Book recommendations from the STEM community
The MINT book club provides tips for reading aloud and reading by yourself. Everyone who is looking for new reading material that deals with MINT topics - sometimes in passing, sometimes very present - will find what they are looking for here.
The MINT book club is also available on the zdi community platform. There you can exchange ideas directly about the newly found reading material.
Why is reading important?
STEM experiments can be an easy route to language. This is also reflected in the work of the zdi networks and zdi student laboratories. This is where practical work together helps to break down language barriers. The approach works just as well the other way around: Embedded in an exciting story with thrilling protagonists, mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology can be conveyed well to all age groups. Small children in particular benefit from impulses that stimulate early childhood curiosity and a thirst for knowledge. Stories serve as an aid to better explaining everyday phenomena. Or experiments are integrated into a narrative in order to inspire the participants beyond the scientific findings.
Besides, reading is just plain healthy, like a American study from 2016 was able to prove: According to the study, frequent reading not only extends life by an average of two years, but also improves emotional intelligence. However, the positive effect can only be seen when reading books, not magazines or newspapers.
What does the AI say about this?
Artificial intelligence is on everyone's lips today, writing texts and creating images and music. We have the chatbot Chat GPT asked why STEM and reading go well together. The answer is obvious:
“Reading is important because it promotes language development and stimulates the imagination. It enables us to put ourselves in other worlds and to deal with other perspectives. It also helps us improve our communication skills and express ourselves.
STEM (mathematics, computer science, science and technology) and reading go well together as both skills promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Reading enables us to understand scientific texts and specialist literature and to grasp the concepts in STEM subjects. It also helps us to deal with complex issues and to put ourselves in the perspective of experts. It promotes concentration and reading skills, which are essential for a successful STEM education.”
We hope you enjoy our book tips and look forward to further book recommendations!
Mathematics
Little People, Big Dreams: Ada Lovelace
The Little People series contains many stories about inspiring scientists, prepared in an appealing way for young and old. Including the story of Ada Lovelace. The mathematician is credited with creating the first computer program.
Recommended from 4 years
Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Insel Verlag
ISBN: 978-3-458-17914-6
Icomputer science
Zoe gambles, Fiete flies! – A story about gaming and friendship
Everyone in Fiete's class has game fever: The new ViiZor console lets you immerse yourself in fantastic worlds, compete against each other in teams and exchange ideas in chat. Fiete's best friend Zoe also plays along and has less and less time for Fiete. How can he win back Zoe and his friends?
The book recognizes gaming and social media as part of the reality of young people's lives and provides food for thought and conversation for families.
Recommended from 9 years
Authors: Wiebke Helmchen & Valentin Krayl
O'Reilly Publishers
ISBN: 978-3-96009-210-0
Nnatural sciences
Newton and the apple of knowledge
Isaac Newton is considered the father of classical mechanics and celestial mechanics; his law of gravitation revolutionized the human view of the universe. Teaching materials and an Antolin quiz about the book can be found on the publisher's website.
Recommended from 11 years
Author: Luca Novelli
Arena publisher
ISBN: 978-3-401-06395-9
Ttechnology
MINT - Knowledge wins! The hands-on book for tomorrow's inventors
The book offers a first insight into the world of inventions and offers opportunities to become active and creative yourself.
The book is beautifully illustrated and it's fun to see my daughter working with it on her own. We also work on some things together. School groups can certainly also be built on the basis of the book.
Wiebke in STEM book club
Recommended from 8 years
Authors: Tom Mumbray, Alice James & Petra Baan
dtv
ISBN: 978-1-78941-390-8
The book recommendation for the zdi annual theme
Sustainable energy management
Fatima's amazing journey to a world without oil
In times of plastic waste in the sea, streets full of cars and global climate emergencies, this book has set itself the task of telling about urgently needed, optimistic future utopias and thus designing a world that will remain worth living in tomorrow.
A knowledge library for looking up the most important background information and facts completes the book, which was produced using the Cradle to Cradle process.
Recommended from 8 years
Author: Jakob Winkler
Knesebeck Verlag
ISBN: 978-3-95728-523-2
Book recommendations by age group
You can use the plus sign to open the recommendations for the respective age group.
Unbreakable: First knowledge: On the construction site
The books from the "First Knowledge" series convey exciting topics from everyday life. "On the construction site" explains questions such as: "What vehicles are actually on the construction site?" Or "Where do the construction workers have breakfast?" The books are made of a particularly robust and waterproof material and are therefore great for looking at yourself, also on the go.
