Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer Books in Order
Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer is a 6-book series by Sally Ann Lee for ages 5–8, at a grades 3–4 reading level, with gentle content (HootRated intensity 1/5).
- Books
- 6
- By publication date
- Content intensity
- Gentle
- HootRated 1/5
Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer Reading Order
Series numbers aren't available for most Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer books, so they're listed by publication date (oldest first).
| # | Title | Reading Level | Ages | Content |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alexander Graham Bell The Man Behind the Telephone 2019 | Level 4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 2 | Madame C. J. Walker The Woman Behind Hair Care Products for African Americans 2019 | Level 4-5 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 3 | Thomas Edison The Man Behind the Light Bulb 2019 · Lucia Tarbox Raatma | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 4 | Benjamin Franklin The Man Behind the Lightning Rod 2020 · Nancy Dickmann | Level 3-4 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 5 | Lewis Latimer The Man Behind a Better Light Bulb 2020 · Nancy Dickmann | Level 4-5 | 5-8 | Gentle |
| 6 | Lonnie Johnson NASA Scientist and Inventor of the Super Soaker 2020 · Lucia Tarbox Raatma | Level 4-5 | 5-8 | Gentle |
Content Intensity Across the Series
ConsistentContent stays at a steady intensity level throughout the series.
Series books grow with readers — but that's also the trap. Most series start at one reading level and one content intensity and drift upward over the course of the run. Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer (6 books by Sally Ann Lee) lands at a grades 3–4 reading level, with average content intensity 1/5. Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.
The reading-order table above lists every book with per-volume reading level, age and intensity ratings so you can spot any escalation before it catches your reader off guard. For a deeper dive into how we score text difficulty vs. emotional weight separately — and why series readers especially benefit from that split — see our methodology page.
All Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer Books
Alexander Graham Bell
Sally Ann Lee
Alexander Graham Bell
Sally Ann Lee
Madame C. J. Walker
Sally Ann Lee
Madame C. J. Walker
Sally Ann Lee
Thomas Edison
Lucia Tarbox Raatma
Thomas Edison
Lucia Tarbox Raatma
Benjamin Franklin
Nancy Dickmann
Benjamin Franklin
Nancy Dickmann
Lewis Latimer
Nancy Dickmann
Lewis Latimer
Nancy Dickmann
Lonnie Johnson
Lucia Tarbox Raatma
Lonnie Johnson
Lucia Tarbox Raatma
Series Like Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer: What to Read Next
Similar reading level, content intensity and themes.
- Library of Intergenerational... by E. Barrie Kavasch 6 books · Grades 3–5 · gentle content
- Little Biographies of Big People by Joan Stoltman 13 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle to mild content
- Pebble Explore; Biographies (Capstone/Pebble) by Laura K. Murray 7 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle to mild content
- On Deck; Reading Power; American Tycoons; PowerKids Press by Lewis K. Parker 3 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
- Little People, Big Dreams by María Isabel Sánchez Vegara 50 books · Grades 2–6 · gentle to moderate content
- Lives and Times by Tiffany Peterson 3 books · Grades 3–4 · gentle content
Questions about the Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer series
- What reading level is the Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer series?
- Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer books are at a grades 3–4 reading level (average grade level 4), and HootRated recommends the series for ages 5–8. There are 6 books in the series.
- What order should I read the Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer books?
- Series numbers aren't available for most Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer books, so HootRated lists them by publication date: Alexander Graham Bell (2019); Madame C. J. Walker (2019); Thomas Edison (2019); Benjamin Franklin (2020); Lewis Latimer (2020); and 1 more.
- What age is the Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer series appropriate for?
- HootRated recommends Little Inventor; Smithsonian Little Explorer for ages 5–8. Content is gentle (HootRated intensity 1/5). Intensity stays consistent across the series, so a reader who can handle the first book can generally handle the rest.