Books They’ll Love
Skills and adventure in STEM
Parent approved books meet real-world learning in the Books That Build Skills Parents Hub, a resource designed to help families support reading development, STEM learning, life skills education, and career exploration at home. Built around the engaging Charms Book Series, this parent resource connects literacy with critical thinking, leadership, creativity, communication, and problem solving so kids grow in both confidence and capability. Parents of tweens and teens will find tools to boost reading engagement, reduce screen time, and spark meaningful conversations through programs like Middle Grade March, the daily Word of the Day vocabulary builder, and the Books That Build Skills podcast, where real professionals share the skills their careers actually require. From summer reading challenges to story-driven skill building tied to real career pathways, this page helps families choose books and resources that do more than entertain—they prepare young readers for academic success and lifelong achievement.
You’re in the right place…to get books that help kids fall back in love with reading — without battles, bribery, or boredom. The Charms books are packed with adventure, friendship, real-life challenges, STEM curiosity, and “wait… what happens next?” moments that keep pages turning.
They give your child something exciting to dive into, something meaningful to think about, and something real to talk about with you. Less screen time. More imagination. More conversations. More confidence. The fun kind.
Say "Yes!" to Reading
A world of adventure your Tweens & Teens actually want to read!
Welcome to the Charms Universe, where reading doesn’t stop at “The End.”
Here, stories turn into skills that help kids thrive in school, at home, and in life. Through engaging books, hands-on projects, reading challenges, interactive experiences, and a YouTube podcast designed specifically for kids, we inspire curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning.
Your child will discover:
✔️ A binge-worthy juvenile fiction series for ages 10–15
✔️ Vocabulary boosts + Word of the Day learning
✔️ Middle Grade March reading adventures
✔️ The Secret Book Society (our “cool kids club” for curious minds)
✔️ Summer reading challenge with prizes
✔️ Confidence, leadership skills, problem-solving… and FUN
This is where learning becomes an adventure. And parents? You’re going to love it.
Why Parents Choose Charms
A world of adventure, curiosity, problem solving, and real-life learning — wrapped in a thrilling middle grade book series.
The Charms Book Series is a middle grade fiction series for ages 10–15 (grades 6–9) that blends mystery, adventure, friendship, humor, and real-world skills. Kids follow Attie McAllister — a 15-year-old inventor with big ideas, big courage, and a LOT of curiosity — as she navigates school, friendships, responsibility, STEM adventures, hidden secrets, world-class challenges, and the thrill of growing up.
These are books that build skills while strengthening literacy:
🔧 Boosts reading confidence
🔧 Encourages problem solving & critical thinking
🔧 Builds leadership skills and character
🔧 Introduces STEM concepts in a fun, relatable way
🔧 Inspires girls (and boys!) to dream bigger
✔️ Kids who love adventure
✔️ Reluctant readers
✔️ Homeschool families
✔️ Classroom libraries
✔️ Parents who want purpose-driven stories
✔️ Kids who deserve confidence-building wins
Click on the book cover to discover more
👉 Buy the books for your kid!
Visit the Shop and grab your next adventure.
Career Exploration Show
Short Episodes. Real People. Real Careers. Real Skills. Zero Boring Adult Talk.
Engaging episodes featuring real people in real careers — from rocket scientists to engineers to first responders to pilots to creatives — sharing the unexpected skills that helped them get where they are.
Your child will learn:
⚙️ Career exploration
💬 Communication skills
💡 Problem solving and leadership
🏗️ How skills grow through real life
📚 How reading connects to opportunity
This is STEM education, life skills training, career inspiration, and confidence building delivered in a way kids love.
Short stories. Real conversations.
Stuff kids will actually want to watch.
Surprising life tips.
Stuff you’ll actually WANT to watch.
Activities to Do!
What do you have planned for the next couple of months?!?
Charms Summer Reading Challenge
No summer slide happening here! The Charms Summer Reading Challenge keeps kids motivated, reading, and confident all summer long. Kids read any of the Charms Books, then simply log their reads and answer a few short, fun questions to reflect on what they learned.
This challenge supports literacy, builds vocabulary and comprehension, and gives kids something exciting to look forward to. There are prizes in June, prizes in July, and one mega grand prize at the end of summer—but only registered participants are eligible, so staying engaged matters.
