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Tech Innovation
A self-published title which uses an engaging format. Primarily presented as a story, each page contains a ‘fun fact’ about 3D printing, combining story telling with factual information. The story features two young characters, who learn about 3D printing by investigating how the printer could be creating designs without instructions from a human designer! It also highlights concepts of security and access, as the printer has been remotely accessed as a ‘prank’.
Author: Sarah Walden
Publisher: Noodle Juice Ltd
The Little Book of Big Ideas: What is Technology? from Noodle Juice is a delightful addition to a series that tackles big topics in a fun, accessible way. Each chapter dives into a key question about technology, offering answers that are as colourful and engaging as the book itself. With vibrant illustrations and clear, concise explanations, this book helps make complex ideas feel simple, exciting and approachable for younger readers. The journey begins with a “back to basics” look at what technology is, before guiding readers through its evolution over time and into the future. From the earliest tools to the latest breakthroughs, The Little Book of Big Ideas offers a bright and lively exploration of how technology has shaped our world with consideration given to the impact on the environment and society as a whole. The combination of easy-to-understand text and dynamic illustrations makes it a fantastic conversation starter—perfect for sharing with friends, family or classmates.The Little Book of Big Ideas is a captivating read that simplifies technology in a way that’s both educational and entertaining. Whether the reader is a tech enthusiast or a youngster who is just curious about how the world works, this book is sure to spark conversation and inspire new ways of thinking.
Author: Sarah Walden
Publisher: Noodle Juice Ltd
This steady picture book is about a Wolf who find the instructions to build an amazing new machine. She travels through the story, helping those she meets by repairing things and eventually finds all the components she needs to build the machine. It is a pleasant story of friendship with themes of invention, technology and repair. It has lovely illustrations and some interesting flaps/ peek-through holes.
Author: Barry Timms
Publisher: Little Tiger Press
What a wonderful introduction to the behind the scenes technology that we enjoy on a daily basis. This book cleverly weaves technology throughout the ages of theatre, film and TV industries. The contents is laid out in colourful blocks and so will appeal to any reader, specific terminology is explained so children and parents can access it. The creativity in this book makes it a joy to read and the insight into the technology used in these industries brings a lovely reality of how technology has evolved throughout the years, particularly in the film and TV section. After taking us on a journey through the expressive arts, this book then delves into the careers associated with these industries. The detail is very impressive when clearly explaining the job, how it fits in it’s genre and importantly the skills you need to do this job, touching on the technology side but not going ‘over-the-top’, potentially more detail could be added here but it’s probably pitched right for the age group. On the whole, this book is a celebration of creativity within the arts with a clear educational tread and a lovely nod to technology within this sector.
Author: Sarah Walden
Publisher: Noodle Juice
A celebration of music throughout different cultures and time periods, this book does not disappoint. It guides the reader with comprehensive snippets that digest different aspects of music and musical terminology. It introduces the reader to types of instuments and neatly packages this information in ‘family groups’ making it very easy to make connections.The book also explores genres of music and perhaps introduces the reader to styles they might not have heard before, sparking interest and curiosity. Technology is explored throughout in terms of devices to listen and appreciate music, technology is very present in all the artwork throughout the book although it’s not explicitly explored. Careers in music and skills needed are explored and the last few pages give actionable tasks for the reader who wants to take their passion in music further. This book was also edited by a music teacher.
Author: Sarah Walden
Publisher: Noodle Juice
The “Ollie Spark” series of fiction books are filled with machines, mysteries and mayhem! It is illustrated with drawings, plans, diagrams, maps and documents, which demonstrate the equipment and approach used by Ollie to solve problems and use technology, science and engineering. It is a faced paced spy-adventure, Ollie must use all his skills and knowledge to save the city and his aunt!
