STEM, the acronym for “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics” education hasn’t yet graduated from specialist jargon to general public recognition. Still, it offers a pithy way of referring to areas of knowledge that are perceived as under-taught or under-learned (in this country, at least) and yet destined to play a more significant role in daily life as our global society becomes ever more dependent on sophisticated infrastructure and technology. Though STEM subjects often lose their shine in later years, to many younger children they are a consuming interest. Whether tackling tanks or trains, titanic construction projects or toilet paper, the series below are all designed to cater to that interest with stimulating pictures and facts. The better ones may help to fuel and sustain young readers’ fascination with STEM studies.

Preschool-Grade 4

BISKUP, Agnieszka. The Amazing Story of Space Travel: Max Axiom STEM Adventures. ISBN 978-1-4765-0124-6; ISBN 978-1-4765-3456-5.

BOLTE, Mari. The Amazing Story of the Combustion Engine: Max Axiom STEM Adventures. ISBN 978-1-4765-3103-8; ISBN 978-1-4765-3459-6.

ENZ, Tammy. The Amazing Story of Cell Phone Technology: Max Axiom STEM Adventures. ISBN 978-1-4765-0137-6; ISBN 978-1-4765-3457-2.

––––. The Terrific Tale of Television Technology: Max Axiom STEM Adventures. ISBN 978-1-4765-0138-3; ISBN 978-1-4765-3458-9.

ea vol: illus. by Pop Art Properties. 32p. (Graphic Library: STEM Adventures Series). diag. further reading. glossary. index. websites. Capstone. 2013. lib. ed. $29.99; pap. $7.95.

Gr 2-4–Max Axiom, super scientist and Laurence Fishburne lookalike, returns to explain more modern-tech wonders in this fresh set of graphic novel-style episodes. For instance, in Combustion Engine, he breaks down the history and components of the subject for a young relative with a report to write. And in Cell Phone, he squires a buddy from a dead zone in the Grand Canyon to the top of a cell-phone tower. The cartoon art is blurry and wooden, but students with writing assignments will get plenty of help from the lucid explanations, clearly labeled diagrams, and end matter, which includes additional facts and critical-thinking questions.

CHANCELLOR, Deborah. Ambulance Rescue. ISBN 978-1-59920-888-6. LC 2012040044.

––––. Fire Rescue. ISBN 978-1-59920-889-3. LC 2012040280.

––––. Police Rescue. ISBN 978-1-59920-890-9. LC 2012040045.

––––. Sea Rescue. ISBN 978-1-59920-891-6. LC 2012040210.

ea vol: 24p. (Emergency Vehicles Series). glossary. index. photos. websites. Smart Apple Media. 2013. lib. ed. $25.65.

Gr 2-3–Despite hokey sound effects on nearly every spread (“WHOOEE!” “WHUPPPA! CHUPPPA!”), these galleries of rescue vehicles mix salutary doses of information in with the drama. Each volume profiles several types of vehicles–from conventional police cars, boats, and aircraft to Coast Guard vessels and even a fire train. Action photos are paired with pithy but specific captions. Some entries, such as the paramedic and firefighter motorcycles in Ambulance and Fire Rescue respectively, are unlikely to be seen in this country but add unusual diversity. Each volume closes with a mini quiz (short answer, not multiple choice) and a handful of relevant websites.

DEVANEY, Sherri. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway. ISBN 978-1-59953-599-9. LC 2013012256.

FERNANDES, Bonnie Juettner. The Large Hadron Collider. ISBN 978-1-59953-600-2. LC 2013012254.

KALLEN, Stuart A. Burj Khalifa: The Tallest Tower in the World. ISBN 978-1-59953-598-2. LC 2013010659.

––––. The Chunnel. ISBN 978-1-59953-596-8. LC 2013012255.

MILLER, Heather. The Hoover Dam. ISBN 978-1-59953-595-1. LC 2013011169.

––––. The Panama Canal. ISBN 978-1-59953-594-4. LC 2013010631.

NARDO, Don. The Great Wall of China. ISBN 978-1-59953-597-5. LC 2013011172.