Recommended from 2 years
Authors: Petra Klose & Christian Zimmer
Carlsen publishing house
ISBN: 978-3-551-03607-0
Baby University - Quantum Physics for Babies
The Baby University series provides simple explanations of major discoveries such as the theory of relativity, evolution or even quantum physics. Here children and adults alike experience that the wild world of atoms never stands still.
Recommended from 2 years
Author: Chris Ferrie
Loewe publishing house
ISBN: 978-3-551-03607-0
The Very Hungry Caterpillar - My Nature Book
There is a lot to discover in nature and the same goes for this book! Because it not only contains stories about exciting insects, how seeds become flowers and how rainbows are formed. There are also lots of colorful stickers and coloring pages that are not yet colorful, all accompanied by the very hungry caterpillar.
Recommended from 4 years
Author: Eric Carle
Gerstenberg Publishing
ISBN: 978-3-8369-6049-6
Lindbergh - The adventurous story of a flying mouse
Mousetraps everywhere, many mice flee to America. Even a small, inventive mouse would like to dare to cross the Atlantic - and invents her own flying machine! Lindbergh is the first book in a series of adventurous mouse stories that revolve around the discoveries of great scientists.
Recommended from 5 years
Author: Torben Kuhlman
North South Publisher
ISBN: 978-3-314-10210-3
Kids space atlas with pop-up planet
The space atlas takes you on an exciting journey through our solar system: With full-color illustrations, pop-up planets, pull-out boards and quiz questions, exciting information about the planets can be discovered interactively.
Recommended from 6 years
Dorling Kindersley Publishing
ISBN: 978-3-8310-1768-3
Ada Kraft loves science
Ada Kraft is very curious and has an incredible number of questions. Things tend to go wrong on her excursions and experiments, but Ada doesn't let that throw her off course! After all, the best way to learn is from mistakes.
Recommended from 6 years
Authors: Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
Midas Publisher
ISBN: 978-3-03876-203-4
Our way into space
Insa and Suzanna want to be the first two German women in space. In the book, the two explain what astronaut training looks like and arouse enthusiasm for science and technology. Beginning readers are supported here with many pictures, games and reading puzzles when learning to read.
Recommended from 7 years
Authors: Suzanna Randall, Insa Thiele Eich & Petra Eimer
Oetinger Verlag
ISBN: 978-3-7891-2132-6
Professor Astrokatz - Universe without borders
Professor Astrokatz and his crew explore the universe and its mysteries with lots of fun and colour. In addition to the universe, you can also discover your own body and the deep sea with Professor Astrokatz and become a physics expert.
Recommended from 7 years
Authors: Ben Newman & Dominic Walliman
North South Publisher
ISBN: 978-3-314-10249-3
The turd factory
The processes of digestion: clearly a part of biology! The children Pim and Polly take a tour of the turd factory - from the control room at the top to the acid bath of the stomach and the rollercoaster-like ride through the intestine down to the gatekeepers of the rectum.
Recommended from 7 years
Authors: Marja Baseler & Annemarie van den Brink
Klett children's book
ISBN: 978-3-95470-188-9
Atlas of Explorers
Courageous women who realized their dreams and overcame borders have existed in every era. This book tells the journeys of 22 extraordinary female explorers whose names are otherwise rarely found in comparable books. A detailed review of the book can be found at MINT book club on the zdi community platform!
Recommended from 7 years
Authors: Riccardo Francaviglia & Margherita Sgarlata
Midas children's book
ISBN: 978-3-03876-240-9
My friend Roxy
Expert Kenza Ait Si Abbou explains the topic of artificial intelligence in an understandable and fun way. Lili and Roxy are best friends, Lili is a girl and Roxy is a robot. This book tells how Lili gets the initially damaged Roxy running and how the two learn to talk to each other.
Recommended from 8 years
Authors: Kenza Ait Si Abbou & Meike Töpperwien
Tulipan publisher
ISBN: 978-3-86429-540-9
Completely miscounted?
Paul is a show off. By claiming to be able to count up to 10 million, he puts a crown on the bragging rights. But Paul tries everything to actually make it and even becomes famous in the process!
Written in a language that even children who have difficulty reading can understand.
Recommended from 9 years
Author: Melvin Burgess
Beltz Publishing Group
ISBN: 978-3-407-81292-6
Astrophysics, the universe and all the rest
From the basics of physics to big questions about space and time: The book brings its readers closer to the mysteries of the universe with understandable explanations and more than 40 color photos and infographics.
The book explains what happens in space in a way that I could understand too!
Miko in STEM book club
Recommended from 10 years
Authors: Neil deGrasse Tyson & Gregory Mone
Financial book publisher
ISBN: 978-3-95972-486-9
the universe
In this book, six female astrophysicists explain the basics of astronomy in a way that is easy to understand. The explanations are embedded in poems, legends, stories from research and suggestions for DIY, as well as atmospheric images.
