Who Was Steve Jobs? – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Who Was Steve Jobs?

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

book2012

89%

WISE Score

4.6

Amazon

A bite-sized look at the man who made the glass rectangle in your pocket—warts, genius, and all.

Who Was Steve Jobs?

book

2012

89%

WISE Score

4.6

Amazon

A bite-sized look at the man who made the glass rectangle in your pocket—warts, genius, and all.

4.6

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Screenwise Verdict

This is the 'Who Was?' series doing exactly what it’s supposed to do: taking a massive, complicated, and sometimes prickly life and making it digestible for kids without turning it into a boring lecture.

It’s a solid read for any kid who likes tech or wants to know why their world looks the way it does. It isn't 'brain rot,' and it isn't a dry textbook. It's just a good, honest story about a guy who was obsessed with making things perfect. Even in 2026, the story of Apple’s founding remains the gold standard for 'entrepreneurial' inspiration for kids.

Age Fit

Best for the 8-12 crowd. It’s written simply enough for a 3rd grader to fly through, but the subject matter is interesting enough that a 6th grader won't feel like they're reading a 'baby book.'

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It avoids the trap of making Jobs a perfect saint. It's honest about his difficult personality and perfectionism, which provides a more realistic, emotionally grounded look at a 'hero' than most kid books.

Imaginative

The book focuses heavily on 'thinking different' and the creative process behind design. It sparks curiosity about how everyday objects are conceived and built.

Safe

It's a Penguin Workshop book, so it's curated for elementary schoolers. The only sensitive content is the discussion of his illness and death at the end, which is handled with appropriate gravity.

Enriching

Excellent introduction to tech history, business, and the concept of a visionary. It teaches kids that persistence and a specific point of view can literally change the world.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

It proves that 'smart' isn't just about getting A's in school—Steve famously struggled with traditional classrooms.
The book doesn't sugarcoat the fact that Steve could be a bit of a jerk, which is a great lesson in social-emotional reality.
Perfect for the kid who loves their iPad but has no idea how much work went into making it 'simple.'
The signature 'Who Was' illustrations keep the pacing fast for kids who usually hate reading biographies.

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What to Watch For

The ending covers his battle with cancer and his death; it's gentle, but be ready for some questions.
Some of the tech mentioned—like the original iPod or the first iPhone—will feel like ancient history to a kid in 2026.

Conversation Starters

"Steve Jobs was known for being really tough on his employees. Do you think you have to be mean to be a good leader?"
"If you could invent one thing that everyone in the world used every day, what would it be?"
"Why do you think Steve cared so much about what the inside of the computer looked like, even if no one would ever see it?"
"Steve was adopted. How do you think that shaped his drive to prove himself?"

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