Authors: Gillian Cross and Alan Snow
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Owen enthusiastically enters a competition and has his eye on the prize of a robot. Owen imagines that winning a robot would solve all his problems, like his pesky mother always making him do things he doesn’t want to… like eat all his breakfast or tidy his room. Having a robot would make life so much easier, he thinks. would control and make it do exactly what he wants like cleaning and picking up after him and best of all, they never get tired. When Owen wins the prize, he is excited and can’t wait to tell the robot what to do because there are so many things he wants. Owen is in for a surprise when things don’t go according to plan. Find out what happens next …This book is about a boy, his robot and how it is controlled. You will learn about the importance of giving clear and precise instructions when programming and the results that occur when a robot is given an instruction or command that is vague or unspecific.
Authors: Laurel Gale and Susanna Covelli
Publishers: Familius LLC
Move over fire-breathing dragons – Daphne is here to breathe life into numbers! From the imaginative mind of Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic and the vibrant illustrations of John Skewes, this is a story where data becomes pure magic.
My 6-year-old and I were captivated by Daphne’s creative way of turning numbers into stories through colorful visuals. This book is a brilliant introduction to how data can be powerful and exciting when presented the right way.
As a data visualisation specialist, I loved seeing a hero who uses data to solve problems, inspiring kids to explore the incredible world of data. The engaging story and stunning illustrations made learning about graphs feel fun, interactive, and empowering for both kids and parents!
This picture book introduces children to Data Science in an accessible way, using American English and US dollars. Simple text and clear illustrations make it appealing to children. Characters ask questions and collect data in their neighborhood to help their lemonade stand succeed. Their mother explains how this relates to data in the wider world, including computers, self-driving cars, and industries like retail, health, and delivery. This content aligns with curriculum expectations for Data Handling for 7-11 year olds.
A concern worth noting is that the children in this book go out on their own, speaking to strangers in the park and setting up a lemonade stand with no adult supervision. So we would recommend highlighting this safety concern with any children you share this book with. This could also lead into wider conversations about speaking to strangers, both offline and online. We have reviews of a range of Online Safety books to support these conversations. See these here.
If you are looking for an unplugged activity book about data science, this is for you! Written in American English, this book takes the form of an engaging narrative about 10 year old Pariza, her family and her data nerd father Abbu, who sets out to explore opportunities for drawing 12 data visualisations inspired by relatable events from their everyday lives and ask questions to encourage interpretation.
It is set out in chapters for each visualisation with a “Story” which follows Pariza and introduces the new concept, “Time Out” which explains the purpose of each and “Your Turn to Play” which gives ideas that the reader can use to apply their newly acquired knowledge.
Clear explanations, step-by-step instructions and illustrations for all of the different data visualisations mean that there is scope for independent activity or support for grown ups who might need a bit of a reminder.
Drawing Data With Kids finds a way to weave instruction and storytelling to create an interactive manual to inspire the next generation of data scientists which encourages readers to get stuck in and use their creativity to visualise data in their own lives.
Online Safety
This picture book is cleverly designed and written so that it reads like many other books for this age group, whilst introducing key Online Safety messages at an age appropriate level. It’s a perfect way into conversations about not meeting up with people who are only online ‘friends’, how easy it is to accidentally spend money online and keeping personal information safe.
A great book for helping children to explore the digital world. With the current focus on smart phones and screen free time, it is good to have a book which talks about smart phones. An excellent book for learning about digital citizenship. Recommended for the home and school bookshelf.
Gets straight into technical topics (eg, multi-factor authentication is covered in chapter 1). It addresses topics teenagers will have covered at school, such as cyber-bullying and follow requests, but also a range of practical topics that get less emphasis. It goes beyond smartphones and considers a range of devices including smart speakers, and use of public and private wi-fi networks. It ends by highlighting potential cyber security careers.
This is a beautifully crafted book suited for Key Stage 1. Perfect for teachers and parents who want to target online content and if it is real or made up. Children are introduced to a fictional character called ‘Penguin Pig’ and an excitable little girl who reads of an exciting creature. Finding out about him online she decides to go ahead and meet the infamous ‘Penguin Pig’.
The illustrations are bold and eye catching and keep children interest. It encourages choral speaking and is well paced to get children involved. It is a great way of tackling the issue of what we read and see online is not necessarily true and should be believed.
