STEM Storiez, by Zyrobotics, is a set of books focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. The STEM Storiez series can be purchased on Amazon and each includes a board book, a play manipulative, and an interactive e-book. We received the Robot Play book which is priced at $11.99. Upon receipt, a code was provided to download the corresponding eBook application on our iPad.

Robot Play tells a story about all the things that robots can currently do and what they might do in the future. This book provides information about robots helping to build things in factories and popular robots in movies.  Fun children's toys like dogs and dinosaurs as well as household items like vacuum cleaners are also mentioned throughout the story. The board book is sturdy, has colorful pictures on each page, and plenty of rhyming words. My younger two liked the story but didn't like the illustrations of the children. I thought the simple rhymes were fun, but I had to explain the last line, a flesh and metal bond, to them each time we read it.

Purchasing the board book also includes the e-book as well as a manipulative to use while enjoying that story. A single-use code is provided in your package and the website also has a form available to request a code. The e-book is downloaded in the form of an app to the Apple or Android device of your choice. The play manipulative included is actually a large stylus that can be used to interact with the eBook as it is being read aloud. By tapping the stylus on your device, the child can see the robots move to complete the task mentioned in the text and hear them make specific noises. Our younger two were able to work through this book fairly easily but the stylus did not last long at our house. It is easy to separate the soft tip of the stylus from the handle so I eventually I had to glue it down. It would be better if this already came glued down so that children could not take it apart so easily.

We used the STEM Storiez board book three times, but our children actually preferred using the app. The e-book provided narration, interactive animations, and fun sound that our children thoroughly enjoyed. This system is recommended for children ages three to seven; however, I think it is best suited for one to five-year-olds. Introducing your children to this STEM series at an early age should help them transition into the other programs and products offered by Zyrobotics. Robot Play and other STEM Storiez titles are currently available for sale on Amazon.

-Product review by Ta'Neisha Kemp, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, November, 2018