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Discover Engineering Through
Reading  As part of Engineering Day at the
Library invite local engineers and engineering students to talk with students about math,
science, and technology and conduct hands-on
projects. Engineers might discuss books that influenced them as young readers.
Engineering requires an interest and
solid foundation in math and science. Have children hunt for books
related to science and technology Or, ask children for their suggestions of math- and
science-related books they've liked and for brief reviews. Topics are wide open. Do they
like detective stories and does the hero use science, math or technology to crack the
case? Hand out Engineers Week bookmarks to all who
participate. Some suggested titles follow:
Career Guidance
"I Want to
Be...an Engineer," Stephanie Maze, et al (Grades 4-6); "The
Fantastical Engineer: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to Careers in Theme Park
Engineering", Celeste Baine (Senior High School & up);
"Is There an Engineer Inside You?", Celeste Baine (Young
Adult); "Cool Careers for Girls in Engineering", Ceel
Pasternak, et al (Young Adult); "Cool Careers for Girls in
Computers", Ceel Pasternak, et al (Young Adult); "Girls &
Young Women Inventing: Twenty True Stories About Inventors Plus How You
Can Be One Yourself", Frances A. Karnes, et al (Young Adult).
Engineering
"Engineering Projects for Young
Scientists," Peter Goodwin (Gr. 6-10); "New Roads," Gail Gibbons (Gr. K-4);
"The Story of the Statue of Liberty," Betsy Maestro (Gr. 3-5); "The Most
Amazing Science Pop-Up Book," Jay Young (Gr. 5-Adult);"The Magic School Bus
Inside the Water Works," Joanna Cole (Gr. 3-5); "How Science Works,"
Reader's Digest (Family); "Underground, The Way Things Work," David Macaulay
(Family); "Building a Road", Henry Pluckrose, Teri Gower,
illustrator (Preschool, Kindergarten); "Building a House",
Byron Barton (Preschool, Kindergarten); "Truss Fun," David
E. Harris, PhD, PE (high school and older; bridge building principles
and experiments), "Engineering the City: How Infrastructure Works--Projects and Principles for Begineers", Matthys Levy & Richard Panchyk (Ages 9 and older: Chicago Review Press).
"Incredible Everything" and "Incredible Explosions," Richard Platt, ill. Stephen Biesty, 1997 and 1996 (intermediate and up).
 Human Body
"Fascinating Body Facts,"
Rowan B. Murphy (Gr. 6-12); "For Your Own Protection: Science Stories," Vicki
Cobb (Gr. 3-6); "The Magic School Bus Inside the Body," Joanna Cole (Gr. 1-4).
"Walter Wick's Optical Tricks," Walter Wick (intermediate).
Land
"The Magic School Bus
Inside the Earth," Joanna Cole (Gr. 1-4). "Round Trip" Ann Jonas (all ages); "Paris Underground," Tamara Hovey (intermediate).
Nature
 "Illustrated World of Nature,"
Michael Chinery (Gr. 4-9); "Nature," Jerry DeBruin (Gr. 4-up); "Young
Scientists Explore: Animals," Jerry De Bruin (Gr. 4-up); "The Nature Book,"
Midas Dekkers (Gr. 3-7);"The Magic School Bus Inside a Hurricane," Joanne Cole
(Gr. 1-4)
Science
"The
Berenstain Bears Lost in Cyberspace", Stan and Jean Berenstain
(Preschool-Gr. 3); "50 Nifty Science Experiments", Lisa
Taylor Melton, et al (Gr. 4-7); "The History of Technology (Bravo
Series)", Luca Fraioli, et al (Young Adult); "All About
Light", Melvin Berger (Gr. 1-4); "All About
Electricity", Melvin Berger (Gr. 1-4); "The Science Book of
Magnets", Neil Ardley (Gr. 1-3); "Blue's Science"
(Preschool); "The Science of Machines", Neil Ardley (Gr.
1-3). "Starry Messenger: ...Galileo Galilei," Peter Sis (primary through intermediate).
Science Fiction
"Fantastic Voyage," Issac
Asimov (Gr. 7-up); "Wild Inventions," Issac Asimov (Gr. 5-7); "Travels
Through Time," Issac Asimov (Gr. 5-6); "Journey to the Center of the
Earth," Jules Verne (Gr. 6-up, Introduction by R.A. Lowndes);
"Have Spacesuit, Will Travel", Robert Heinlein (Gr. 6-up);
"A Wrinkle in Time", Madeline L' Engle (Young Adult).
Sea
"Explorers," Dennis B. Fradin
(Gr. 4-6); "Treasures in the Sea," Robert McClung (Gr. 4-6); "The Discovery
of the Titanic," Dr. Robert Ballard (Gr. 7-12); "The Science
Book of Water", Neil Ardley (Gr. 1-3).
Space
"Space," Susan Harris (Gr. 6-up); "How the
Universe Works," Heather Cooper and Nigel Henbest (Gr. 4-7);
"Do Stars Have Points?: Questions and Answers about Stars and
Planets", Melvin Berger, et al (Preschool - Gr. 3); "I Am an
Astronaut", Cynthia Benjamin, Miriam Sagasti, illustrator
(Preschool); "Let's Look at Flying Machines", Nicola
Tuxworth (Preschool, Kindergarten); "DK Space Encyclopedia (Gr. 4
and up); "DK Eyewitness Books: Astronomy, Chemistry, Force and
Motion, Technology", (Gr. 4-7).
Our thanks to
Leslie McMaster, a teacher in Austin, Texas, for help in compiling
this list.
For a comprehensive list of resources, see the article by Justina O. Osa and Steven L. Herb, "Engineering Resources for Children --Kindergarten Through 12th Grade: A Case for Dispositional Learning" published in the journal Science & Technology Libraries, vol. 19 No. 3/4, 2001, pp 87-103. Reprints available for a fee from the Haworth Press, 1-800-342-9678, or
getinfo@haworthpressinc.com.
To help us develop an expanded
children's reading list, see the "National Engineers Week Book
Hunt." We hope you'll reproduce and post it. Mail a copy of the responses to
National Engineers Week, 1420 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314.
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