When I Grow Up
Author: Priyadarshini Gogoi
Illustrated by Tarique Aziz, this picture book from Pratham Books was first published in 2020. It follows little Papori as she imagines herself in the shoes of different kinds of engineers — civil, aerospace, biomedical, and even cybersecurity. It presents engineering as an adventurous and creative field, and shows children how it can help people and save the planet.
Ara the Star Engineer
Author: Komal Singh
Written by a tech professional, this story, which came out in 2018, will inspire girls to become future innovators. Illustrated by Ipek Konak and published by Page Two Press, the book features Ara, a curious girl with Deedee, her sidekick droid. She learns about algorithms and coding as she goes on a space-themed adventure. Along the way, she meets real-life women in technology such as an Intrepid Innovator, a Code Commander, and Prolific Problem Solver. They build and fail, launch and iterate, making the story both aspirational and relatable.
Rosie Revere, Engineer
Author: Andrea Beaty
This 2013 picture book, illustrated by David Roberts, was published by Abrams Books. Rosie loves inventing gizmos and gadgets, and is inspired to create one when her great-great-aunt Rose (Rosie the Riveter) mentions her one unfinished goal — to fly! Rosie feels discouraged by failure, but with encouragement from Rose, she learns that mistakes are part of the process. The book will foster resilience, creativity, and design thinking among young minds.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Author: William Kamkwamba
This picture book was published in 2012 by Dial Books and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. It is a true story by William Kamkwamba, in which the author, as a teenager from Malawi, sought a solution when his family went through a challenging time after losing their season’s crops. Exploring science books in his village library, he struck upon the idea of building a windmill. Built from scrap metal and old bicycle parts, the windmill provided electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to cultivate their land. It is also now a Netflix film.
Emma Ren: Robot Engineer
Author: Jenny Z Lu
Published in 2021 by Lulu Books LLC and illustrated by George Sweetland, this book introduces children to the world of robotics. Emma sets out to build a battle robot for her class competition, but her partner Jeremy believes girls aren’t good at building things. The story gently walks readers through the engineering design cycle — ask, imagine, plan, create, test, and improve. It also reinforces the value of persistence and creativity, encouraging children to pursue their ideas fearlessly, regardless of gender.