Books
Contact

Explore The Power Tools & Pony Tails Series

Power Tools & Pony Tails is a career-exploration book series for children ages 6–12. Each story introduces readers to a skilled trade through an engaging female character, realistic workplace experiences, safety lessons, and an educational appendix covering training pathways and career opportunities.

Inspired by real women and real work, the series helps girls see construction, infrastructure, transportation, and technical careers as possibilities long before they begin ruling those careers out.

Hard Hat Heather: From Bunny Runs to Blueprints… book cover by Heather C. Gastelum. Illustration shows family reviewing blueprints at construction site with rabbit. Power Pals & Pony Tales series logo.
Hard Hat Heather childhood illustration: dirty-faced girl with safety goggles crouches among bolts and tools while dad watches proudly in workshop. Text: 'Heather wasn't a cute kid. She was a tomboy—always dirty, always curious, always getting into something. And that was just fine with her dad.'
Young Heather kneeling in backyard grass drawing blueprint on clipboard while her gray rabbit watches. Sunlit garden scene. Text: 'At home, Heather came up with an idea. She wanted to build a rabbit run so her bunny could safely graze outside—without worrying about dogs or birds.'
Hard Hat Heather as child in hardware store aisle holding shopping list for screws and wire mesh, looking frustrated while mom points to items on shelf. Text: 'Then her dad asked her to make a list of everything she'd need—and sent her to the hardware store with her mom. That lesson came with frustration.'
Adult Heather in white hard hat and pink safety vest stands beside cell tower at construction site. Text: 'As Heather grew up, she took what she learned in the shop and stepped onto real job sites. Her first career path led her into telecommunications construction—building the towers that help people talk, text, and stay connected.'
Hard Hat Heather at commercial construction site with excavators and foundation trenches at sunrise. Holding clipboard and inspection notes. Text: 'After working in the field building cell sites, Heather stepped into a new challenge—commercial construction. She arrived early, when the project was nothing but dirt work and deep holes in the ground where the foundation would someday be.'
Hard Hat Heather leading safety training session with whiteboard showing PPE equipment. Workers in hard hats listen as she explains accident prevention. Text: 'Heather oversaw inspections, tower modifications, and safety programs. Her job was to stop accidents before they happened.'
Hard Hat Heather timeline showing young girl with tools and rabbit beside adult Heather in safety vest at construction site. Text: 'Heather's story started with tools, questions, and a rabbit run—but it grew into a career built on confidence, respect, and grit.

Hard Hat Heather: From Bunny Runs to Blue Prints

$12.99

Hard Hat Heather introduces young readers to construction, skilled trades, and STEM careers through a true-life story of a woman who built her career in telecommunications and construction—teaching curiosity, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and safety from elementary school age.

Learn More
Callie The Crane Operator: Lifting Big Dreams to New Heights by Heather C. Gastelum. Book cover shows female crane operator in orange hard hat communicating on radio with massive tower crane and construction site at sunset. Power Tools & Pony Tails series logo.
Mobile crane assembling yellow tower crane sections at construction site with city skyline. Workers guide tower pieces into place. Text: 'Once the groundwork is done its time to build the crane. But here's the surprising part—it takes another crane to build a crane. A mobile crane arrives to stack all the tall pieces of the fixed tower crane, section by section, until it reaches high above the job site.'
Callie inside crane control cab at height, speaking on radio while operating controls. City skyline visible far below. Text: 'From her seat high in the sky, Callie can see almost everything. But not always. As the buildings grow taller some loads disappear from view. That's when teamwork—and trust—matters most.'
Hard Hat Heather and colleague watch Callie operate tower crane at sunset construction site. Heather holds clipboard observing. Text: 'Hard Hat Heather watched carefully. She saw how Callie handled pressure. She saw how she spoke up. She saw how she refused to rush when safety mattered.'
Aerial view of Callie operating tower crane lifting lumber over building framework at construction site with city below at sunset. Text: 'Callie takes her job seriously. Because when a load is lifted high in the sky, people's lives depend on her.'
Young girl in yellow hard hat looks up at tower crane against sunset sky with construction workers in background. Text: 'And somewhere out there, another future crane operator is looking up at the sky and wondering: Could I do that? Yes. With training, courage, and teamwork—you can.'

Callie the Crane Operator: Lifting Big Dreams to New Heights

$12.99

Callie the Crane Operator introduces young readers to tower crane operations through a true story inspired by a real construction worker, emphasizing safety, precision, communication, and the math and science behind every lift—from apprenticeship to certification.

