Member Reviews

Liz Lee Heinecke's SHE CAN STEM is a wonderful collection of profiles of women in STEM. There's a good variety of current and past scientists, etc. Also, the illustrations are fantastic. I wish there was more than just one page of information on each woman (especially since most readers will not have even heard of most of these women before), but the brevity also keeps everything digestible. Would be easy to highlight just one woman at the start of each class in middle school or high school. The collection addresses the lack of narrative space and credit there is for women in STEM (especially since so much of women's work in the past has been stolen by men). Each profile also contains a challenge of sorts for readers which is just fun. SHE CAN STEM definitely belongs in classrooms and libraries.

Was this review helpful?

This book should be on the shelf of every school library. How many women scientists can you name without having to look it up on Google? In any case, you will find something, or rather someone, new in this book. Vivid illustrations and simple presentation of information enhance the overall impression. The book is perfect for children, teenagers, and even adults who want to learn more about women in STEM.

Was this review helpful?

A great book for the classroom. Information about female scientists and their impact. Easily accessible information and great illustrations.

Was this review helpful?

She Can STEM is a wonderful non-fiction book about women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) from ancient history to today, written for a younger audience of about 9-12 years.

This is the perfect book to read for a child who has just surpassed the age where they want to be read fiction to, as it encourages the child’s own thinking as well as opens for conversation with adults. The book discusses women’s rights, the hardships of Black and Indigenous people primarily in the USA, as well as the climate crisis. This makes the book both contemporary and educational, but encourages conversations about these topics in order to understand and learn more about the world and women’s history. This would be a great book to read to one’s child, maybe one biography a day, and then discuss.

She Can STEM is a great book for those children with curious, inquisitive minds who are always asking questions about the world. Instead of discouraging curiosity, this book celebrates it and makes the science accessible, without patronising the reader. All 50 biographies include information about how these women’s discoveries are still important today, which makes it clear to the reader that an interest in science is a good thing, which can eventually develop into an ability to save thousands of lives. Every biography also includes a simple experiment that the child (in company of an adult) can do from home in order to understand exactly what it is that these scientists discovered.

The art in this book is very beautiful as well. Colourful, happy, yet not too immature. Incredibly visually pleasing and beautiful. Besides art of the scientists, there are drawings and doodles of their discoveries, which alongside the text makes the science more comprehensible.

All in all, a very well thought-out, interesting, and beautiful read!

Was this review helpful?

I love this book! As a mom and a teacher I will absolutely be getting a copy!

My daughter is 5 and very interested in Math and Science and I just know she will enjoy learning about all of these amazing women. I also really appreciate the diversity in the women featured - it’s a wonderful opportunity to explore the idea of intersecting identities.

For my middle school students as well, this will be a great resource to show all student some of the many great accomplishments of women in the area of STEM.

Was this review helpful?