Ensuring that students have a deep understanding of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) has always been important—but never more so than now.

Global issues such as climate change, food insecurity, and the rise of artificial intelligence and other technologies that fundamentally alter the nature of work will challenge students to innovate and find new solutions. At the same time, U.S. institutions are seeing dramatic cuts in federal funding for science, arts, and technology programs.

Teaching the next generation about STEAM skills and concepts is critical for our future. More than just a catchphrase, STEAM is an educational model that helps students develop the critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills they’ll need to navigate an increasingly complex future.

STEAM education “may be one of the keys to solving humanity’s biggest challenges in the years to come,” says the nonprofit Space Foundation. As the world faces increasing change, “we need people with the ability to ask the right questions and find new solutions,” the organization observes.

STEAM education, with its focus on helping students learn how to ask probing questions, is fundamental to this effort. “It’s crucial to get kids thinking critically and creatively about the world around them,” says Andi Diehn, content marketing manager for Nomad Press.

Books that teach students STEAM concepts and techniques play a key role in developing the next generation of problem solvers and innovators who can ensure a healthy, sustainable future. Here are some notable STEAM-related books aimed at schools and libraries.

Albatros Media

Founded in 1949 and based in the Czech Republic, Albatros creates innovative and whimsically illustrated, yet highly educational books for children. The company’s motto is “smart books, smart kids,” and it publishes about 25 books per season in the United States, mostly nonfiction works for students in elementary through high school.

Diary of a Bee by Stepanka Sekaninova, illustrated by Linh Dao, April 2025, ISBN 9788000074467, is the first title in a new series called “Little Heroes.” It takes readers ages 6–9 on a journey through the life cycle of Matilda, a hardworking bee, and her friend Thomas. Presented in diary format, the book combines a narrative story about Matilda with fascinating facts about how bees live, their daily activities, and the various roles they play within the hive—from gathering nectar to tending to the queen.

The story’s lessons “carry over outside the book,” says Marketing Consultant Carolina Schwarz. “Children learn about the importance of teamwork, as bees need to work together to accomplish their tasks.”

The Awesome Physics in Your City by the Amazing Theater of Physics, illustrated by Tomas Kopecky, June 2025, ISBN 9788000074399, reveals how scientific principles shape everyday urban environments. As a sequel to The Awesome Physics in Your Home and part of the “Science All Around Us” series, the book shows readers ages 9–12 how physics works through relatable examples such as the forces behind a roller coaster at an amusement park or how much load a wall can bear at a construction site. It also includes safe experiments for kids to try at home or school, such as mixing different liquids they might find in a restaurant setting—to transform their learning into an interactive experience.

Encyclopedia of Undersea Life for Young Readers by Bohdana Jarosova, illustrated by Tomas Tuma, June 2025, ISBN 9788000074474, introduces children ages 6–9 to the vast world of the ocean and its diverse creatures. Covering the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian Oceans, it highlights the wonders of undersea life, from vibrant coral reefs teeming with life to the strange deep-sea creatures that glide through the darkest depths. This fully illustrated, large-format encyclopedia is the fourth in a series that also includes animals, plants/fungi, and birds.

Up, Up, and Away: The History of Aviation by Tomas SMOT Svoboda, July 2025, ISBN 9788000074603, recounts the history of flight as told by Grandpa Edward to his grandchildren, Molly and Simon. From the earliest kites flown in ancient times, to the invention of the first flying machines and modern marvels like rescue helicopters and hot air balloons, the book takes readers ages 9–12 through significant milestones in aviation history.

“Although you feel like you’re reading a light book, you get a very good understanding of concepts in the process,” Schwarz says.

Written by Helena Harastova and illustrated by Dita Vopradová, “How Your Brain Works” is a two-book series whose titles are being released simultaneously in July 2025. Our Marvelous Memory, ISBN 9788000074511, explores how memory works, how it evolves throughout our lives, and why we remember or forget things, using engaging illustrations and simple explanations for readers ages 6–9. Our Incredible Imagination, ISBN 9788000074481, provides insights into creative thinking, revealing how the human brain creates dreams, ideas, and extraordinary thoughts—and why kids typically have more vivid imaginations than adults.

