Children’s books about engineering
In these recommendations I have included books about engineering concepts (such as Peter’s railway), and also biographies of famous engineers. I would love to see more children’s books in this category, so if you have any ideas, please do let me know in the comments section. Bonus points for a child-friendly biography of Thomas Telford!
There is necessarily some overlap between scientists and engineers, and you may also be interested in my list of scientist biographies for children. That post focuses more on new scientific discoveries, whereas the individuals on this page applied those ideas in practical ways. Some individuals, such as Archimedes and Da Vinci, feature in both lists.
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Peter’s Railway books
Christopher Vine
This fantastic series of books charts the building of a miniature railway by a grandfather and his grandson, with help from other family members. Interspersed with the main story are technical pages with child-friendly diagrams and explanations of the engineering concepts involved. A huge hit in our house with the engineering-minded.
Genius Lego Inventions with Bricks you Already Have
Sarah Dees
We have a number of Lego technic books which are excellent for developing understanding of engineering principles. You may also want to take a look at the books by Yoshihito Isogawa. Genius Lego Inventions stands out because it includes short descriptions for each creation, which explain the engineering concepts involved, and sometimes who came up with the idea.
Unless you are awash with Lego Technic, the ‘bricks you already have’ is probably a misnomer, and you should expect to need to place an order on Bricklink or similar for some additional gears and technic beams.
Great Inventors and their Inventions (Naxos Junior Classics)
David Angus
This fantastic audiobook covers Archimedes, Gutenberg, Franklin, Nobel, Bell, Marconi, the Wright Brothers and Edison. I particularly enjoyed finding out more about the life of Alfred Nobel, who invented dynamite, and gave a legacy endowing the Nobel prizes. I don’t know if invention strictly counts as engineering, but a number of the individuals covered here were certainly engineers.
Archimedes and the Door of Science
Jeanne Bendick
A lovely book, well worth reading. Archimedes discovered so many fundamental principles of mathematics and science on which we rely. There are lots of simple diagrams and pictures to aid understanding, as well as interesting stories from Archimedes’ life.
Leonardo Da Vinci: Amazing Inventions You Can Build Yourself
Maxine Anderson
I really like this book – I think the activities and text are well-pitched at a similar level, and there is a good mix of biographic text, diagrams and suggested activities. Some of the activities are straightforward and easy to implement ‘on the fly’, but others require planning, and some of them could do with a more detailed explanation. Looking at some of the later projects, such as the catapult and elastic band propelled tank, I have concerns that the whole set-up might snap under tension. We have built these sorts of contraptions, but using Lego Technic which is more forgiving than wood and card if you need to adjust or rebuild it.
Who Was…Isambard Kingdom Brunel: The Iron Man
Amanda Mitchison
A very enjoyable book, particularly for a child who is interested in engineering. The Thames tunnel, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the railways and the S.S. Great Britain are all included. There are a number of dramatic events, including the time when Brunel accidentally swallowed a coin whilst performing a magic trick for his children. The book also includes the sad story of the tunnel collapse which nearly killed Brunel, and claimed the lives of six workmen. There are a few diagrams and photographs, but not many. The density of the text is probably suited to age 8+, but there is plenty to hold the attention of a younger child with a special interest.
People in History Vol. 4: Great People of Modern Times
R. J. Unstead
Of particular interest here are the short biographies of James Watt and George Stephenson. Each is about eight pages long, so probably not worth buying just for these, but the other (non-engineering) biographies are also very good.
There are a few line-drawing illustrations.
The Story of Thomas Alva Edison
Margaret Cousins
Edison was quite a quirky individual, and this book captures that well. On his wedding day, he returned to the office after the ceremony to carry on working on a problem with a stock ticker, which he couldn’t get out of his head. This Landmark Book is a detailed account of Edison’s life, and probably best suited for ages 9+. An interesting read, but not one of my favourites.
