Do you have students in your classroom who love to build, tinker, and create? You may have a future inventor or engineer on your hands! Here are some of my favorite children’s books about inventions to help encourage those creative minds! These books are also a great addition to your STEM/STEAM book collection.
You can click on any of the covers below to learn more about each book or find all of these books on my Amazon page.
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Children’s Books About Inventions
The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons
Written by: Natascha Biebow
Illustrated by: Steven Salerno
What child doesn’t love to hold a crayon in their hands? But children didn’t always have such magical boxes of crayons. Before Edwin Binney set out to change things, children couldn’t really even draw in color. Here’s the true story of an inventor who so loved nature’s vibrant colors that he found a way to bring the outside world to children – in a bright green box for only a nickel! With experimentation, and a special knack for listening, Edwin Binney and his dynamic team at Crayola created one of the world’s most enduring, best-loved childhood toys – empowering children to dream in COLOR!
The Boo-Boos That Changed the World: A True Story About an Accidental Invention (Really!)
Written by: Barry Wittenstein
Illustrated by: Chris Hsu
1920s cotton buyer Earle Dickson worked for Johnson & Johnson and had a klutzy wife who often cut herself. The son of a doctor, Earle set out to create an easier way for her to bandage her injuries. Band-Aids were born, but Earle’s bosses at the pharmaceutical giant weren’t convinced, and it wasn’t until the Boy Scouts of America tested Earle’s prototype that this household staple was made available to the public. Soon Band-Aids were selling like hotcakes, and the rest is boo-boo history.
Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions
Written by: Chris Barton
Illustrated by: Don Tate
You know the Super Soaker. It’s one of top twenty toys of all time. And it was invented entirely by accident. Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, impressive inventor Lonnie Johnson instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy.
A love for rockets, robots, inventions, and a mind for creativity began early in Lonnie Johnson’s life. Growing up in a house full of brothers and sisters, persistence and a passion for problem solving became the cornerstone for a career as an engineer and his work with NASA. But it is his invention of the Super Soaker water gun that has made his most memorable splash with kids and adults.
The Marvelous Thing That Came From a Spring
Written & Illustrated by: Gilbert Ford
One day, a spring fell from the desk of Richard James, an engineer and a dreamer. Its coils took a walk…and so did Richard’s imagination. He knew right away that he had stumbled onto something marvelous. With the help of his wife, Betty, Richard took this ordinary spring and turned it into a plaything. But it wasn’t just any old trinket—it was a Slinky, and it would become one of the most popular toys in American history.
Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade
Written & Illustrated by: Melissa Sweet
Everyone’s a New Yorker on Thanksgiving Day, when young and old rise early to see what giant new balloons will fill the skies for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Who first invented these “upside-down puppets”? Meet Tony Sarg, puppeteer extraordinaire!
You can find a book companion for this picture book here.
How the Cookie Crumbled
Written & Illustrated by: Gilbert Ford
Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies! But not everyone knows where they came from. Meet Ruth Wakefield, the talented chef and entrepreneur who started a restaurant, wrote a cookbook, and invented this delicious dessert. But just how did she do it, you ask? That’s where things get messy!
So sit back and grab a cookie to read a story—or three—about how this round, crispy, chocolatey piece of perfection came to be. Which tale is true? Well, what do you think?
The Hole Story of the Doughnut
Written by: Pat Miller
Illustrated by: Vincent X. Kirsch
In 1843, fourteen-year-old Hanson Gregory left his family home in Rockport, Maine, and set sail as a cabin boy on the schooner Achorn, looking for high-stakes adventure on the high seas. Little did he know that a boatload of hungry sailors, coupled with his knack for creative problem-solving, would yield one of the world’s most prized and beloved pastries.
Mr. Ferris and His Wheel
Written by: Kathryn Gibbs Davis
Illustrated by: Gilbert Ford
American inventor George Ferris defied gravity and seemingly impossible odds to invent the world’s most iconic amusement park attraction, the Ferris wheel. This story transports readers to the 1893 World’s Fair, where George Ferris and his big, wonderful wheel lifted passengers to the skies for the first time.
Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum
Written & Illustrated by: Meghan McCarthy
Gum. It’s been around for centuries—from the ancient Greeks to the American Indians, everyone’s chewed it. But the best kind of gum—bubble gum!—wasn’t invented until 1928, when an enterprising young accountant at Fleer Gum and Candy used his spare time to experiment with different recipes.
Marvelous Mattie
Written & Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully
With her sketchbook labeled My Inventions and her father’s toolbox, Mattie could make almost anything – toys, sleds, and a foot warmer. When she was just twelve years old, Mattie designed a metal guard to prevent shuttles from shooting off textile looms and injuring workers. As an adult, Mattie invented the machine that makes the square-bottom paper bags we still use today. However, in court, a man claimed the invention was his, stating that she “could not possibly understand the mechanical complexities.” Marvelous Mattie proved him wrong, and over the course of her life earned the title of “the Lady Edison.”
Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando
Written by: Andrea Wang
Illustrated by: Kana Urbanowicz
Inspiration struck when Momofuku Ando spotted the long lines for a simple bowl of ramen following World War II. Magic Ramen tells the true story behind the creation of one of the world’s most popular foods.
