These Spiders Served Their Country

 

The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid World War II Army    

by Penny Parker Klostermann; illus. by Anne Lambelet 

48 pages; ages 7-10

Calkins Creek, 2025 

This book had me with the title: The Spider Lady. I mean… who wouldn’t want to know more? Especially with the subtitle mentioning an “arachnid WWII army.” 

Like other entomologists, Nan Songer loved nature. In her case, it was butterflies and moths, beetles and caterpillars – even spiders. She loved learning about them, but didn’t love the idea of killing them and mounting them in collection boxes. Instead, Nan wanted to watch them move about, and she wrote down notes about what she discovered.

Her living insect collection grew, and soon she had jars of bugs all over her house. One day a friend told her that he had used spider’s silk to replace the crosshairs in his surveying scope. And that got Nan wondering… could she harvest spider silk and sell it?

Penny Parker Klostermann takes us right into Nan’s lab – ok, it was probably her dining room – where Nan is experimenting with different ways to collect silk. Nan has lots of questions: Which spiders produce the most silk? What size of silk is best? And most importantly, what’s the best way to raise spiders in captivity? Because some of them would definitely eat their roommates!

These were important questions, because World War II had broken out and the US needed silk for crosshairs in gunsights, periscopes, and range finders. And Nan wanted to furnish that silk.

We watch as Nan realizes that raising thousands of spiders means feeding them. And they like to eat crickets and flies, grubs and moths… and that means MORE jars of bugs! Her seemingly simple idea – to collect spider silk for crosshairs in scopes – began to grow into a huge project. 

I love how Penny shows Nan thinking through the research she needs to do. How can she test whether noise affects the quality of silk produced? Does the age of a spider affect the thickness of the silk strand? And how could she obtain threads that were thinner or thicker than what a spider spun?  Fortunately, she figured out how and by the time the US entered the war, Nan and her spiders were busy helping the troops. 

You can find out more about Penny and her book by dropping over to the GROG where, last month I hosted the 5th Annual Arthropod Roundtable. 

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publishers.

A Deep Dive into the Scopes Trial

 

A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight over Science in Schools 

by Debbie Levy 

288 pages; ages 10-14 

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2025 

This is a book about a science teacher who was simply doing his job when someone pointed out that teaching what was in the text book was now illegal.

This is a book about two lawyers whose words could sway public opinion.

This is a book about a simple idea: that living organisms change over time, in response to environmental pressures, and those changes are passed on to their offspring.

This is a book about an idea so dangerous that it threatened to rip apart the fabric of society, pitting devoutly religious (but scientifically uneducated) people against scientifically literate (and in many cases devoutly religious) people.

And it all started with a meeting at the soda fountain in Robinson’s Drug Store in Dayton, Tennessee on a warm afternoon in May. The mayor wanted to put his town on the map. Two months earlier, the governor had signed into law the Butler Act, which barred teachers from teaching evolution. John Scopes, hired to teach physics and math and – especially – coach football, was filling in for the biology teacher who’d been sick. And the folks at the soda fountain wanted to know: have you been teaching evolution? When Scopes said yes, they asked whether he’d be interested in standing for a test case to challenge the law. With that, the local constable arrested him (then let him go to finish playing tennis with his students), and the rest is … 

... history. Author, Debbie Levy weaves facts gleaned from extensive research and primary sources into a gripping tale that makes you wish all history books were this fun to read. She shows the evolution of Clarence Darrow from baseball player to lawyer to defender of unions and freethinkers. She shows the development of William Jennings Bryan from studious child to debate team to brilliant orator and lawyer. She shows the evolution of the idea of natural selection, highlighting that even though scientists at the time of Darwin were fuzzy on the details (Mendel’s work came to light two years after Darwin’s death), they “were not fuzzy about the fact that evolutionary change happened” and that inherited traits played a role.

