STEM Diverse Reading Books for Grades PreK-2

School is back in session, so it’s time to rouse those hungry minds with our STEM Diverse Reading List and collection! There’s something for every student within these vibrant stacks of books. Animals, architects, engineers, surgeons, economists, environmentalists, and more fill the pages of these engaging, diverse reads. The list includes bilingual English/Spanish titles and features innovators and trailblazers from diverse backgrounds and historically underrepresented/excluded communities protecting Earth’s ecosystems.

In this blog post, we’ve rounded up STEM books for grades PreK-2. You can find more of our STEM titles in our STEM Diverse Reading List and the corresponding book collection.

Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building, written and illustrated by Christy Hale: A picture book that connects great works of architecture to the ways children build and play

Galápagos Girl/Galapagueña, written by Marsha Diane Arnold, illustrated by Angela Domínguez: This charming picture book introduces the fascinating creatures of the Galápagos islands through the life of one very lucky girl. Bilingual English/Spanish.

If I Were a Tree, written by Andrea Zimmerman, illustrated by Jing Jing Tsong: Two siblings journey into the woods in a tender story of branching out and new growth from acclaimed writer Andrea Zimmerman and New York Times bestselling illustrator Jing Jing Tsong.

I Know the River Loves Me/Yo sé qué el río me ama, written and illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez: Listen… Can you hear the river calling you? Rushing and bubbling, splashing or still, the river has so much to teach us. Bilingual English/Spanish.

When the Shadbush Blooms, written by Carla Messinger with Susan Katz, illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden: A young Lenape girl observes and reflects on the small, important ways her family today, and her ancestors generations before, celebrate the cycle of seasons.

¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el bosque nublado/Olinguito, from A to Z! Unveiling the Cloud Forest, written and illustrated by Lulu Delacre: Using the framework of the Spanish alphabet, this bilingual nonfiction book introduces readers to a cloud forest in the Andes; the plants, animals, and other organisms found there; and the newly-identified olinguito, a South American mammal. Bilingual English/Spanish.

Puffling Patrol, written and photographed by Betsy and Ted Lewin: Ted and Betsy Lewin travel to Iceland to learn about the “Puffling Patrol,” a group of children who rescue lost puffins and return them to sea.

Rainbow Weaver/Tejedora del arcoíris, written by Linda Elovitz Marshall, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri: A young Mayan girl isn’t allowed to use her mother’s thread to weave, so with a little ingenuity, she discovers how to repurpose plastic bags to create colorful weavings. Based on actual recycling movement in Guatemala. Bilingual English/Spanish.

The Turtle Ship, written by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage: A young Korean boy named Sun-shin designs one of the greatest battleships in history and fulfills his dream of sailing the world.

Water Rolls, Water Rises/El agua rueda, el agua subewritten by Pat Mora, illustrated by Meilo So: In a series of poetic verses in both English and Spanish, readers learn about the movement and moods of water around the world and the ways in which water affects different landscapes and cultures. Bilingual English/Spanish.

Download the printable PDF here. 
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