Every day, Momofuku Ando would retire to his lab–a little shed in his backyard. For years, he’d dreamed about making a new kind of ramen noodle soup that was quick, convenient, and tasty for the hungry people he’d seen in line for a bowl on the black market following World War II. Peace follows from a full stomach, he believed.
Day after day, Ando experimented. Night after night, he failed. But Ando kept experimenting.
With persistence, creativity, and a little inspiration, Ando succeeded. This is the true story behind one of the world’s most popular foods.
Mr. Crum’s Potato Predicament
Written by: Anne Renaud
Illustrated by: Felicity Sala
When Filbert P. Horsefeathers walks into George Crum’s restaurant, he tells the waitress, “I have a hankering for a heaping helping of potatoes.” Fine cook that he is, George prepares a serving of his most scrumptious, succulent and sublime potato wedges, only to have Filbert send them back. “Too thick,” he says. So, George makes thinner wedges. But his picky customer sends them back again. And again. Feeling a bit mischievous, George decides to use his sharpest knife to cut paper-thin potato slices, which he fries until they are crackling and then showers with salt. At last, Filbert is satisfied, proclaiming, “Perfection!” Which they are. Because, quite by accident, George Crum has invented potato chips!
The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle
Written by: Anne Renaud
Illustrated by: Milan Pavlovic
Frank William Epperson is a curious boy who wants to be an inventor when he grows up. Since inventing begins with experimenting, Frank spends a lot of time in his “laboratory” (i.e. his back porch) trying out his ideas, such as building a double-handled handcar that whizzes past the single-handled cars in his neighborhood. What Frank loves most, though, is experimenting with liquids. When he invents his own yummy flavored soda water drink, his friends love it! And this gets him to thinking: “I wonder what this drink would taste like frozen?” Though he doesn’t yet realize it, his curiosity will lead to his best invention ever: the Popsicle!
Books for Kids Who Love to Build, Tinker, and Create
While your students are still learning and growing, here are a few books to spark their creativity and encourage a love of learning.
Rosie Revere, Engineer
Written by: Andrea Beaty
Illustrated by: David Roberts
Rosie Revere dreamed of becoming a great engineer. Where some people see rubbish, Rosie sees inspiration. Alone in her room at night, shy Rosie constructs great inventions from odds and ends. Hot dog dispensers, helium pants, python-repelling cheese hats: Rosie’s gizmos would astound—if she ever let anyone see them.
Afraid of failure, she hides them away under her bed. Until a fateful visit from her great-great-aunt Rose (AKA Rosie the Riveter!), who shows her that the first flop isn’t something to fear—it’s something to celebrate. And you can only truly fail, if you quit.
Iggy Peck, Architect
Written by: Andrea Beaty
Illustrated by: David Roberts
Some kids sculpt sand castles, some make mud pies, and some construct great block towers. But none are better at building than Iggy Peck, who once erected a life-size replica of the Great Sphinx on his front lawn! It’s too bad that few people appreciate Iggy’s talent—certainly not his second-grade teacher, Miss Lila Greer. It looks as if Iggy will have to trade in his T square for a box of crayons . . . until a fateful field trip proves just how useful a mast builder can be.
Ada Twist, Scientist
Written by: Andrea Beaty
Illustrated by: David Roberts
Ada Twist’s head is full of questions. Like her classmates Iggy and Rosie—stars of their own New York Times bestselling picture books Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer—Ada has always been endlessly curious. Even when her fact-finding missions and elaborate scientific experiments don’t go as planned, Ada learns the value of thinking her way through problems and continuing to stay curious.
Going Places
Written by: Paul A. Reynolds
Illustrated by: Peter H. Reynolds
It’s time for this year’s Going Places contest! Finally. Time to build a go-cart, race it, and win. Each kid grabs an identical kit, and scrambles to build. Everyone but Maya. She sure doesn’t seem to be in a hurry…and that sure doesn’t look like anybody else’s go-cart! But who said it had to be a go-cart? And who said there’s only one way to cross the finish line?
Violet the Pilot
Written & Illustrated by: Steve Breen
By the time she’s two years old, Violet Van Winkle can engineer nearly any appliance in the house. And by eight she’s building elaborate flying machines from scratch—mind-boggling contraptions such as the Tubbubbler, the Bicycopter, and the Wing-a-ma-jig. The kids at school tease her, but they have no idea what she’s capable of. Maybe she could earn their respect by winning the blue ribbon in the upcoming Air Show. Or maybe something even better will happen—something involving her best-ever invention, a Boy Scout troop in peril, and even the mayor himself!
Be a Maker
Written by: Katey Howes
Illustrated by: Elizabet Vukovic
How many things can you make in a day? A tower, a friend, a change? Rhyme, repetition, and a few seemingly straightforward questions engage young readers in a discussion about the many things we make―and the ways we can make a difference in the world.
Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon
Written by: Patty Lovell
Illustrated by: David Catrow
Molly Lou Melon’s grandma taught her to be happy with herself no matter what, but that’s not all she learned. Molly Lou heard all about how her grandma didn’t have fancy store-bought toys when she was little. She made dolls out of twigs and flowers and created her own fun in her backyard. So Molly Lou does just that, proving that the best thing to play with is a huge imagination!
Awesome Dawson
Written & Illustrated by: Chris Gall
EVERYTHING CAN BE USED AGAIN! That’s Dawson’s motto. He collects junk that people throw away and turns it into something STUPENDOUS. But when Dawson uses his skills to create a machine to do his chores for him, he discovers he might have invented something a little too… AWESOME. Can he stop the rampaging robot before it destroys the entire town?
Melia and Jo
Written by: Billy Aronson
Illustrated by: Jennifer Oxley
Melia is scientific and loves to create things in her backyard laboratory, but something is missing. Her inventions just aren’t quite right. Enter Jo, her new friend with an artistic spirit. When you add the arts to sciences, something magical happens!
Papa’s Mechanical Fish
Written by: Candace Fleming
Illustrated by: Boris Kulikov
Clink! Clankety-bang! Thump-whirr! That’s the sound of Papa at work. Although he is an inventor, he has never made anything that works perfectly, and that’s because he hasn’t yet found a truly fantastic idea. But when he takes his family fishing on Lake Michigan, his daughter Virena asks, “Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a fish?”―and Papa is off to his workshop. With a lot of persistence and a little bit of help, Papa―who is based on the real-life inventor Lodner Phillips―creates a submarine that can take his family for a trip to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Mary Had a Little Lab
Written by: Sue Fliess
Illustrated by: Petros Bouloubasis
Mary is an enterprising young inventor. She wants a pet, but it isn’t one she can easily buy…so she makes one with the Sheepinator! Mary’s pet sheep and her new invention make her popular with her classmates. But when she starts making sheep for her new friends, things go hilariously awry. Can Mary invent a way to fix this mess?
Magnolia Mudd and the Super Jumptastic Launcher Deluxe
Written by: Katey Howes
Illustrated by: Valerio Fabbretti
Magnolia Mudd loves inventing stuff with her favorite adult, Uncle Jamie Mudd. Every Friday they invent stuff together, and their best creations use “Mudd Power.” But on this particular Friday, Uncle Jamie brings his girlfriend Miss Emily and announces their upcoming nuptials. The stunned Magnolia does not see what they have in common as Uncle Jamie is a rocket scientist and Miss Emily is an art gallery fashionista. Magnolia really does not want to wear a frilly dress and be their flower girl. Uncle Jamie understands and suggests that she chooses something that suits her.
So, Magnolia explores wedding traditions from around the world and invents devices (henna tattoo maker, troll trap, and plate thrower) for the wedding, but unfortunately none work as expected. Out of ideas, she is resigned to being the flower girl, until she and Miss Emily work together to invent a device to launch flowers and confetti using Mudd Power.
If I Built a Car
Written & Illustrated by: Chris Van Dusen
“If I built a car, it’d be totally new! Here are a few of the things that I’d do. . . .” Jack has designed the ultimate fantasy car. Inspired by zeppelins and trains, Cadillacs and old planes, with brilliant colors and lots of shiny chrome, this far-out vision is ready to cruise! there’s a fireplace, a pool, and even a snack bar! After a tour of the ritzy interior, robert the robot starts up the motor . . . and Jack and his dad set off on the wildest test drive ever!
If I Built a House
Written & Illustrated by: Chris Van Dusen
In If I Built a Car, imaginative Jack dreamed up a whimsical fantasy ride that could do just about anything. Now he’s back and ready to build the house of his dreams, complete with a racetrack, flying room, and gigantic slide. Jack’s limitless creativity and infectious enthusiasm will inspire budding young inventors to imagine their own fantastical designs.
If I Built a School
Written & Illustrated by: Chris Van Dusen
If Jack built a school, there would be hover desks and pop-up textbooks, skydiving wind tunnels and a trampoline basketball court in the gym, a robo-chef to serve lunch in the cafeteria, field trips to Mars, and a whole lot more. The inventive boy who described his ideal car and house in previous books is dreaming even bigger this time.
Izzy Gizmo and the Invention Convention
Written by: Pip Jones
Illustrated by: Sara Ogilvie
Izzy Gizmo has been invited to Technoff Isle’s Genius Convention where the inventor of the best machine will win coveted admittance to the Genius Guild. But with fearsome foe Abi von Lavish getting the best of her at every turn, how can Izzy and Fixer come up with the winning invention?
Grace and Box
Written by: Kim Howard
Illustrated by: Megan Lotter
Grace and Box have become fast friends. Box delivered a refrigerator earlier in the week and by the end of it, Grace and Box had already been to space, gone camping, and explored the depths of the sea together. But on Sunday, Grace notices something’s wrong with her buddy. Box has some rips and crumples that Band-Aids, ice packs, and rest on the couch can’t seem to heal. Grace certainly doesn’t want these adventures to end, so she is determined to fix Box so that they can continue their play together!
Do you have a favorite book about inventors or inventions that didn’t make the list? Let me know so I can check it out!
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Happy Reading!
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