By Sara E. Hoffmann, School & Library Series Managing Editor
January 17 is a red-letter day in the world of STEAM! It’s Ben Franklin Day and Kid Inventors’ Day. Libraries can celebrate these occasions today—and all year through!—by encouraging kids to try their hand at their own inventing and/or creative projects, whether those projects be science, technology, engineering, arts, or math-focused.
The following Lerner resources just may spark ideas for projects kids might take on in the makerspaces in their own school and public libraries. They also make fun reads in and of themselves.
Coding, Bugs, and Fixes
Young coding enthusiasts can learn all the coding basics in this lively and accessible book. Everything from algorithms, loops, bugs, and fixes is explained.
Write and Record Your Own Songs
Know a budding singer or songwriter? This book will be right up their alley. Young people will discover how to write and refine songs, record their original creations, and safely share their work with potential fans.
Writing Fantastic Fiction
This book is all about the A in STEAM, and aspiring authors will devour every word. They’ll find guidance for choosing a subject, jumping into freewriting, and organizing their ideas. Writing tools such as a writing map and tips for editing round out the offering.
Kitchen Math
Kids who love math and/or cooking will find a happy home in these pages. The kids in this book are making tasty recipes—and they need math to finish the job. Readers can join in the fun as the kids convert measurements, calculate cooking times, and more.
The Unofficial Guide to Coding with Minecraft
Perhaps you’ve heard of a little game called Minecraft. It’s kind of popular these days! In this book, readers can explore the smash hit video game through screenshots, fun graphics, and step-by-step coding activities.
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