––––. The Pyramids of Giza. ISBN 978-1-59953-593-7. LC 2013010630.

ea vol: 48p. (A Great Idea: Engineering Series). diag. further reading. glossary. illus. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Norwood. 2013. lib. ed. $26.60.

Gr 3-5–Blending specific information with dramatic storytelling, these accounts of some of the world’s most ambitious construction projects all capture a sense of their awesome scale. The volumes recount massive obstacles, hazards, worker abuses, and environmental stresses. Other issues are also covered. (“The number of people who died building the Great Wall may have exceeded 1 million.”) Authors highlight the ingenious, often unique, engineering that made each project possible. Enhanced by sidebars, color photos or period images, and helpful resource lists, these titles all make riveting reading.

GORDON, Nick. Monster Cars. ISBN 978-1-60014-935-1. LC 2013006852.

––––. Monster Cranes. ISBN 978-1-60014-936-8. LC 2013002285.

––––. Monster Diggers. ISBN 978-1-60014-937-5. LC 2013003339.

––––. Monster Dump Trucks. ISBN 978-1-60014-938-2. LC 2013006838.

––––. Monster Trains. ISBN 978-1-60014-939-9. LC 2013002286.

––––. Monster Trucks. ISBN 978-1-60014-940-5. LC 2013007616.

ea vol: 24p. (Blastoff! Readers: Monster Machines Series). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Bellwether Media. 2013. lib. ed. $22.95.

Gr 1-2–Aimed at newly fledged readers, these galleries pair barely average quality photos with one- to three-sentence descriptive captions. (“Monster trucks race along tracks. Their tires kick up mud.”) Along with drab or faded colors, the pictures rarely include human figures or some other measure to show scale. Furthermore, the appellation “monster” is overstretched, as Cars is actually about racing cars and Trains includes a random mix of standard passenger locomotives and freight trains. The subjects may be high-interest, but, considering the competition and mediocre production values, this set is supplemental.

HIGGINS, Nadia. Brilliant Beauty Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1089-3; ISBN 978-1-4677-1645-1. LC 2012044144.

––––. Fun Food Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1091-6; ISBN 978-1-4677-1682-6. LC 2012040813.

JACOBSON, Ryan. Exciting Entertainment Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1094-7; ISBN 978-1-4677-1644-4. LC 2012047678.

––––. Marvelous Medical Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1095-4; ISBN 978-1-4677-1684-0. LC 2012041776.

MARSICO, Katie. Stinky Sanitation Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1090-9; ISBN 978-1-4677-1686-4. LC 2012048758.

––––. Tremendous Technology Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1092-3; ISBN 978-1-4677-1690-1. LC 2012046008.

WAXMAN, Laura Hamilton. Fabulous Fashion Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1093-0; ISBN 978-1-4677-1646-8. LC 2012048774.

––––. Terrific Transportation Inventions. ISBN 978-1-4677-1096-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1688-8. LC 2012046912.

ea vol: 32p. (Awesome Inventions You Use Every Day Series). further reading. glossary. illus. index. notes. photos. reprods. websites. Lerner. 2013. lib. ed. $26.60; ebk. $19.95.

Gr 2-4–This set is a browsers’ delight as well as a rich resource for science or pop-history report writers. The volumes each pair breezy but factual accounts of the development of 10 to 12 common items with a mix of modern and period images or photos. Familiar as the inventions are (e.g., blue jeans, Band-Aids, Botox, toilet paper, and instant replay), the stories of their creations are often not so easy to discover. The generous annotated resource lists at the end of each volume add further value.

Grades 5 & Up

DELMAR, Pete. Vehicles of the Civil War. ISBN 978-1-4296-9912-9. LC 2013004801.

FEIN, Eric. Vehicles of World War II. ISBN 978-1-4296-9915-0. LC 2013005608.

FISHKIN, Rebecca Love. Vehicles of the Iraq War. ISBN 978-1-4296-9914-3. LC 2013005531.

LEVINE, Michelle. Vehicles of the Vietnam War. ISBN 978-1-4296-9913-6. LC 2013004802.

SCHAUB, Michelle. Vehicles of World War I. ISBN 978-1-4296-9911-2. LC 2013005619.

ea vol: 32p. (Edge Books: War Vehicles Series). chart. further reading. glossary. illus. index. photos. reprods. websites. Capstone. 2013. lib. ed. $27.32.

