Back to School Books : STEAM

Science
Technology
Engineering
Art
Math. Or, is it music?

The longer I live, the more I understand how science and math perfect art and music as much as engineering and technology. I see the art in math and science through the golden ratio, algorithms, and other mathematic principles. The best made quilts understand the science of color and geometry as they work to balance proportion and shape to keep the eye moving over an aesthetically pleasing creation. Oh, and the beauty of cell structures, paw prints, and clouds! All of these aspects of the natural world are as diverse as the people who study them. So, let’s be sure our young people know we’ve always part of this beautiful world, and always will be.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Young Adult Edition Gregory Mone (adapter) Rebecca Skloot. Knopf, 2011.
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine: The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, which are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family—past and present—is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

The Color of Food: Stories of Race, Resilience and Farming by Natasha Bowens.  New Society Publishers, 2015.
The Color of Food seeks to challenge the status quo of agrarian identity. Author, photographer and biracial farmer Natasha Bowens’ quest to explore her own roots in the soil leads her to unearth a larger story, weaving together the seemingly forgotten history of agriculture for people of color, the issues they face today, and the culture and resilience they bring to food and farming. The Color of Food teaches us that the food and farm movement is about more than buying local and protecting our soil. It is about preserving culture and community, digging deeply into the places we’ve overlooked, and honoring those who have come before us.

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adultsa; Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith. Zest Books, 2022
This new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest teachers: the plants around us. With informative sidebars, reflection questions, and art from illustrator Nicole Neidhardt, Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults highlights how acknowledging and celebrating our reciprocal relationship with the earth results in a wider, more complete understanding of our place and purpose.

Wall to Wall Mural Art Around the World by Mary Ann Fraser. Getty Publications; 2024
In Wall to Wall, award-winning author, illustrator, and muralist Mary Ann Fraser takes readers on a worldwide journey through time, stopping to see amazing mural art along the way. Stunning color illustrations and fascinating photographs illuminate both famous and little-known examples, and lighthearted text tells engaging stories about the people who inspired or created them. A glossary, selected bibliography, and section about the preservation of murals conclude the book. No reader will ever again pass by a mural—whether in a historic building, a museum, or out on the street—without stopping to take a closer look.

Asian American Women in Science: An Asian American History Book for Kidsy by Tina Cho. Callisto Kids, 2022.
Open up this Asian American children’s book and meet some of the scientists who helped pave the way. Find out how people like inventor Alice Min Soo Chun and computer programmer Josephine Jue designed amazing new technology and spent time educating others.

Learn about doctors like Joan Block and Jacqueline Whang-Peng who revolutionized how we treat diseases like hepatitis B and cancer.

Discover how botanist Roseli Ocampo-Friedmann and mathematician Angelita Castro-Kelly changed the way we think about outer space.

Dive into a world of inspiring women with this science-focused entry into Asian American books for kids.

Be well and do good!

Filed under: Book List