After nearly three years in development, Charlesbridge Publishing is ready to release the first titles in its STEAMWORKS series. Aimed at young readers who are interested in the sciences and the arts, the fiction collection is a joint effort with Count Play Explore, an initiative funded through the early care and education department at the office of the Fresno County superintendent of schools in California. Four board books and four picture books—including English, Spanish, and bilingual editions—will roll out from May through October, with eight additional titles slated for 2027 and 2028.

At the helm of the project is STEAMWORKS program director Alexandra McKenzie, who was appointed in April 2024. The former early elementary school teacher also cut her teeth through various roles in Charlesbridge’s editorial department and explained how these career opportunities shaped her perspective. “Both of these experiences instilled in me how important it is for all children to be able to see themselves as smart, capable STEAM thinkers and have characters who look like them and share their life experiences in the books they find on the shelves,” McKenzie told PW. “As a series, STEAMWORKS aims to do just that. We’re showing young readers that they can all be mathematicians, scientists, and creative thinkers because STEAM is everywhere and for everyone.”

An Outpouring of Interest

To build an extensive roster of authors and illustrators for the STEAMWORKS line, Charlesbridge tapped into its network, including We Need Diverse Books; the Kindling Words Black Creatives retreat, organized by Crystal Allen; and the Highlights Foundation’s Native Creatives retreat. [A call for submissions was also sent to assorted BIPOC writers’ groups, literary agents working with underrepresented voices, and authors currently listed with Charlesbridge.

McKenzie believes that casting a wide net helped to elicit an overwhelming number of submissions from a wealth of literary voices. While all titles feature characters with a background in math or science, each book offers a unique perspective, from non-traditional families to neurodivergent or physically disabled protagonists—“without the narrative being focused solely on that aspect of their identity,” she noted.

Among the core titles are Moon Chef by Delia Ruiz, illustrated by Nomar Perez (May 5), a board book featuring a Mexican-Puerto Rican family experiencing cultural foods in the shapes of the moon phases, and Sounds of Trash by Tina Athaide, illustrated by Neha Rawat (Aug. 4), a picture book showcasing bhangra music alongside the engineering design process.

To promote these and other STEAMWORKS books, Charlesbridge is assembling a group of educators who will serve as official ambassadors for the series. The company also plans to host a virtual symposium in October, featuring discussions with authors and other collaborators. Count Play Explore will support STEAMWORKS with educational materials, which will be available for educators and parents at STEAMWORKSBooks.com.

“With the ever-increasing emphasis on hitting required daily instructional minutes for reading and math, it’s important for teachers to have access to titles that can bring science and technology learning into those areas through read-alouds,” McKenzie said.