Through the exciting adventures of Bence and his friends, young readers can discover the world of engineering, automation, artificial intelligence, sustainability and digital technology. The stories also show that engineering is not just about machines and equations, but about creativity, teamwork and solving real-world problems.

Could artificial intelligence or a production line be exciting for a child?

They are bringing the world of engineering closer to children with a free storybook.

Robots, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, sustainable industry and a group of curious schoolchildren. The S-Club – A Virtual Journey Through the World of Technology, a free storybook written by Erzsébet Fodor-Nemes and conceived by staff at Siemens Zrt., uses an adventure story to show young people that technology is not something distant and incomprehensible: it is all around us, and one day they themselves may even shape its future.

At first, neither school nor his engineer father’s work seems particularly exciting to Bence. However, an unexpected virtual adventure changes everything: he finds himself in a world where engineers, software and technological solutions are seeking answers to real-world problems – from clean water to more sustainable industrial operations.

He and his friends are about to set up the S-Club, and from then on, events really take off. They control robots, discover the world of artificial intelligence and virtual twins, explore production lines and solve sustainability problems, whilst their adventures take them from Central America all the way to the North Pole. 

When an engineer becomes a superhero

One of the key ideas behind the S-Club is that engineering is by no means just about numbers, computer screens and complicated machines. Bence is gradually discovering that behind the technology are people whose work can make everyday life easier. 

And the book manages to do all this without trying to be a textbook. The adventures are complemented by short ‘Did you know?’ sections and playful questions, which explain concepts such as software, virtual reality, robotics, automation and even the carbon footprint in a way that children can understand. 

The children even get to try their hand at a robot-controlled strawberry harvest: via a virtual system, they take control of the strawberry-picking robots, whilst at the same time, without even realising it, they learn how robots and automated processes can be used in the real world. 

But even Santa’s workshop is being transformed by the 21st century: in one of the story’s more light-hearted scenes, the elves try to cope with the increasingly complex Christmas logistics using an automated warehouse, software and artificial intelligence.

When knowledge becomes a shared endeavour

However, the novel is not just about machines. Childlike curiosity, creativity, cooperation and problem-solving play a vital role in it. Bence and his friends are talented in various ways, and they make the most progress precisely when they learn to think as a community and to accept each other’s ideas. Sustainability isn’t presented as a separate lesson either: from water purification through energy use and modern manufacturing to carbon footprints, the question arises time and again of how technology can help us develop whilst also taking better care of our environment. The book’s own summary also emphasises the joint realisation of industry, human well-being and environmental protection. 

Erzsébet Fodor-Nemes’s world of imagination meets technology

Erzsébet Fodor-Nemes wrote poetry and prose throughout her life, and the story behind her first novel intended for publication began in 2019; the story that unfolded from this Witchlands eventually expanded this world into a narrative arc spanning more than 10 volumes, of which two have so far been published in print. *S-Szakkör* is already the author’s fourth published work. In line with his own creative philosophy, he strives to create stories which, alongside adventure and fantasy, inspire, encourage and teach young people, whilst conveying genuine values.

In the S-Club, this storytelling approach meets the exciting world of technology: robots, artificial intelligence and sustainability are not presented as dry concepts, but as engaging, experiential stories that children can relate to.

By the end of his adventures, Bence, too, sees the world – which he had previously found boring – in a completely different light: he can now imagine choosing a career path similar to his father’s.

“The S-Club isn’t trying to tell children that they should become engineers. It encourages them to ask questions, to be curious, to dare to experiment, to think together and to consider how they can make the world around them a better place,” said Márk Arató, Head of Communications at Siemens Zrt.

Because, as one of the book’s key ideas puts it:

“After all, the inventors of the future are still children today.”

The publication was supported by the HM Books team.