\n\tThey say knowledge is power, and I think nobody knows that like geeks do. Even if your kid doesn’t dig Star Wars (I feel your pain), you can still geek out together with some great books that appeal to him or her. The book suggestions in this gallery will encourage geekness even among the youngest members of your family unit. If you prefer to see these suggestions in list format, read my Geekend post about children’s books.
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\n\tGeekify your younglings from day one with Star Wars ABC. Maybe my kiddo would like Star Wars if only we’d had this book when he was a baby.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tA classic introduction to science fiction for the Intermediate reader, A Wrinkle in Time was on the bookshelves of most geeks I know.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tI have it on good grade-school authority that every kid needs to read the entire Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tDork Diaries: Tales from a Not-so-Fabulous Life doesn’t get the rave reviews of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but it’s the same concept for girls. The difference in what geek girls and boys deal with daily might seem slight to adults, but to them it’s two different worlds.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tEncourage your geek girl to be true to herself with Geek Chic: The Zoey Zone.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tHelp your early elementary-age child prepare for a trip to the Moon with If You Decide to Go to the Moon.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tThere’s a trick to the Magic Tree House series: each storybook has a companion informative book. It’s an entertaining way to learn history, with a lot of science packed in. Historically, science is what pushes society forward.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tNot that Matilda is particularly geeky, but it is still one of my favorite books, and I’m pretty certain that’s because I related to the character. Plus, Roald Dahl is possibly the best children’s author ever, because he doesn’t talk down to his audience.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tMoving images in Star Wars: A Scanimation Book get even the littlest geeks interested in Dad’s (in our case) favorite movie.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tSome reviewers claim this book is too high-level for the elementary and middle-school set; I say they aren’t giving kids enough credit. Silly Rhymes for Belligerent Children offers poems about some of science’s more disgusting points.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tStink: Solar System Superhero is actually book 5 of a series, but this particular book makes space cool to kids.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tHEREOS! Draw Your Own Superheroes, Gadget Geeks, & Other Do-Gooders teaches the comic-loving kid how to find his or her internal Stan Lee.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\t365 Simple Science Experiments with everyday materials presents accessible science concepts and encourages science fun at home. The topics have a wide range, and really illustrate how science is a part of daily life.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\t50 Dangerous Things (you should let your children do) reminds us that science is best when lived.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tSnip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Things to Make with Your Kids has how-to’s for hands-on geek fun. Soldering is an important skill; teach your youngling so she won’t be embarrassed when she attends a Hacker Space event.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tWhat If? Mind-Boggling Science Questions for Kids author Robert Ehrlich does a great job explaining science in a way that works with how kids think, while encouraging them to ask “What if?”
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tKids love books that explain science while guiding them through simple experiments. Cool Circuits and Wicked Wires focuses on the science of electricity. Teach your kids what happens if they stick a fork in the outlet the safe way.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
\n\tThe experiments in Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes go a bit further than simple household ingredients, but everything needed is reasonably easy to find.
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\n\tCover image courtesy of Amazon.com
Nicole Bremer Nash is Director of Content and Social Media for HuTerra, where she uses SEO and social media to promote charitable organizations in their community-building and fundraising efforts. She enjoys volunteering, arts and crafts, and conducting science experiments at home. Nicole has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Transylvania University, and has experience in copywriting for education, print, business, and the web. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter via @HuTerra.
