The latest addition to the Little Miss series of books is Little Miss Inventor. The move could help to encourage more girls to consider careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields, such as aerospace, where they are significantly under-represented.

Little Miss Inventor is the latest character based on the cartoon series created by Roger Hargreaves. The new book will be released the week of March 8, 2018 to coincide with International Woman’s Day and British Science Week.

Recent research commissioned by Microsoft found while most girls in the UK become attracted to STEM subjects just before the age of 11, their interest drops off sharply between the ages of 16-17, highlighting the importance of engaging girls at primary school age.

The research also suggested that the path to preventing this decline in interest includes better role models, parental and teacher support, practical experience and knowledge of STEM subjects’ application in the real world, as well as believing they will be treated equally with men working in STEM.

Reports quote the early blurb of the Little Miss Inventor book as reading: “Her brain is full of ideas, which she turns into extraordinary inventions in a shed at the bottom of her garden.

“As well as inventing things for herself, she also invents things for her friends, whether it’s a chatter-natter hat for Little Miss Chatterbox or a back-pack-snack-attack fridge for Mr. Greedy.

“But her greatest challenge yet has her stumped, what an earth could she invent for Mr. Rude?!”

LEGO also recently launched a Women of NASA set of figures.