Nomad Press

An independent educational publisher based in Vermont, Nomad Press publishes nonfiction books for children ages five to 15. Its books make science accessible for kids and encourage them to explore beyond the pages through experiential learning.

Conservation Success: Protecting Wild Spaces and Species with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids by Laura Perdew, illustrated by Lex Cornell, May 2025, ISBN 9781647411367, highlights real-life examples of how scientists, organizations, and even entire nations are restoring damaged ecosystems and recovering endangered species through successful conservation efforts.

“When we publish books about biodiversity and climate change, we try to inject hope for the future,” says Content Marketing Manager Andi Diehn. “In this case, we decided to publish a book that was all about hope.”

In Panama, for example, scientists realized a fungus was wiping out the Panamanian golden frogs, an icon in that country. They captured as many of the creatures as they could and nursed them back to health within a conservation center that serves as a “frog hotel.” Eventually, they hope to release the frogs back into the wild, but in the meantime, they’re looking for a way to eradicate the fungus.

All of Nomad’s books include hands-on activities that aim to reach a variety of learners. For instance, this book challenges kids to fill a tray with water and add cooking oil, then experiment with different ways of removing the oil. “Students get a sense of how challenging this is,” Diehn notes.

The Science of Sound: Pitch, Volume, Music, and Noise with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids by Andi Diehn, illustrated by Micah Rauch, June 2025, ISBN 9781619309937, explores how sound waves travel and how sound plays a key role in scientific discovery, such as using sonar to map the ocean floor and find sunken structures.

Nomad’s books also contain QR codes that link young readers to videos and other resources for further exploration, for example, a NASA video of Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier in 1947.

Gnome Road Publishing

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Gnome Road is an independent publisher of children’s picture books. The company’s goal is to produce books that engage and inform, especially through informational fiction, says owner and Publisher Sandra Sutter—and many touch on STEAM-related topics.

“In our books, kids take away something about STEAM without necessarily knowing that they’re learning,” she says.

Sleepy Sea by Bonnie Kelso, March 2025, ISBN 9781957655369, is the second book in a three-part series that follows a young girl who likes sea creatures as she tackles various childhood milestones. (The first book in the series, Sea Smiles, saw her losing her first tooth and worrying about what her smile would look like.)

In Sleepy Sea, the young heroine is afraid to sleep on her own. She imagines that the sea animals decorating her bedroom walls are talking to her, telling her about their own sleep habits and how they protect themselves from predators as they sleep. For instance, a dolphin notes that he sleeps with one eye open, while a parrotfish sleeps in a bubble of mucous for protection. Eventually, the girl feels comfortable enough to sleep alone in her own bed.

MousterWorks by Angela C. Hawkins, May 2025, ISBN 9781957655420, explores the “A” in STEAM by introducing children to great works of art. The story follows two young mice, Cosette and Pepin, as they accompany their grand mère on a visit to a museum. As they look at reimagined, mouse-sized representations of famous paintings from masters like Vermeer, Cosette and Pepin are inspired to create their own mouster-pieces using items found in their everyday lives, including a piece of cheese. The book’s back matter teaches children about the original works behind these creative representations.

Hawkins also illustrated Nancy Bess Had a Dress by Claire Annette Noland, March 2024, ISBN 9781957655239, a Foreword INDIES Picture Book of the Year award finalist from last year with a strong STEAM theme of reusing and recycling.

When her family’s flour sack is empty during the Great Depression, Nancy Bess remakes the sack into a dress out of necessity with the help of her mother. When she outgrows the dress, she repurposes it as an apron, and then a scarf, and then a belt...until finally she uses the leftover scraps from each of these projects to make a quilt for her sister.

All of Gnome Road’s books include free downloadable resource guides with learning activities and discussion questions for teachers.

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