National STEM (and STEAM) Day is Monday, November 8th. This list of children’s books by Black authors has stories that feature real-life and fictional explorers, scientists, inventors, farmers, and much more. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Some educational programs also incorporate the arts, hence STEAM. The purpose of National STEM Day is to “inspire more students to take an interest in the field of STEM.” Black people are underrepresented in STEM careers, so reading about young Black characters involved in various STEM activities or biographies of amazing scientists, inventors, or astronauts, may foster more interest. Check out this past post “Black Women in STEM” for more selections!
1. Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files #1: Exploring Flight!
Andrea Beaty | Dr. Theanne Griffith | David Roberts | Amulet Books | December 14, 2021 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
2. Saving the Day: Garrett Morgan’s Life-Changing Invention of the Traffic Signal (A Sweet Blackberry Book)
Karyn Parsons | R. Gregory Christie | Little, Brown BYR | December 7, 2021 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
3. Young Trailblazers: The Book of Black Inventors and Scientists
M.J. Fievre | Kim Balacuit | Dragonfruit | November 11, 2021 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
4. Jada Jones: Sky Watcher (Bk. 5)
Kelly Starling Lyons | Nneka Myers | Penguin Workshop | November 9, 2021 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
5. The Magnificent Makers: The Great Germ Hunt! (Bk. 4)
Theanne Griffith | Reggie Brown | Random House BYR | October 5, 2021 | ChpBk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
6. Leaders Like Us: Leland Melvin
J. P. Miller | Amanda Quartey | Discovery Library | August 11, 2021 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
7. The Scientific Life of Azaleah Lane (Bk. 4)
Nikki Shannon | Gloria Felix | Picture Window Books | August 1, 2021 | ChpBk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
8. Maya and the Robot
Eve L. Ewing | Christine Almeda | Kokila | July 13, 2021 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
9. Black Inventors: 15 Inventions that Changed the World
Kathy Trusty | Rockridge Press | June 29, 2021 | ChpBk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
10. Planting Peace: The Story of Wangari Maathai
Gwendolyn Hooks | Margaux Carpentier | Crocodile Books | May 6, 2021 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
11. Hope: Project Go Green (Bk. 4)
Alyssa Milano | Debbie Rigaud | Eric S. Keyes | Scholastic Inc. | April 6, 2021 | ChpBk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
12. Wonder Women of Science: How 12 Geniuses Are Rocking Science, Technology, and the World
Tiera Guinn Fletcher | Ginger Rue | Sally Wern Comport | Candlewick | March 23, 2021 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
13. Lewis Latimer: Engineering Wizard
Denise Lewis Patrick | Daniel Duncan | HarperCollins | January 5, 2021 | MG | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
14. Stella’s Stellar Hair
Yesenia Moises | Imprint | January 5, 2021 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
15. One Step Further: My Story of Math, the Moon, and a Mission
Katherine Johnson | Joylette Hylick | Katherine Moore | Charnelle Pinkney Barlow | January 5, 2021 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
16. Ana & Andrew: Planting Peanuts
Christine Platt | Anuki López | Calico Kid | January 1, 2021 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
17. Flying Free: How Bessie Coleman’s Dreams Took Flight
Karyn Parsons | R. Gregory Christie | Little, Brown BYR | December 1, 2020 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
18. Harlem Grown: How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood
Tony Hillery | Jessie Hartland | Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman | August 18, 2020 | Amazon | Bookshop | Indiebound
19. Sadiq and the Bridge Builders
Siman Nuurali | Anjan Sarkar | Picture Window Books | August 1, 2020 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
20. My Rainy-Day Rocket Ship
Markette Sheppard | Charly Palmer | Denene Millner/S&S BYR | May 5, 2020 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
21. Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon
Kelly Starling Lyons | Laura Freeman | Lee & Low Books | January 14, 2020 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
22. Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner
Janice N. Harrington | Theodore Taylor III | Calkins Creek | November 5, 2019 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
23. Astro Girl
Ken Wilson-Max | Candlewick | September 3, 2019 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
24. Rocket Says Look Up!
Nathan Bryon | Dapo Adeola | Random House BYR | June 25, 2019 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
25. The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just
Mélina Mangal | Luisa Uribe | Millbrook Press | November 1, 2018 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
26. Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen? (Who Was?)
Sherri L. Smith | Who HQ | Jake Murray | Penguin Workshop | August 7, 2018 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
27. President of the Whole Sixth Grade: Girl Code (Bk. 3)
Sherri Winston | Little, Brown BYR | March 6, 2018 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
28. Jada Jones: Rock Star (Bk. 1)
Kelly Starling Lyons | Vanessa Brantley-Newton | Penguin Workshop | September 19, 2017 | Chp Bk | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
29. Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas
Gwendolyn Hooks | Colin Bootman | Lee & Low Books | May 15, 2016 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
30. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba | Bryan Mealer | Elizabeth Zunon | Dial BYR | January 19, 2012 | PB | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound
This year, GivingTuesday is on November 30, 2021. Please consider donating to support our mission to promote awareness of children’s and young adult literature by Black authors.
Amazon/Bookshop/IndieBound Disclosure: BCBA is a participant in the Amazon, Bookshop, and IndieBound Affiliate Programs. The affiliate programs offer participants the opportunity to earn fees by linking to Amazon, Bookshop, and IndieBound websites. Clicking on the book links will direct you away from this site. Thanks for your support!
