Are you a parent, librarian, or YA reader looking for books about girls and young women interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math?) I’m starting a list of YA Books Featuring Young Women in Science and Math. Check it out and let me know of any titles I missed!
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Why isn’t there more Young Adult Fiction Featuring Girls and Women in Science and Math?
I have to admit, I hoped I’d find even more YA Fiction about Girls and Young Women in STEM. It feels like the majority of characters in YA books are aspirating writers and artists and actors. There’s nothing wrong with that.
But where are all the aspiring biologists, mathematicians, engineers, and doctors? If if you’ve written or know of a book featuring female characters who love science or math, let me know in comments!
Thanks so much to Sam from We Live and Breathe Books for her great suggestions for the list!
YA Books Featuring Young Women in Science and Math
Here’s my list, divided by the interest of the characters!
YA Books Featuring Female Programmers and Girls Who Code
I KNOW there are more YA fiction about girls who code – if you remember any, please tell me in comments!
Slay by Brittany Morris (2019).
A Black teen game developer battles online trolls, racism, and people who want to shut her game down.
Screen Queens by Lori Goldstein (2019).
Three girls compete in a Silicon Valley start-up competition.
The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor (2020).
A retelling of Emma featuring a girl who loves math and is the co-president of the coding club.
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (2017).
A girl is thrilled to be accepted into a summer web design course… until she realizes her parents sent her hoping she’d find a husband.
My Epic Spring Break (Up) by Kristin Rockaway (2021).
A girl who codes decides to cut loose during spring break.
The Dating Game by Kiley Roache (2019).
A female college student works on a dating app for a class.
We Are the Perfect Girl by Ariel Kaplan (2019).
A girl with confidence issues codes a matchmaking app.
We Regret to Inform You by Ariel Kaplan (2018).
After being rejected by every college she applies to, Mischa joins a group of eccentric tech geniuses.
YA Books Featuring Girls Who Love Math and Young Women Mathematicians
The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood (2016).
After a tough year, Margo uses her math and science knowledge to try to fix her life.
The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost Kiss by Noelle Parks (2020).
Evie loves math but hates that her anxiety is hampering her life. She’s hoping that therapy will help her be brave enough to enter a national math and physics competition.
Secrets, Lies and Algebra by Wendy Lichtman (2007).
Tess loves math and hopes that algebra will help her answer life’s questions.
Zenn Diagram by Wendy Brant (2017).
A math genius also has psychic abilities.
YA Books Featuring Young Women Scientists and Aspiring Doctors
Many of these books about girls who love science include physics because .. time travel. I’m including sci-fi on the list ONLY if the main character is a student of physics, not just the victim of it!
Walk the Web Lightly by Mary Pascual
Naya’s family has a secret ability to see time. But she wants to be a doctor, and when a chance to go to medical science camp comes up, her family disapproves.
My Heart and Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga (2015).
Physics nerd Aysel struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts.
Prom Theory by Ann Lebar (2021).
A girl studies chemistry and neuroscience to try to figure out how to get a guy to ask her to prom.
Relativity by Cristin Bashara (2013).
Physics-obsessed Ruby finds a portal to a parallel universe.
American Panda by Gloria Chao (2018).
Mei is a freshman at MIT who is afraid to tell her parents that she’s not sure she wants to be a doctor.
3:59 by Gretchen McNeil (2013).
Math and science fan Josie discovers she has a doppelgänger in a parallel universe.
Little Universes by Heather Demetrios (2020).
Mae, an aspiring astronaut, and her twin sister struggle to cope with their parents’ sudden deaths.
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson (2002).
A science student and long distance runner dreaming of MIT, Kate has to examine her own life.
Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett (2018).
Zorie loves astronomy and is excited about the prospect of a backpacking trip, until she and her frenemy Lennon are separated from the group.
Prepped by Bethany Mangle (2021).
Becca just wants to go to college and study physics. The problem? Her family is in a doomsday cult and she wants to stay and protect her sister.
Bad Taste in Boys by Carrie Harris (2011).
A teen who’s an aspiring doctor tackles a steroid scandal at her high school that is turning athletes into … zombies?
Falling into Place by Amy Zhang (2014).
A student of physics has a car accident.
YA Historical Fiction and Non-Fiction Featuring Aspiring Female Scientists
Mattie and the Machine by Lynn Ng Quezon (2022).
Young Mattie is a mechanic who fights to be recognized as a female inventor. Inspired by the true story of Margaret E. Knight.
Beyond the Mapped Stars by Rosalyn Eves (2021).
Elizabeth dreams of being an astronomer, but can she achieve those dreams within the restrictions of her 19th century Mormon family?
Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (2009).
A young naturalist navigates life as a female who loves science. (Middle Grade; Square Fish)
Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages (2006).
Eleven year old Dewey accompanies her mathematician father to his new job at Los Alamos. (Middle Grade; Puffin)
Tell me what books I missed in comments! If you loved this list, check out this one too!
I read a lot of these. I have lots of love for STEM girls (as a former chem/physics teacher/software developer with an engineering degree). I want more math books. I loved all the nerdy math stuff in Almost Kiss.
I was one of those “I’m not good at math” girls and I hate that. I think I could have been just fine with more confidence.
Thanks for this list! I’m definitely curious about these books, because I’ve always assumed there were only a few which feature heroines/heroes in this the Science field.
There should be more!!!
The protagonist of Shallow Graves (by Kali Wallace) wanted to be an astronaut…before she was killed and came back as a a “creature”. She talks about her passion (and a woman’s struggle in the field) a lot though.
Middlegame (by Seanan McGuire) focus on a couple of alchemically engineered twins where the girl interprets reality through math.
Ooh, thanks. I will check those two out for my list!
Echoes, Laura Tisdall
Thanks – will check it out!