New Tinkering Book Recs for 2025

Since the recent publication of The Tinkering Workshop, I’ve been diving more and more into the world of books related to art, science and technology that offer entry points for making and tinkering. As we enter into the new year, I wanted to share a new batch of recommendations across several different categories.

I’ll start with a couple of books from Storey Publishing, who I’m working with on The Tinkering Workshop. First off, I’ve been following in the website/newsletter The Marginalian (formerly brainpickings) for a long time and the new book, Universe in Verse by Maria Popova, matches the tone of the essays and poems that explore the connections between science art and perception. I also really dig the psychedelic illustrations and new ways of looking at everyday phenomenon in World of Rot by Britt Crow-Miller.  

There are always technical skills or new technologies that I enjoy taking a deep dive. This year it was Mastering Digitally Controlled Machines by Jean-Michel Molenaar and Daniele Ingrassia to get a overview of fabbing tools, The Nature of Code by Daniel Schiffman to think about how to get started programming artistically and Unmasking AI by Joy Buolamwini that offers lots of thought-provoking examples and stories of the potentials and potential biases of a new materials for tinkering. 

I’m really excited about some of these project books that should offer lots of inspiration for new projects and activities. Returning to Maker Faire this year re introduced my to Mario the Maker Magician and I’m excited to check out his The Maker Magician’s Handbook by Mario Marchese. One of the first workshops we tried at Wonderful Idea Co. was a tortilla printing press and tiny art show and I’d like to up my game with Block Print by Andrea Lauren.  Part of the tinkering process is seeing familiar things in new ways and I love how Hirameki by Peng and Hu boils that down to the basics of looking at things like clouds and coffee stains.  And what’s cuter than Mouse Art Book by Jodi Levine and Margaret McCartney  

Two special books related to the shadow remix activity that’s featured in The Tinkering Workshop that I am really enjoying are Shadowology by Vincent Bal (it may be hard to find a copy) and Shadow by Suzy Lee.

Every tinkerer and educator needs a little inspiration in their life and for these moments I recommend When You Wonder, You’re Learning by Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski,  The Art of Play by Emmy Watts and Keep Going (and anything else really) by Austin Kleon.  

And of course as a father of a two year old I’m deep into the world of board books and picture stories. Here are a few of my favorites that I think have some connection to the world of tinkering. I Viaggi Di Giovanni Perdigiorno by the great Gianni Rodari and Can I build another me? (and all of the books) of Yoshitaki Shinsuke are favorites in our house and I think the imaginative scenes in each could inspire countless maker projects. Invisible Things by Andy J. Pizza and Sophie Miller opens up possibilities for visualizing things that can’t normally be seen which is also inherent in tinkering projects (electricity, gravity, friction) as well as the emotions of making (frustration, pride, excitement). I love books like The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats that uses simple sentences to get into the mind of a child in a lovely way. And special mention to the “All Around Bustle Town” series of Wimmelbuchs (stuffed books) by Rotraut Susanne Berner which fill the same scene in different seasons with countless characters and situations.

Hope that you enjoy these picks and please add in your recent book-related inspirations in the comments.