Open the Book. The Adventure Is Real.
Mystery. History. STEM. Careers. Life skills. The Charms Book Series brings the real world into every adventure and invites girls to explore it for themselves.
Finally... a Book She'll Love
The Charms book series is an exciting middle grade fiction collection designed for kids ages 8–14 who love adventure, mystery, friendship, and big ideas — and for parents looking for books that do more than entertain. These stories follow smart, curious characters who solve problems, explore STEM concepts, and grow confidence through real-world challenges woven into fast-moving plots. Perfect for reluctant readers and strong readers alike, the Charms books combine page-turning fun with life skills like creativity, resilience, leadership, and critical thinking. Teens get stories they actually want to read, while parents and educators gain books that support growth, curiosity, and meaningful learning beyond the classroom.
Finding a book your teen will actually finish is hard. You want a story she’ll love, but you also want something that builds confidence, encourages curiosity, and introduces positive role models along the way. All seven books in the Charms Book Series do exactly that, blending friendship, engineering, aerospace, and real-world life skills into an unforgettable adventure she’ll be talking about long after she turns the last page.
“I learned that when you follow the clues and look at how history connects to what’s happening today, you can discover things you never would have noticed before. Everything has more layers than you think!” ~Minnie, Age 12 • Featured Reader
Charms readers: discover that failure is part of learning, not the end of it.
EXPLORE THE SERIES
Meet Attie, a 15-year-old inventor with a mind wired for STEM and a heart full of curiosity. When her family moves from Creativity Cove to Rocket City, she’s thrown into a world of new faces, high-stakes challenges, and one very distracting boy in science class. But this isn’t just a story about being the new girl. It’s about what happens when a girl discovers what she’s actually capable of.
#1:
Rocket City Love
#2
Tick Tock, Take Charge!
#3
Where Clues Take Root
#4
Blueprints & Buried Truths
#5
Calculated Truths
#6
The Gravity of Choice
#7
Legacy Protocol
#0
Inventor Notebook
#1
“My favorite is Book Four, when they discover the watercolor of the Highlander and realize the next person connected to HELIOS is from Scotland. I loved how the history and mystery all started connecting and then it ended with this huge new clue that made me want to know what happens next!”
~Minnie, Age 12 • Featured Reader
Featured In
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What Is Books That Build Skills?
We use stories to help tweens and teens discover what they’re good at, explore what they could become, and build the real-world skills they’ll need to get there.
Books
Buy the stories they want to read.
Fast-paced fiction for ages 10–15 packed with mystery, adventure, and real-world challenges. Through Attie, readers don’t just follow the story—they solve problems, make connections, explore careers, and discover how the skills inside the books apply to their own lives.
Podcast
Listen to the stories about cool careers.
Real professionals take kids behind the scenes of their careers—what they actually do, how they got there, and the skills it takes to succeed. Connected to the Charms Book Series, each conversation helps kids turn “What do I want to be?” into “I didn’t know I could do that!”
Programs
Take the story further with activities at home.
Reading is only the beginning. Download hands-on activities to try at home, join the Secret Book Society, discover Story Quest Kits for libraries, become a Featured Reader, and find more ways to turn stories into skills, creativity, and real-world adventures.
Nonprofit
Buy for yours. Donate for others.
We are a 501(c)(3) literacy nonprofit bringing the gift of books to foster care children and underserved girls through our Foster Futures program. Every donated book is an invitation to dream bigger, read further, and believe in what’s possible.
Built for Her Future. Designed for Real Life.
Books That Build Skills helps girls discover what they can become through adventure, STEM, career exploration, and real-world life skills all through the stories they love to read.
More than a great read, every Charms book is the equivalent of earning a badge. Like Girl Scouts, 4-H, and Girls Who Code, each story is built around a real-world life skill your daughter can actually use from communication and time management to problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership.
And every book purchased supports our nonprofit mission, helping put books and learning experiences into the hands of more young readers.
Buy the books for your girl. Help us open the world for another.
❤️ Who Is This For?
For girls: a place where books aren’t homework, they’re adventure.
For parents: books with purpose, integrity, and real value.
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Story Quest Kit
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Testimonials from Parents
“Where Clues Take Root turned my daughter into a full-on detective. She followed Attie’s reasoning step by step and proudly announced her theories at dinner every night.”
~Cathy G.
“Blueprints & Buried Truths sparked my daughter’s fascination with architecture and design. She started sketching rooms and talking about structural ideas—yes, really!”
~Buddy H.
“I’ve read every ‘teach your teen time management’ book out there, and none worked like Tick Tock, Take Charge! Attie made time management feel empowering instead of scary.”
~Molly R.
“Rocket City Love was the first book my daughter actually asked to reread. She loved the adventure and I loved how naturally it introduced leadership skills, STEM mindset, and problem-solving.”
~Jacob K.
“This book changed the way my teen talks about fear and confidence. It showed her that stepping into leadership is about courage, not perfection.”
~Alex B.
“The message of The Gravity of Choice hit home for our family: who you become is built on the choices you make. Every teen should read this.”
~Amanda M.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are these books for?
What is the Charms Book Series?
The Charms Book Series is a middle grade fiction series for ages 10–15 designed to build reading confidence while teaching life skills like leadership, responsibility, communication, and problem-solving—wrapped in mystery, friendship, and adventure.
What is Careers IRL?
Careers IRL is a podcast show hosted by Loxley Browne and powered by Books That Build Skills. Each episode explores real careers, real skills, and real-life journeys that are connected to the themes and lessons in the Charms Book Series. Guests come from a wide range of exciting fields, from STEM to business to creative arts.
What is Books That Build Skills powered by Athenian?
Books That Build Skills powered by Athenian is a literacy nonprofit providing youth with confidence-building education programs centered on leadership, problem-solving, and real-world skill development. Our proprietary programs are powered by the Charms Book Series, blending storytelling with hands-on learning.
Is this a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit?
Yes. Books That Build Skills powered by Athenian is a literacy nonprofit focused on reading, life skills, and career exploration. Your donations is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. IRS 501(c)3 #84-2096687
Can I book Loxley Browne to speak?
Yes! Loxley is available for media interviews, podcasts, keynote speaking ($), workshops ($), and special appearances.
How can I support the programs?
You can help by donating, joining the Social Squad, sponsoring a program, or supporting a girl with books and resources. Every contribution helps build confidence, literacy, and opportunity …and a stronger workforce.
Can companies sponsor programs?
Absolutely! You can help with our “Programs Needing Funding” or we can define a special program that matches with our combined goals.
Get Involved
START READING
Meet Attie and discover seven adventures built around real-world skills.
DONATE
Help us put books, learning adventures, and career discovery into the hands of more girls.
VOLUNTEER
Share your time, talents, and skills to help us reach more young readers.