Learn More
Riley The Rigging Renegade: Rigging, Radios, and Really Tall Towers by Heather C. Gastelum. Book cover shows young rigger in climbing harness and hard hat gazing up at communications tower with city skyline and highway at sunset. Power Tools & Pony Tails series logo.
Three-panel illustration showing Riley, a young tower climber in a white hard hat, red-and-gray jacket, blue jeans, and safety harness, performing various tower maintenance tasks. Left panel: Riley connects cables to tower-mounted equipment. Center panel: A large yellow crane hook hangs ready for lifting. Right panel: Riley smiles while standing beside an illuminated red aviation warning light. Caption reads: "Tower climbers don't just climb... They install antennas and repair lights. They use rigging to lift heavy equipment."
Riley climbs upward on a metal lattice tower structure, looking confidently at the viewer with a bright smile. She wears a white hard hat, safety glasses, yellow work gloves, a black safety harness, and carries a beige tool pouch labeled "RIGGERS." Green vegetation is visible below through the steel framework. Overlay text reads: "You don't know if you can do it until you actually do it. So she put on a harness... and started climbing."

Riley the Rigging Renegade: Rigging, Radios, and Really Tall Towers

$12.99

Riley the Rigging Renegade introduces young readers to telecommunications tower work through a true story inspired by a woman with 14 years of tower climbing experience, highlighting STEM skills, rigging, safety, teamwork, and the technology that keeps communities connected.

Learn More
Ella The Electrician: Sparking a Future in the Electrical Trades by Heather C. Gastelum. Book cover shows electrician in yellow safety jacket, white hard hat, and tool belt standing before apartment complex at sunset with two young girls and service van nearby. Power Tools & Pony Tails series logo.
Ella the Electrician collage showing four types of electrical work: working inside walls, on power lines high above ground, wiring data centers that power the internet, and on military bases with emergency systems. Text: 'Electricians don't do just one kind of work.'
Ella the Electrician teaching young apprentice Jordyn how to read blueprints at residential jobsite. Both wear hard hats and safety vests. Ella points to fixture locations on architectural plans. Text: 'On a jobsite like this, electricians follow the prints. Ella opened the blueprint for the unit. Fixtures must be exactly where the plans say, she explained to Jordyn.'
Split image showing finger flipping light switch in foreground with Ella and Jordyn installing ceiling light fixture in background. Warmly lit apartment interior. Text: 'Electricians don't just install lights. They build, connect, test, and protect the systems that power entire buildings and cities. Electricians bring buildings to life. And every time a light turns on—remember Ella and Jordyn.'

Ella the Electrician: Sparking a Future in the Electrical Trades

$12.99

Ella the Electrician teaches about electrical trades through a true story inspired by real women electricians, highlighting teamwork, safety, problem-solving, and STEM skills from apprenticeship to career advancement.

Learn More

Inspire

Our book series Power Tools & Pony Tails was created to expose more girls to the trades, teach them they can do anything they set their minds to, and show them they’re just as capable of building, fixing, and leading.

Educate

Each book in the series features a trade-inspired story modeled after real industry professionals Strong female role models in construction and infrastructure.

Empower

At the end of every book you'll find an appendix covering training pathways, certifications, safety culture, and career outlook. Because when girls can see themselves in these roles, they can become them.

What Our Readers Say

“My daughter loves this series of books. We started with Hard Hat Heather as a gift, and now Riley the Rigging Renegade. If you’ve got a little girl who’s fascinated by construction and trade work, she’ll love these!!”

Rated 5 out of 5

Brandon F.

A one of a kind series for fearless little ladies

“Our daughter loved this book. As a dad, I loved this book. It’s an inspiring story about a curious girl who grows up to be a leader. And it’s very relatable, with beautiful illustrations.”

Rated 5 out of 5

Susan Q.

So inspiring for our daughter!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions we receive about our book series.
Power Tools & Pony Tails logo: cartoon girl in yellow hard hat holding a power drill

The series is designed to inspire young girls by showcasing various trades, building skills in both leadership and hands-on work, and encouraging them to explore careers in these fields. Our goal is to empower girls to know they can excel in anything they set their minds to.

These books are perfect for girls aged 8 to 18, as well as their parents and educators. Anyone interested in trades, STEM education, and empowerment will find valuable insights and inspiration.

You can easily buy our books through our online Amazon store. Just visit our shop page to browse our titles and make your purchase.

We plan to host events and workshops focused on trades and leadership. Stay updated by signing up for our newsletter to hear about upcoming opportunities to engage and learn.

You can support our initiative by spreading the word about our series, purchasing and gifting our books, or engaging with our content online. Every little bit helps to empower young girls to explore their potential in trades!

Be the first to know!

Sign up to receive instant alerts the moment our newest book releases!