Levy pulls together history and science for this deep dive into the 1925 Scopes Trial. She provides insights into the various party’s motivations and also addresses interrelated topics of racism, white supremacy, and eugenics. I particularly like the final chapters. She examines the evolution of thought about Evolution, tracing it through the national politics of 80s up to now. I’ve been asked many times whether I “believe” in evolution – but not once has anyone asked me whether I “believe” in gravity. She also examines the persistence of resistance to science. “Is it because scientific theories aren’t well understood?" she asks. "Is it because they make people uncomfortable?” Is it the same thing that makes people resistant to historical facts?

Back matter includes a timeline, source notes, and an index – all of which make this an extremely handy book to have in your classroom or library. I give it 5 trilobites!

 

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Science, Bias, and Measuring our World

Thomas Jefferson’s Battle for Science: Bias, Truth, and a Mighty Moose! 

by Beth Anderson; illus. by Jeremy Holmes 

48 pages; ages 7-10

‎Calkins Creek, 2024

theme: science, history, biography

Young Thomas Jefferson measured his world … animals and plants, mountains and streams, weather and crops. He recorded sizes and shapes, temperatures and times, distances and speeds (even his own). 

Science was certain, peaceful, measurable. Or so Jefferson believed. But when a French scientist wrote about the animals of America – saying the land was swampy and cold, the bears were smaller, the wolves downright puny – Jefferson got furious. He would show that buffoon! 

Jefferson is certain that America has ferocious and grand animals, such as Moose. So after the revolution, Jefferson declared a war of his own. A war against faulty facts. He would use science to fight this war. He would prove that American animals were large and magnificent - even if he had to mail a Moose to France to do so!

What I like love about this book: I love the endpapers – they are filled with life-sized tracks of North American birds and mammals. I love how Jeremy Holmes captured the feeling of science at the turn of the 19th century in his illustrations: identification tags and labels laid out on graph paper; documents tacked to wooden walls… even the color palette feels old-fashioned.

Then there is the language – it is downright fun. I love how Beth Anderson shows Jefferson’s reaction to the French critic: Hogwash! Absurd! Outrageous! I love how she shows Jefferson’s skepticism: where did Buffon get his information if he’d never been to America? (This, dear readers, is the sort of skepticism we need to nurture today! Just sayin’) And I love the back matter. In the author’s note, Beth dives deeper into Thomas Jefferson’s love of science and dissects the problems with mistruths. She reminds us that “scientific truth is always changing and growing” and asks readers to continue to fight against biases and untruth in scientific thinking, as Thomas Jefferson fought against Buffon’s  mistruths.

And that was when I knew I just had to ask Beth A Few Questions:

Me:  Why did you want to write this book? I feel there is an underlying lesson in it 

Beth: The more I dug into Thomas Jefferson’s obsession with science and this event, the more connections I found to today and for kids. So many important ideas and issues to ponder! It’s more important than ever that we raise critical thinkers. Truth matters. It’s vital for us all to examine our sources for bias and misinformation. Jefferson and Count Buffon both eventually admitted they were wrong when presented with evidence. While the story deals with a theory about animals and simple concepts like bigger isn’t necessarily better and different doesn’t mean inferior, I’m hoping that kids will be able to take the understanding gained from this to more crucial applications as mentioned in the back matter that result in really dangerous and damaging patterns of thinking. I also loved that Jefferson’s efforts to disprove Buffon’s theory fit the scientific inquiry process that kids use today. The past connects to today in so many ways! 

Me: What faulty facts are we fighting today?

Beth: We have all kinds out there—all that was being passed around during Covid is just one area where faulty facts piled up. Unfortunately many areas have become politicized and polarizing which makes it hard for us to examine issues intelligently, admit if we’re wrong, and recognize reality. Faulty facts have invaded medicine, history, democracy, environmental science, and more. We are in an age when it is becoming ever more difficult to sort truth from non-truth. We are deluged with information from legitimate as well as dubious sources, and now the emergence of AI makes this all even harder. As I said, it’s so important that we raise kids to think and question in constructive ways. Though the illustrations of Jefferson and Buffon’s dinner debate show Jefferson’s inner turmoil, historical sources describe him as respectful and polite despite Buffon’s condescending attitude. Buffon was one of Jefferson’s scientific heroes. Imagine how disappointing that was and how hard it was for Jefferson to dispute Buffon’s information. It’s clear that they both had to let go of their emotional attachment to what they WANTED to be true. 

