As a parent and educator, I try to expose my children to the vast career fields that are available to them. There are so many possibilites. These books for kids about careers are one of the tools I use to introduce all the choices that we have in finding something we would like to do with our lives.
Books About Careers for Children
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The Innerworkings of a Job or How Many People Work on a Job
Making a Great Exhibition by Doro Globus and Rose Blake showcases two different artists- one a sculptor and the other a painter. Both have unique styles and working environments. But, there are also lots of other people working to bring their work to exhibitions at museums. You’ll be introduced to art handlers, curators, assistants, guards, and more.
Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler we are introduced to all of the people behind the scenes that bring a product to life from bridges to books. There are so many hands that touch a project before the end product is available.
Helping Hospital : A Community Helpers Book by Lindsay Ward looks at the vast opportunities of jobs associated with a hospital from the admissions department to different types of nursers and doctors. We explore the hospital and the workers while we travel with different patients visiting the hospital.
If I Were a Park Ranger by Catherine Stier you would have one of the best views at work each day! Learn all about the other features of this job in this fun book. I’d love to see a whole series of career books by this author.
Ever wonder what training is needed to become a firefighter? What does a day as a firefighter look like? Read all about these questions in The Firefighters Handbook by Meghan McCarthy. Also, check out The Astronaut’s Handbook.
There are probably some jobs you’ve never heard of such as a snake venom milker and others that kids will wish they had now such as a video game creator. Take a look at 40 different jobs in this browseable nonfiction book, World’s Coolest Jobs by Lonely Planet Kids.
If you ever watched an episode of Secret Life of the Zoo then you know having a job at the zoo is full of different tasks. What Do You Do If You Work at the Zoo? by Steve Jenkins brings some of these jobs to this fun and informative book.
In Career Day by Anne Rockwell, the kids are bringing in guests to talk about their jobs. It’s a basic introduction to a handful of jobs such as a judge and construction worker. A good pick for toddlers or preschoolers.
Books About Specific People With Interesting Careers
It’s always fascinating to learn about people who have invented things and become entrepeuers or others who have made a great impact in their field or the world. Here are just a few people who have had fascinating careers.
Pura’s Cuentos by Annette Bay Pimentel introduces us to a storyteller who brought bilingual storytelling to Harlem. Pura Belpré was the first Latina librarian in New York City as well as a storyteller and author. Learn about her and her contribution to young readers as well as breaking rules to include others.
Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by Traci Sorell looks at what goes into designing classified airplanes as a female engineer.
Niki Nakayama: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites by Jamie Michalak introduces us a chef who had to overcome many obstacles of achieving her dream. Nakayama had to prove that a woman can be a master chef in a male dominated field. In 2019, her restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars for excellent food.
Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet by Elizabeth Rusch is a story about the impact your work can have on the world . In this story, we learn about the Nobel Prize-winning chemist who discovered that CFCs were destroying our ozone layer.
I’ll have more biography books coming soon!
Clothing or Tools Associated with Different Jobs
Some jobs require special clothing associated with the job and these books introduce us to those speciality items. These are all good picks for younger children.
What Shoes Will You Wear? by Julia Cook takes a look at the footwear associated with jobs.
Take a look at the clothesline to determine which clothes go with which job in Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do by Kathryn Heling.
Can you tell a job just by looking to see the tools being held in someone’s hands. Test out how good you are at it in Whose Hands Are These by Miranda Paul.
Printable List of Books About Jobs for Kids
Grab a printable book list of the books above. It’s perfect for taking to the library or adding to your lesson plans.
Have fun exploring careers and jobs through these books.
And, keep the learning going with my community helpers preschool literacy unit. It’s four weeks of done for you lesson planning.—->Community Helpers Literacy Unit
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