Author: Stuart Spendlow
Publisher: Mathom House
Within this well illustrated book pupils meet two mischievous billy goats who come into the possession of mobile phone that does not belong to them. It follows the ongoing misuse of the phone and the consequences of using technology irresponsibly. The main focus on cyberbullying. The text is well paced and really focuses on the victim of negative online behaviour. The text does target two mischievous boys so this would be something that would have to be addressed. A great book for young readers.
Author: Jeanne Willis
Publisher: Andersen Press
Timmy’s Monster Diary is written by a paediatrician, and will appeal to children because of its informal, diary style language. Written from the viewpoint of Timmy, a monster with a love of gaming on his tablet computer (Zaplet), the reader learns how excessive time spent on screen affects other things that Timmy loves doing, such as playing his favourite sport (garbageball) and spending time with his family. It also affects his sleep, friendships and his schoolwork. Gradually, with some help, Timmy develops techniques for managing his time and, by the end of the book, he is much happier and has control of his time so his days are spent doing more of the things he enjoys most.
The refreshing approach taken in this book gives children and their parents practical approaches to managing screen time, without demonising technology, gaming, or screens. At the end of the book, Timmy still plays his tablet game, and enjoys it, but is presented as much more relaxed. He has learnt that he can control his screen time, not the other way around.
The book also includes helpful advice for parents about how the techniques Timmy uses can be applied to real life families.
Authors: Annette Sexton and Raun Melmed
Publisher: Familius LLC
Careers and Inventions
This lovely board book looks at how technology is used by a range of roles, covering ships captain, pilot, traffic officer and weather forecaster. It introduces a range of terminology associated with each role, including the equipment and technology they use. There is a diverse range of people demonstrated in the roles, and it emphases that many roles are supported by technology and information.
This book introduces young children to a possible career path they might not have known about and could particularly appeal to those interested in video games. The vocabulary introduces them to a variety of new technical words, and the book includes a glossary to support their understanding of these terms. The reading level is simple enough for children to grasp the content. Text is complemented by photographs featuring people from varied ethnic backgrounds, as well as both men and women. The book belongs to the ‘Careers in STEM’ series, which are ideal for shared reading between children and adults. Together, they can explore various job aspects, connections to other careers, and the role of technology in the broader world.
The Careers Handbook covers careers in 15 sectors of the economy. It is a really comprehensive look at a wide range of roles. Within “Information Technology and computing”, it highlights 8 different roles, including web designer, systems analyst, cyber security analyst and network engineer. It is great to see a range of roles highlighted, not just software developers and game designers. For each role it provides an accessible overview and discusses skills, career paths and related roles. It has a really engaging layout, and uses icons, graphics and colour.
A great A-Z of modern jobs. Some are clearly tech jobs such as a Java Developer, Laser Tech, Robot, Tech and X-Ray Tech. Then there are references to other tech related things such as a colour wheel, which can give way to conversations around hex codes. There is also an image with fonts, for example, Sans Serif, this too can be a jumping off point for tech conversations. All the jobs mentioned in the book also have a tech aspect, and this can be developed in class or home discussions, for example, how does a biologist use tech in their job. This book is also wonderfully illustrated. The end of the book also provides additional value with a list of career research questions.
Author: Laura Carter
Publisher: Familius
This is the third book in the “Leonora Bolt – Secret inventor” series. Black and white illustrations throughout this book bring to life the silly inventions and applications of technology. Leonora must use her gadgets and invention skills to help rescue her super-scientist parents. The theme of using technology to help problems such as climate change is clear throughout. It is a fun and fast paced adventure using science and technology.
Author: Lucy Brandt
Publisher: Puffin
This book is a vibrant introduction to game design for young readers. It simplifies game creation, from concept art to coding, with engaging explanations and colourful illustrations.
It has clear language and interactive visuals, the book introduces various industry roles, making it ideal for children curious about game development. It’s a quick yet insightful read, recommended for both aspiring developers and reluctant readers. A fun and informative guide, it offers a perfect first look into the world behind video games.