Gr 4-6–Small but well-chosen photos give fans of military hardware unusually diverse galleries of transportation in these surveys. Each opens with a quick summary of the featured conflict, then goes on to chapters covering vehicles on land, at sea, and in the air. Brief comments next to each picture specify purposes, speeds, special features, and, history for particular vehicles or vessels. Along with arrays of ironclads and various wagons in Civil War, readers get looks at both renowned and anonymous horses (the latter also put in appearances in the volumes covering both World Wars). A chapter in World War II introduces three experimental aircraft and a prototype drone tank.

KAPLAN, Arie. The Awesome Inner Workings of Video Games. ISBN 978-1-4677-1250-7; ISBN 978-1-4677-1779-3. LC 2013001160.

––––. The Biggest Names of Video Games. ISBN 978-1-4677-1253-8; ISBN 978-1-4677-1780-9. LC 2013002877.

––––. The Brain-Boosting Benefits of Video Games. ISBN 978-1-4677-1251-4; ISBN 978-1-4677-1781-6. LC 2013005139.

––––. The Crazy Careers of Video Game Designers. ISBN 978-1-4677-1249-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1782-3. LC 2013001161.

––––. The Epic Evolution of Video Games. ISBN 978-1-4677-1248-4; ISBN 978-1-4677-1783-0. LC 2012048032.

––––. The Wild World of Gaming Culture. ISBN 978-1-4677-1252-1; ISBN 978-1-4677-1784-7. LC 2013007277.

ea vol: 32p. (ShockZone: Games and Gamers Series). chart. chron. further reading. index. photos. reprods. websites. Lerner. 2013. lib. ed. $26.60; ebk. $19.95.

Gr 4-7–Young gamers who wonder what’s inside their Xboxes or how those dramatic graphics are created will come away from these satisfying volumes with plenty of facts. This set introduces information about software, game engines, famous gaming developers, and careers. The history of video games and gaming’s physical and educational benefits are also covered. The photos are largely energy-boosting filler, but the texts offer specific, up-to-date references and facts. Readers who want to know even more will find the annotated resource lists helpful.

ROBERTSON, Kay. STEM Guides to Construction. ISBN 978-1-62169-844-9; ISBN 978-1-62169-739-8; ISBN 978-1-62169-947-7. LC 2013936449.

––––. STEM Guides to Travel. ISBN 978-1-62169-848-7; ISBN 978-1-62169-743-5; ISBN 978-1-62169-951-4. LC 2013936453.

ea vol: 48p. (STEM Everyday Series). chart. glossary. index. map. photos. reprods. websites. Rourke. 2013. lib. ed. $32.79; pap. $9.95; ebk. $32.79.

Gr 3-7–These relentlessly instructional titles offer superficial quantities of engineering or design information that are transformed on nearly every spread into often-inane math problems. In Travel, for instance, sound’s speed is given as a single number without mention that it will vary in different mediums. In Construction, which introduces structures ranging from Egyptian pyramids to modern homes, readers are invited to calculate how long the Great Wall of China is in feet and figure out what kind of bridge the Verrazano Narrows is. This title also gives arbitrary measures for three bridge types. Neither the ordinary color photos nor closing sets of “Show What You Know” questions give these volumes reader appeal.

Hitting the sweet spot between offering enough eye and mind candy to keep casual browsers riveted and yet also providing sufficient factual content to satisfy both assignment requirements and deeper interest, Lerner’s “Awesome Inventions You Use Every Day” and Norwood’s “A Great Idea: Engineering” are solid first choices. Capstone’s “Graphic Library: STEM Adventures” likewise offers healthy quantities of specific information presented in a graphic format that may draw less-able or willing readers. Including foreign and experimental models along with standard domestic types, both Capstone’s “Edge Books: War Vehicles” and Smart Apple’s “Emergency Vehicles” are unusually large and diverse. Finally, it’s hard to top video gaming as a high-interest topic, but even non-gamers will come away from Lerner’s “ShockZone: Games and Gamers” with a clear understanding of its appeal as well as its history and technology.