Me: What can we do to help our children become scientifically literate?

Beth: We are really fortunate to have such a fantastic array of children’s books about science these days. I think wide exposure to gain knowledge and nurture a sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world is where scientific literacy starts. Then we provide opportunities to practice experimentation and investigation, collect and analyze data, and model critical thinking. An important piece of this is that scientific truth evolves as our understanding grows. Science is really quite irresistible! With the love of it, comes the literacy.

Beyond the Books:

Measure your world. What do you measure, and what tools do you use to do the measuring? Record your measurements and share them with others.

What are the largest (and possibly most majestic) animals that live near you? Use the process of scientific inquiry to support your thinking.  

What kinds of animal tracks can you find in the wild places near your home? (perhaps a park or local wooded area). You can find a handy field guide to animal tracks from Maine Fish and Wildlife at 

https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/animaltracksposter.pdf

Beth is a member of #STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publisher.

A Guy With a Real Superpower!

"Smelly" Kelly and His Super Senses: How James Kelly's Nose Saved the New York City Subway 
by Beth Anderson; illus. by Jenn Harney 
40 pages; ages 7-10
Calkins Creek, 2020    

theme: biography, engineering, superpowers

 James Kelly smelled everything.

Even circus elephants a mile away. But what good was the superpower of super-smelling? And how would it lead to a decent job? When he went to New York City he discovered a need for his nose: sniffing out leaks in the subway system. Leaking water could cause a cave in. Leaking gas could cause an explosion. Soon, James had a new name: Smelly Kelly.

He did more than just sniff for stinks. He studied up on chemistry, finding a powder that could help him identify leaky pipes. He invented gadgets to help him listen through walls for the sounds of drip, drip, dripping.

What I like about this book: I’d never heard of Smelly Kelly, so it was fun to read about someone who used his superpowers in a different way. I like the fun – and funny – way Beth Anderson tells his story. And I love the loads of back matter!

Beyond the Books:
Do you have a superpower? What is it? And how can you use it for the good of your family and neighbors?

Smelly Kelly makes a stethoscope so he can listen to leaks in walls. Here’s how you can make your own stethoscope.

You can read about James Kelly and the underground world he inhabited here.

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Jefferson Measures a Moose

Jefferson Measures a Moose
By Mara Rockliff; illustrated by S. D. Schindler
48 pages; ages 6 - 9
Candlewick, 2020

theme: US history, math, Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson loved asking questions about NUMBERS.

He wanted to know how far an hour’s walk was, how long it took to grow peas, and even how much it cost to see a monkey. So when a famous Frenchman wrote that American birds didn’t know how to sing and American animals were just too small, that got Jefferson’s dander up.

After all – had that Frenchman measured American animals? Or weighed them? Or even seen them? No. No. And no! Jefferson would show him that American animals were every bit as big – and maybe bigger – than French animals. He would measure a Moose!

What I like about this book: I love the light-hearted poke at history, and the way author Mara Rockliff works in the reality that measuring a moose is harder than it sounds. I particularly like the back matter. “A Mania for Math” provides a closer look at Jefferson’s love of numbers and his desire to present facts. Another section answers many of the questions that Jefferson asked.

Beyond the Books:

How big is a moose? Find out and, if you can, create a paper cut-out to show its size. How big are you compared to a moose? What about your parents? The family car?

How far do you walk in an hour? Jefferson walked just a bit over four miles in an hour. If you and Jefferson met at the flagpole of your school, and began walking to the edge of town, where would you be after three hours? Where would Jefferson be?

How long does it take for a pea to grow? The best way to find out is to plant peas and note when the first ripe pod is ready to eat. Extra credit: do different kinds of peas take longer than others to ripen?

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website.  Review copy provided by the publisher.