Author: Denis Galanin
Publisher: Familius LLC
Artificial Intelligence
The Little AI Engineer uses a conversational tone to interact with and inform young readers. It poses questions, and sometimes includes space for children to capture their own thoughts, ideas and reflections. It introduces and defines key terms and highlights a range of every-day uses of AI. It gives examples of AI that children may use, such as facial recognition, auto-correct, search engines and social media. Some thoughts and suggestions for parents/ teachers are included – such as prompting discussions around ethical use of AI, its uses and limitations. There are lots of pictures throughout using multiple drawing styles.
Real world examples of AI usage. Great simple to understand depiction of how machine learning works. The historical timeline of AI is good as it provides the reader with an understanding of how we have arrived here in the 4th industrial revolution. A glossary is also included. Great for the school or home bookshelf.
Regardless of your knowledge level about AI and machine learning, this book will enhance your understanding. It begins with a recap of stories from the Netflix documentary “Coded Bias,” introducing AI and machine learning terminology. Joy provides excellent descriptions of key aspects throughout the book. The narrative then delves deeper into computer vision and its ethical considerations. Boulamwini’s internal struggles with creating a dataset and the ‘power to label’ stand out. She found this power unsettling and explains the ethical concerns related to data classification extensively. This self-questioning approach is crucial for handling datasets ethically. However, it raises the question of how many would take similar care in creating and classifying datasets, or if they would overlook the biases involved. This book is factual, thought-provoking, and essential for understanding the impact of AI systems on the world and its inhabitants. Additionally, it offers delightful snippets of life at the MIT Media Lab and the Lifelong Kindergarten group, where the popular programming language Scratch was created by Mitch Resnick and his team. A must-read for anyone interested in the ethical implications of AI and machine learning. Get Reading!
A perfect pocket companion for the older child and for grownups. Learn about the origins of AI and ponder upon the possibilities and impact that this disruptive tech can have on all societies. Lots of historical information beautifully presented such as The Turing test, which learners would have covered at school. This makes this book perfect for forming a link between home and school.
Author: Michael Wooldridge
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Sustainability
This attractive book delivers a poignant and thought-provoking message about environmental responsibility. The Earth, once vibrant and full of life, has lost its colours due to human actions, and in a heartfelt plea, it turns to children for help. While the cover bursts with brightness, the illustrations within take on a muted tone, reinforcing the key message of the story. The narrative encourages young readers to reflect on the impact of past generations and explore creative ways to help the Earth find its colours. Beyond its powerful message, the book also engages children with fun, interactive activities that incorporate problem-solving and computational thinking, making it both educational and inspiring. A compelling read that manages to tackle real world environmental issues with a message of hope and action.
Author: Yasemin Allsop
Publisher: Wambrook Publishing
Robotics
Set in the future, where human childern travel to school in flying vehicles and learn alongside young cyborg children. It explores friendships and the relationship between humans and robots. It considers how learning environments might change as a result of technology and explores potential fears about ‘robots taking over‘. It also includes how everyday activities like sleeping and eating will evolve as technology continues to develop, and introduces ideas such as floating ice cream and teleportation. It is a fun story with lots of opportunity for wider discussion about the future of technology and how humans and machines will interact.
Author: Rebecca Patterson
Publisher: Andersen Press
Coding
With 10 fantastic projects, this book is a great way of introducing physical computing, which will lead to being able to create your own cool projects. The activities in this book will spark the creator in children and encourage them to start thinking about the world around them and solving real world problems. There are some great activities such as a trespasser alarm, learning how to build this on your own gives an appreciation of intruder detection systems that we see every day around us.
You will need to purchase a micro:bit device to complete the activities within. These are low cost. The activities will help you to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds. Also – parents, introducing this type of hands on activity helps your young learner with careers in design, engineering and technology. This book has a glossary with lots of key terminology. Educational and Fun.
