rhyming tale about the Great Barrier Reef, under threat from climate change. The beauty of the images, highlighting the many underwater creatures whose existence hangs in the balance, will spark children’s sense of wonder while kids learn about the value of protecting one of the planet’s natural treasures.
Discussion Questions: Which animals live in the coral reef? Name two ways people can help protect coral reefs and the animals that live there. How can you help?
The Girl with a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague (Amazing Scientists), by Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley
Ages 5-10 | Subject: Mathematics | Published in 2018 by Innovation Press
Why We Love It: The latest installment of the Amazing Scientists series tells the story of no-longer-overlooked STEM hero Raye Montague, a mathematician who overcame gender and racial discrimination to follow her dream of becoming an engineer. Readers will learn how Montague, the first person to use a computer to design a ship, made important contributions to the US Navy.
Discussion Questions: What were the challenges Raye faced to achieve her dreams? How do you think she overcame them?
Cece Loves Science, by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Ages 3-9 | Subject: General Science, the Scientific Method | Published in 2020 by Greenwillow Books
Why We Love It: Cece and her friend Isaac try to determine whether Einstein, Cece’s dog, will eat vegetables. The story introduces children to the scientific method as Cece and Isaac conduct experiments and learn from their mistakes.
Discussion Questions: How do Cece and Isaac learn from their mistakes? Using Cece and Isaac’s method, what kind of science experiment could you try?
Masterpiece (the Incredible Kids), by Alexandra Hoffman, illustrated by Beatriz Mello
Ages 4-12 | Subject: Growing Up | Published in 2023 by Wishing Star Publishing
Why We Love It: This colorfully illustrated book tells the story of Samuel, an artistically talented child on the autism spectrum whose unique perspective inspires his classmates and helps them learn empathy and acceptance.
Discussion Questions: How did the attitudes of Samuel’s classmates change from the start of the story to the end? What did the class learn about Samuel from their art assignment?
Aaron Slater, Illustrator: A Picture Book (the Questioneers), by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
Ages 5-8 | Subject: Self-Esteem, Art | Published in 2021 by Abrams
Why We Love It: Aaron Slater, a boy with dyslexia, finds a writing assignment difficult because the letters don’t seem to stay in one place on the page. A talented artist, Aaron tells his story visually instead, on his way to achieving his dream of becoming an illustrator. The book’s dyslexia-friendly font will aid children who see themselves in the protagonist.
Discussion Questions: How does Aaron overcome his challenge of writing out his story to complete the class assignment? What lessons did you learn from Aaron’s story?
Scribble Stones, by Diane Alber
Ages 3-7 | Subject: Growing Up, Self-Esteem | Self-published in 2019
Why We Love It: A pebble named Stone hopes to become something important before realizing he’s just a paperweight. Instead of giving up, he goes on a journey, meeting characters that add color to him and help give him purpose along the way. An art project suggestion for little hands brings Stone’s story to life.
Discussion Questions: Why do you think Stone didn’t want to be a paperweight? What happens to him on his path to becoming a colorful stone?
What Do You Do with a Problem?, by Kobi Yamada, illustrated by Mae Besom
Ages 4-7 | Subject: Growing Up | Published in 2016 by Compendium
Why We Love It: This beautifully illustrated follow-up to What Do You Do with an Idea? explores what happens when a child avoids a difficult problem, and offers an alternative: finding the courage to approach a difficult situation head-on and finding the opportunities that lie therein.
Discussion Questions: What is a problem you have been afraid to face? How did you deal with it? What might you do differently if something similar comes up again?
To get your kids even more involved with STEM and STEAM-based activities that will help them not only gain new concepts but also discover how to overcome challenges, learn from failure, and persevere now and later in life, sign them up for one of our after-school classes, clubs, or school break camps.