Modulo

Lindsey the GIS Professional

Recommended Ages

1st-5th Grades

Kids rarely hear about geospatial careers, even though mapping underpins everything from disaster response to city planning. “Lindsey the GIS Professional” introduces children to geographic information systems through a picture-book story and accompanying online resources. Created by GIS educator and author Laura Phelps Rogers (with Esri support in many editions), it shows how Lindsey uses maps and data layers to solve real-world problems. We love how it demystifies a technical field with kid-friendly language, activities, and invitations to explore real maps. It’s ideal for roughly grades 2–6 and works well in STEM units, career days, or geography studies. The art style is simple and the story straightforward, which may feel basic to older readers, but the concept is powerful. Pro tip: follow the book by letting kids explore free online GIS tools or map local features—like parks, schools, or bus routes—to see how layered data tells stories.

Ideal for early-elementary kids who love maps, treasure hunts, or geography, and for homeschool families looking to connect storytime with simple STEM activities like drawing neighborhood maps or exploring aerial imagery.

Pros

Charming picture book from the STEAM at Work! series that introduces Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by following Lindsey as she gathers data and makes a map of her favorite park; reviewers highlight that it’s an accessible way to encourage spatial thinking in grades 1–5, with free activity pages and teaching materials available online.

Cons

As a single, short picture book it can only skim the surface of GIS, so older or already map-obsessed kids may want more depth; it relies on an adult to extend the ideas into hands-on mapping projects, and families without easy access to outdoor spaces may need to adapt the examples.

Because the book and many of its companion activities are low‑cost or free, families typically don’t need ESA or charter funds to use it; if your program reimburses trade books, you can usually submit your bookstore receipt as you would for any other picture book.

Free games on website and $9.99 for book

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Lindsey the GIS Professional
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Skills

What kids will learn
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Geography
Geography
Data Science
Data Science
STEM
STEM

Lindsey the GIS Professional Mission

Lindsey the GIS Professional aims to introduce kids to geographic information systems as a creative, real-world career path, showing how maps and data can be used to help communities. Through an engaging story and companion activities, it encourages children to notice the world around them, think spatially, and imagine themselves in STEM roles they may never have heard of before.

Lindsey the GIS Professional Story

GIS specialist Tyler Danielson wrote Lindsey the GIS Professional as part of Bolton & Menk’s STEAM at Work! children’s book series after seeing how few kids knew that mapping could be a job. The story follows Lindsey as she gathers data about her favorite park and uses GIS tools to turn those observations into a map that can improve the space for everyone. Published in partnership with Esri Press and paired with free teaching guides and interactive StoryMaps, the book has been used in classrooms and homes to spark conversations about geography, technology, and civic engagement.

About Modular Learning

FAQ: Additional Details about Lindsey the GIS Professional

Imagine reading the book together on the couch, pausing when Lindsey looks at satellite imagery to pull up your own town on an online map. Your child traces bike routes on paper, colors in favorite landmarks, and then tries an Esri StoryMap or web‑map activity where they click layers on and off to see how data changes the picture. 

Lindsey the GIS Professional is a picture book that introduces kids to geographic information systems (GIS) by following Lindsey as she collects data about her favorite park and turns it into a map. Homeschool families typically read the story aloud and then use the free teacher resources and GIS‑Day activities from Esri to explore real maps online, make simple maps of their home or neighborhood, or complete the included puzzles and games. 

Adult involvement is key—reading aloud, helping navigate mapping tools, and asking guiding questions like “What data would we need to map playgrounds or trees in our area?”

Great for roughly grades 1–5; kids just need to enjoy picture books and be able to follow simple instructions for drawing or clicking around on a map website.

“Lindsey the GIS Professional” introduces geographic information systems through story, which can resonate with visual‑spatial and STEM‑inclined kids, including many autistic and gifted learners. It’s a short read best used as a springboard for further exploration, map‑making, or real‑world examples rather than a full course.

Physical copies are purchased through standard booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Esri Press partners, so returns follow each retailer’s regular book‑return policy.

Not a fit as a stand-alone geography curriculum, for teens who are ready for full GIS software and data analysis, or for kids who have no interest in maps or spatial thinking and may be better engaged through different entry points to geography.

Pair with free tools like Google Earth or ArcGIS school resources for older students, or with broader social studies spines such as Curiosity Chronicles for families who want a more comprehensive global view.

Lindsey is the first in a growing STEAM picture‑book series about infrastructure and geospatial careers; Esri Press periodically adds new activity kits and GIS Day resources that feature the character and her world. 

Read the book once for fun, then reread it with a clipboard in hand and go map a real park or your neighborhood—having your child collect “data” (trees, benches, favorite spots) and sketch their own map mimics Lindsey’s process and makes the concept stick.

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Meet Tyler

Tyler Danielson is a GIS professional at infrastructure engineering firm Bolton & Menk, where he has years of experience in production mapping, emergency response analysis, LiDAR and remote sensing, and public-engagement mapping tools. He authored Lindsey the GIS Professional as a birthday gift for his sister that later became a published title in the STEAM at Work! series. Danielson’s goal is to share his love of GIS with kids and families and to raise awareness of how spatial data helps communities make better decisions.