Author: Dan Aldred
Publisher: In Easy Steps Limited
Coding With Scratch – Make 3D Games and Graphics is a great addition to The QuestKids series, perfect for children eager to expand their coding and game design skills. Like previous books in the series, it features vibrant illustrations and easy-to-follow diagrams, making complex concepts approachable for young learners.
Following on from Coding With Scratch – Create Awesome Platform Games, this book introduces new ways to build interactive 3D environments, making it best suited for children aged 9 and up. As they work through the carefully structured tasks, they’ll bring to life projects such as 3D Chicken, Skyscraper, and City Driver, each presenting fresh challenges in digital creation. Each project includes dedicated challenges that prompt children to explore their own ideas, make creative choices, and gain confidence in their coding skills.
Overall, Coding With Scratch – Make 3D Games and Graphics is an exciting, hands-on introduction to the world of 3D coding for kids. With clear instructions, engaging projects, and a great balance between learning and fun, it’s a fantastic next step for young gamers and aspiring programmers looking to enhance their skills.
Author: Max Wainewright
Publisher: In Easy Steps
Create awesome platform games is part of The QuestKids series, which are fantastic books for any child with an interest in coding or game design. Like other books in the series, it uses bright, colourful illustrations and clear diagrams to guide children through a series of increasingly complex projects to design and make their own games.
Text is kept to a minimum to support accessibility but there is some reading required, meaning the book is most suitable for children aged 7 and upwards. Children using this book will work their way through carefully designed tasks, which gradually increase in difficulty, creating games such as ‘Space Dog’, ‘Monkey City’ and ‘Haunted House’, which will feel familiar to any children who have platform games such as the Mario series. The final part of the book is more open-ended, allowing readers to be more creative with their games, making their own decisions about certain aspects, whilst still providing enough guidance to support understanding.
Overall, Coding with Scratch – Create Awesome Platform Games is a fun and inspiring way to get kids into coding. It strikes a great balance between learning and play, with clear steps, exciting projects, and just the right amount of challenge. If you’ve got a young gamer or future coder at home, this book is a great pick to get them started.
Author: Max Wainewright
Publisher: In Easy Steps Limited
This book fills a gap in the available Scratch learning resources on the market. It empowers children to explore more advanced concepts and create more visually impressive projects. 3D game development can be challenging, but this book makes it accessible and fun, fostering creativity, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of how computer graphics work.
Author: Max Wainewright
Publisher: In Easy Steps Limited
Budding coders will be enthralled to learn to programme and create computer games along side these appealing and relatable characters. Young people can become proficient programmers by developing their knowledge of real world programming language in practical and easy to understand steps. The strength of this book lies in the ways that steps of learning are organised in bitesize chunks; these are made up of clearly articulated visual prompts accompanied by specified text. Users will find these prompts immensely supportive because they exactly match the steps that they are carrying out themselves on their own computer screens and its easy to go back and find a step that has been missed out. They can even start, stop, have a break and then carry on. The clearly arranged screen makes it possible to see both text editor (the place where you will build your program – input) and the browser (the webpage where characters and things created move around – output). This book offers a comprehensive way for learning programming and developing the essential critical thinking skills needed to build imaginative and unique computer games. What a brilliant a way to get started!
Author: Max Wainewright
Publisher: In Easy Steps Limited
Coders at the beginning of their journey into text based programming will love this book. This book acts as an excellent transition between blocked based code and text based programming. Learners will be thrilled to learn how to program in Python, but do so using essential programming concepts that they are likely to already be familiar with, like: sequence, loops, selection and variables. Users will learn how to do this using familiar learning themes and algorithms that they have come across before but in a different porgramming environment e.g. Scratch. Young people can strengthen their skills by moving on to creating pictures in python and defining their own procedures too. Awesome!
Author: Max Wainewright
Publisher: In Easy Steps Limited
Gaming
Designed for young learners, this book simplifies complex concepts and makes coding fun. Python is an excellent programming language for beginners, including children, because of its simple and readable syntax. Learning Python can serve as a solid foundation for understanding more complex programming languages in the future. Additionally, Python is widely used in various fields, including web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and more, making it a valuable skill for future career opportunities.