If you want a positive, educational, and genuinely fun summer reading experience for your child, this is it.
Free Downloads
Learning doesn’t stop after the book closes. Our free downloads give kids hands-on learning projects that connect real life experiences to each book. From data collection to curiosity journaling, kids get to think, build, question, and explore.
These resources are loved by:
✔️ Homeschool parents
✔️ Librarians
✔️ Parents who want educational enrichment
✔️ Kids who love projects
Attie’s Journal
Attie’s Journal is a peek behind the curtain — real thoughts, real life, real challenges kids face today. Written in Attie’s voice, these articles give kids encouragement, humor, relatable honesty, and wisdom wrapped in story.
Kids read about:
❤️ Friendship
❤️ School life
❤️ Mistakes + learning
❤️ Courage + confidence
❤️ Curiosity + leadership
Secret Book Society
Shhh… This is The Cool Kids Reading Club! For kids who want more. More adventures. More learning. More belonging. More curiosity. More fun.
The Secret Book Society will be starting soon and includes:
📬 Monthly newsletter
🎯 Missions + activities
💬 Exclusive community moments
🎥 Virtual meetings with Aunt Loxley
🕵️♀️ Plot twists + secret surprises
Get on the list!
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions are part of learning—so we welcome them. Here’s answers to the questions that Aunt Loxley is asked most often.
What is the age group for these books?
Perfect for ages 10–15, grades 6–9. Enjoyed by readers ages 6 to 72 (that is the age range of readers that we have chatted with).
Are these books safe, wholesome and parent-approved?
Yes. Engaging. Positive role models. Real-life learning. No garbage content.
If your kid likes these books...
If you like Tree House Mysteries, The Baby-Sitters Club, Nancy Drew, Carole Marsh Mysteries, National Park Mysteries, or The Math Inspector…
Charms is your next obsession.
Yes, both have adventure, friendship, curiosity.
BUT Charms levels up with: older characters, bigger choices, STEM curiosity, career exploration, real, world leadership, problem-solving, and a whole lot of courage
Funny. Wholesome. Brave.
Less hand-holding. More “you’ve totally got this.”
Perfect for middle school readers, homeschoolers, reluctant readers, girls in STEM, kids who love adventures, and teens who want stories that matter.
Do we need to buy all of the books?
Yes — and your child will thank you for it. The Charms Books are designed to be interactive, meaning kids write directly in them, answer questions, reflect on challenges, sketch ideas, and track their growth. Each book becomes a personal keepsake filled with their thoughts, creativity, confidence-building moments, and developing dreams.
Owning the full collection allows your child to build their story across the entire series — and one day, you’ll be able to hand those well-loved, scribbled-in books back to them as adults and say, “Look how far you’ve come… and look what you always believed you could do.”
Where can I buy the books?
We sell our books exclusively on Amazon (makes it super simple for Prime members… and the public in general). Just follow the links from our shop or anywhere you see a book or button on the site. Your books should be in your hands within a week of ordering.
Are these good homeschool resources?
YES. They support literacy, vocabulary, problem solving, leadership, and curiosity.
Will my reluctant reader enjoy these?
Yes! Many parents tell us these are the first books their child wanted to read.
Are these books for boys?
Absolutely. Boys love the Charms Book Series too. Just like many girls grew up reading both Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys, great storytelling, adventure, problem-solving, and courage appeal to all kids. The books focus on friendship, curiosity, leadership, STEM exploration, and real-life skills — themes every young reader can connect with, regardless of gender.
Are these STEM books?
Yes — with adventure, mystery, friendship, and life skills mixed in.
Can my child participate?
Yes! Our programs, YouTube content, reading challenges, and resources are nationwide.
Get on the Secret Book Society waitlist to be invited to join. Sign Up.
Our Impact at a Glance
In just a few short years, Athenian has grown from a bold idea into a movement that is transforming how girls experience life skills. We don’t just teach skills, we build confidence, leadership, and a sense of belonging in industries where girls are often overlooked.
Books That Build Skills powered by Athenian isn’t just a Nonprofit... it’s a launchpad for girls who want to build, create, explore, design, engineer, write, fly, invent, and lead.
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