Recommended from 10 years
Authors: Simona Gallerani, Maria C. Orofino, Edwige Pezzulli, Tullia Sbarrato, Raffaella Schneider, Rosa Valiante, Silvia Vecchini, Alice Beniero
Carlsen publishing house
ISBN: 978-3-95972-486-9
Christian and the number artists
Mathematical hater Christian has to spend the holidays with his aunt, the mathematician Ursula, at Professor Primo's summer academy in Tuscany. A thriller about prime numbers, secret codes and encryptions unfolds, which enables a first introduction to the topic of cryptography and lets numbers appear in a completely new light. A teaching model for the book can also be found on the publisher's website.
Recommended from 11 years
Authors: Albrecht Beutelspacher & Thomas M. Müller
dtv
ISBN: 978-3-423-62332-2
WHAT IS WHAT Science easy! Chemistry. Reactive!
What chemical reactions take place when fried eggs are fried? How does the color get into the crackling fireworks? And where do we encounter atomic compounds and chemical elements in everyday life? The book from the popular "What is what" series provides answers to these questions.
Recommended from 11 years
Author: Manfred Baur
Tessloff Publishing
ISBN: 978-3-7886-7700-8
Good Night Stories for Little Girls
The book tells the stories of 100 impressive women, across centuries and continents. Curious explorers, clever researchers, creative geniuses and courageous activists provide role models for children, young people and adults alike. Each story is provided with a very individual illustration and the last page provides space for your very own rebellious story.
Recommended from 12 years
Authors: Francesca Cavallo & Elena Favilli
Carl Hanser Verlag
ISBN: 978-3-446-25690-3
Hubble
For the 30th anniversary of the famous space telescope in 2020, this illustrated book contains "Breathtaking images from space" in large format. In addition to around 300 color and 30 black-and-white photos, there are also 20 color drawings. Easy-to-understand texts accompany the recordings and make what you see understandable: about the birth of stars, the hearts of distant galaxies and the traces of dark matter.
Author: Dirk H. Lorenzen
cosmos publisher
EAN: 978-3-440-16496-9
How to philosophize with fire
Natural scientist and philosopher Jens Soentgen tells exciting stories about substances, alchemists and chemists and awakens a passion for chemistry in experiments for the fearless.
The book (...) is not only interesting for MINT fans, but also for young people who are interested in history or social sciences. Oh yes, and for adults too...
Recommended by Veronica G.
Authors: Jens Soentgen & Vitali Konstantinov
Peter Hammer Publishing
ISBN: 978-3-7795-0526-6
Funny, all chemical!
The scientist and journalist Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim explains which chemical processes are hidden everywhere in our everyday lives and how they work. A daily routine serves as a common thread that leads the reader through the world of organic, inorganic and physical chemistry.
Author: Dr. Mai Thi Nguyen Kim
Droemer HC Publishing
ISBN: 978-3-426-27767-6
The climate book
In Greta Thunberg's book, over a hundred scientists have their say and use their expertise to illuminate the various aspects of the climate crisis: from geophysics to mathematics, economics and oceanography to philosophy. Greta Thunberg also describes her experiences as an activist against climate change. The book offers a detailed introduction and a basic reference work on the subject of climate change.
Author: Greta Thunberg
Fisher publishers
ISBN: 978-3-10-397189-7
A matter of chemistry
Elisabeth Zott would like to become a chemist. But in 1961 no one believed a woman capable of this. Despite this, Elisabeth goes her own way and lives her passion for chemistry. However, not in the laboratory, but in the TV studio of the cooking show "Eating at six". Because for Elisabeth Zott, cooking is chemistry. And chemistry means a change of states!
Author: Bonnie Garmus
Piper publishing house
EAN: 978-3-492-07109-3
Didn't find what you were looking for?
You can find more book recommendations on these pages:
Book recommendations of the month for children's and youth books from the state education server Baden-Württemberg with an archive that goes back to the year 2003.
The STEM story set from four stories on the topics of mathematics, acoustics, colors and astronomy was put together for the project "Reading, Marveling, Researching - the MINT story set for day-care centers" - implemented by the Klaus Tschira Foundation and the Reading Foundation. In addition to topic-related book recommendations, there is also extensive accompanying material.
General book tips from the Reading Foundation in the field of nature and technology can be found here .
A summary of various directories and recommendation lists has put together the working group of youth book publishers eV.
STEM book club
On zdi community platform all bookworms can talk about their current reading, share their favorite books and give each other book tips. Here's to STEM book club:
Is your favorite book missing from our list?
Please contact us!