A perfect off screen way to support interest in gaming. Part of a trilogy with a Minecraft theme. This was written by the author when he was seventeen years old. That in itself is an inspiration for children who need encouragement to merge the worlds of tech and books. A good way to help develop creative and critical thinking, while enjoying an adventure story.
Into the Game – is the first in an ongoing series of official Minecraft books, which will really appeal to children of this age group who love playing Minecraft themselves. The main character group is made up of both boys and girls, each with their own personality, to appeal to a range of readers. One of the main characters is also in a wheelchair, but this rarely mentioned, which means his character is not defined by his disability. The book refers to exciting aspects of possible future technology, mostly with a focus on virtual reality, such as attending school virtually, or shopping through VR. The story ends on a cliff-hanger, which means I can’t wait to read the next one…!
This series is filled with humour, challenges and gaming adventures that capture the excitement of Roblox. The diary format, complete with short entries and funny commentary, makes it especially easy to dip in and out of. Readers will also enjoy the way the stories mirror the games they play online, creating a strong sense of connection.
Author: Ari Avatar
Publisher: Scholastic
These early chapter books are bursting with comic style art featuring Super Rabbit Boy as he dashes through levels, defeats villains and saves the day. The short chapters and bold illustrations support children who are moving into chapter books for the first time. The playful tone and clear structure also give readers confidence as they follow along with the adventure.
Author: Thomas Flintham
Publisher: Nosy Crow Ltd
This lively nonfiction book explores the evolution of video games from Pong and Pac-Man to Minecraft and beyond, with plenty of quirky trivia and fascinating stories. The conversational writing style makes complex ideas easy to understand and fun to read. It is a perfect choice for sparking discussions about technology and how games have shaped culture.
Author: Dustin Hansen
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
A high energy adventure where Jesse is pulled inside a video game filled with alien battles, puzzles and bosses at every turn. The short chapters and illustrations keep the story moving quickly and are especially appealing to reluctant readers. Children will also enjoy the mix of danger, teamwork and comedy that makes the series so addictive.
Author: Dustin Brady
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Stranded in the Minecraft universe, the hero must explore, craft and survive against creepers, zombies and lava while learning resilience and creativity along the way. The detailed storytelling gives extra depth for readers ready to move beyond simple game tie-ins. It is also available as an audiobook, narrated with humour and energy by none other than the actor Jack Black!
Author: Max Brooks
Publisher: Arrow/ Penguin
Coming soon…
Digital Citizenship
A great picture book that introduces and talks to children in an age appropriate way about data protection, the use of data and the impact of data upon and in their lives. Conversations around digital literacy can never start too early. This is a wonderful book that should take its place on home and school bookshelves.
A non-fiction book, easy to read and introduces some storytelling elements by looking at the history and evolution of robots and AI. The role of science fiction is also highlighted in the development of new technologies, with discussion of ides such as Asimov’s 3 laws of robotics. It goes slightly beyond the remit mentioned in the title, to introduce the concepts of big data, the internet of things and virtual reality. It presents concepts such as algorithms, smart homes and self-driving cars in an engaging way, with both photos and illustrations.
The two main characters of this fiction book are a boy and girl (twins) that readers who have an interest in technology, and particularly gaming, will relate to. The author uses humour throughout to engage the audience, but balances this with enough emotion to bring the characters to life, making them believable and ensuring the story feels meaningful. Whilst the technology in this book would definitely be described as ‘science fiction’ – or even magic (characters control each other using a video game controller) – there are frequent references to well known real-life video games as well as other cultural references such as YouTube and Amazon, which will again appeal to readers in this age bracket. At times, the book is in danger of reinforcing gender stereotypes, as well as other stereotyping such as ‘nerds’, ‘bullies’, and messages around self-esteem related to body image. But this feels deliberate, to help readers relate to the feelings of the characters, and is balanced by the book’s ending, which emphasises the importance of believing in yourself and not pretending to be someone you’re not. There are other more subtle challenges to gender stereotypes too, such as the female twin being better at playing video games, while the male twin prefers to style their hair and clothes. With its humour (including just the right level of toilet humour for this age group), excitement and variety of funny characters, this book is likely to appeal to gamers who are already keen readers, as well as those who may not usually read as much.
Set in the future, a new clean, digital city (Estella) has been built above the polluted wreckage of London. Citizens are monitored at all times, and most entertainment is virtual, via advanced immersive games. The book paints a clear future of a tech-driven society, with no policing, advanced medical technology and explores how education, housing, transport and even friendships might look in a more digitally-integrated future. The main character, Alara is a digital quest champion, trying to earn a better life for her family. It explores interesting and thought provoking themes about how society might function in future (both better… and worse!).
Author: Rachel Delahaye
Publisher: Troika Books
Have you ever thought about why it’s good for companies for us to spend time on our screens, or what those three letter slang terms actually are so that you can then talk about it with your young person? Then this could be the book for you!
Written with teens in mind, it blends humour, facts and trivia to uncover what’s behind some of the big issues around smartphones and online life and how they impact our lives. The real life examples share lived examples of both positive and negative events and their outcomes. It gets the reader to think about how the issues might be affecting them and provides a toolkit to make healthy research-informed decisions about their own device use.
Yes, this book looks at the negative impacts of online life, but it does also highlight the potential positives of online life and offers steps to reach that goal. Although this is written for teens, I learned some really interesting facts, such as how Bluetooth gets its name from a very surprising source. If you want to know where; you’ll have to read The Phone Book to find out!
Author: Jessica Speer
Publisher: Familius LLC
A gentle, Christmassy story, with simple illustrations, could be read by children themselves or shared as a family. Santa completes his usual tasks, with a tech twist, such as accessing his list of children on his tablet computer, and scanning codes on the gifts instead of ticking them off. When his tablet stops working, he is helped by a young girl, who also shows her generous side, by offering her gift to another child who would otherwise have been missed. Technology only plays a small part in this story but it would be fun to chat with children about what gadgets and other tech Santa uses, and how that compares to their own use of technology.
Author: Mike Dumbleton
Publisher: Home – New Frontier Publishing
This picture book has an animated film feel about it, which children will resonate with. It explores the idea that technology was invented to help automate systems, in this case Santa.com a high tech version of the Christmas list. The interesting part is when Santa.com gets hacked, the main protagonist has some interesting ideas of how to solve this problem, and as he is a young elf he will resonate with the younger readers and demonstrate empowerment. Thought-out the story, we learn that Christmas isn’t just about a production line and ticking things off a list it’s also about the joy of giving. This is an American book and some of the action is set in New York.
Publisher: Familius
An easy to read picture book with a simple rhyming structure. Adults will appreciate the moral messages within. The main character is Alfie an elf who, uncharacteristically, doesn’t like teamwork and wants to show the other elves that he’s the best. Alfie enters a selfie contest that Santa is hosting, his first few attempts fail, causing him to rethink things and go back to the workshop. In the end, Alfie realises that teamwork is pretty great after all. It isn’t as focused on technology, in fact the technology is more of a rhyming hook then anything else but it does remind the reader that tech can be fun if shared nicely.
Author: Rosie Greening
Publisher: Make Believe Ideas
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Digital Technology
All aboard for a rip roaring ride across galaxies and through history. After 9 year-old Alya’s dad gives her a mysterious keepsake from her mother, her life begins to turn into a thrilling adventure across time and space via the British Museum with her best friend, Ben. Through learning about and using AI, coding, robots, all sorts of serious technology and using their problem-solving skills, the duo begin to work out what her mother has been investigating, the secret of the tiny stone cylinder and the significance of September the 25th- and it’s bigger than they could have imagined!
A brilliant blend of fantasy and science fiction, this is a high-energy tale of friendship, courage, and curiosity written for young readers — but never talking down to them. The smart use of tech vocabulary and imaginative concepts keeps things fresh and fun, while the cracking pace ensures you’re hooked from the first page to the last. A satisfyingly adventurous story that’s as smart as it is exciting.
The childrens spy agency is global network of spies fighting injustice. They use a varity of gadgets to help investigate issues and fullfill missions. The story is part of a series featuring Agent Asha, in ths story she must stop teen tech billionaire Shelly who has used AI to build dangerous robots.This fast pace story explores lost of themes relevent to our digital world. It contains lots of illustrations, codes and casefiles plus interaction with online resources via a QR code.
Inspirational People
This is not just a true story about following your dreams or the little girl who had the idea that paved the way for WIFI. It is also about overcoming adversity and being courageous enough to make change happen.
Hedy Lamarr was a bright, resourceful girl with a mind full of inventions. However, this was overlooked because of her beauty and gender throughout her inspirational life.
The beautifully illustrated story follows Hedy through her life- from an imaginative and gifted young girl to a glamorous, inventive film star. Along the way, it shines a light on her unhappy marriage and how she used her ingenuity and resolve to boldly escape and carve out her own life, going on to be both a successful actor and inventor.
The vibrant pages and engaging text make this book ideal to read aloud with your little one. The inclusion of a timeline and Hedy’s story at the back of the book is thoughtful and helps remind the reader that this is a true story, even though it sounds like a fairy tale.
Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
An easy to read book on the life of Alan Turing, who is often hailed as the father of computer science. Apart from this being a tech biography the book can open up other conversations such as around loneliness. Alan’s school days were marred by loneliness, as his exceptional intellect set him apart from his peers.
There are also links with history and reading the book is a great way to talk about World War II and Turing’s work in cracking the Enigma code.
Beyond his wartime contributions, Turing’s work laid the foundations for modern computing and has made him one of the most influential figures in technology and mathematics. Additionally, there are links with awareness months such as LGBT history month, where Turing’s personal life can be highlighted and discussions had about the personal challenges he encountered as a gay person.
Conversations can be further developed around how heroes are honoured in our society, show children a copy of the Bank of England’s £50 note, which features Alan Turing. This is a lasting legacy of his work into the digital age.
Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
This is a beautifully illustrated picture book , perfect for parents who want to encourage children in STEM. It follows the real life of Ada Lovelace was one of the world’s the first computer programmers. Following Ada’s love of logic and maths at an early age to working with Charles Babbage and English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer. This books recognises the UK’s pioneering work in tech as well as celebrating women, the gender gap is still very apparent in tech and Ada’s story helps to remind us of the importance of diversity. This series of books have been praised on their ability to inspire children.
Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
This book gently challenges the idea that ‘creative’ always means artists, by introducing a fantastic range of inspirational women in STEM alongside the arts, encouraging children to understand that there is no need to pigeon-hole themselves. For example, the introduction describes Ada Lovelace’s belief in ‘poetical science’ using a combination of her passions for art and science, and the way this led her to true innovation.
Every other page of this book contains a short biography of an inspirational leader, accompanied on the opposite page by a simple, child-friendly, but still striking, illustrated portrait. The language is suitable for most upper key-stage two readers to read independently but would also work well as a shared book for children and adults to read together. It also includes a glossary covering the new vocabulary that children will come across.
Technology is specifically referenced in the biographies of Ada Lovelace, the first ever computer-programmer, Hedy Lamarr, whose inventions were the basis of the technology behind GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi, and Maya Deren, who used video editing to develop ground-breaking cinematic effects. This book’s focus on women will appeal to girls but the powerful stories of the leaders would be equally inspiring for boys. However, its real strength is the presentation of such a wide range of creators, with something to enthuse all children, whatever their interests.
Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
This rhyming picture book highlights a range of important STEM roles. It also includes information about a lots of different STEM role models, real women from around the globe, who were pioneers in their fields. It is a short book that emphasises the collective power and contributions that women have made to STEM. It has bright engaging illustrations, and an activity in the back to look through the illustrations to identify all the people in their different disciplines.
Author: Laura Carter
Publisher: Familius LLC