Unexpected Discoveries!

 

 The Lost Forest: An Unexpected Discovery beneath the Waves
by Jennifer Swanson
56 pages; ages 9-14
‎Millbrook Press, 2024

This book takes readers on an expedition to an underwater forest. Not a forest of kelp or coral, but a forest of cypress trees. Wait! What? Yes – a forest that once grew along the southern gulf coast of the US that is now submerged in 60 or more feet of salt water.

Author Jen Swanson introduces us to the scientists and their story about finding the forest, taking core samples of the sea floor, carbon-dating, and more. Along the way she tosses in sidebars for deeper info dives and QR codes (with links provided) for videos so you can see what the scientists saw.

Here’s the thing: the ancient underwater forest is around 60,000 years old. Our world looked much different then. With so much of the planet covered in ice sheets, the ocean didn’t cover as much of the gulf coastline as it does now. These forests grew on solid ground some 30 to 60 miles farther into the gulf than the current shoreline. Makes one wonder what would happen if the remaining ice sheets melted…

The book is organized in six chapters, with one focused on the first dive, one showing what the scientists looked for – and discovered, and one detailing their attempts to map the forest. There’s a great graphic (and accompanying text) showing the steps of gene sequences. And there’s a discussion about how scientists continued their research during the pandemic.

For me, the final chapter was the most meaningful, as it asks how current ocean depth might provide insight into how climate has affected the ocean in the past. I particularly liked seeing how quickly animals can adapt to unique environments, such as when hurricanes uncovered the forest from layers of mud. The newly emerged trees created micro-ecosystems, providing places sea creatures could use for shelter. The discovery of the forest also raises questions about what might happen to the future of our current coastlines as the planed warms.

I also like the back matter, which includes hands-on activities and more things to explore.

After reading The Lost Forest, I had some questions for Jen:

Me: In your author notes you mention that you were an “adjunct” member of the team. How did that happen?

Jen: I am lucky enough to be good friends with one of the scientists on the team at Nahant Marine Science Center. Dr. Brian Helmuth was one of the experts on my Astronaut-Aquanaut book and we've stayed in touch since then. He called me one day and told me about the underwater forest project and I was sooo excited. He was like, “Hey, would you like to be a member of our team? And maybe even write a kid's book about it?”

I said, “Brian, are you giving me the exclusive on your story?” and he said, “I guess I am.”
My response was, “I'm in!”  I was invited to go on one of their research trips into the Gulf, but those were postponed due to covid. But instead, I got to participate in several of the online team meetings they had. They gave me access to all of their reports, the photos, and the videos. The entire team helped to edit the book and were with me every step of the way. They are SO great to work with! I'm very proud to tell their story.
 
Me: You love to visit scientists in the field and in the lab. Why is that an important part of your research?

 

Jen: Seeing the science in action is the best! You can't beat it. You get to watch the scientists perform experiments. You're there when they make connections with the research, and if you're very lucky you're there when they make the discoveries. For me, it's so exciting to see the scientists in their labs, out on the boats, or just be in the meetings while they are discussing what they've learned. It's like how many feel being front row at a concert or something. Yes, I'm a true science geek!

Me: I like how the book ends with considerations of climate change. Because, back in the time of heavy glaciation, the ocean was 30-60 miles away from the current shoreline. And that makes me wonder what a 1-foot sea level rise might look like 25 years from now. Your thoughts?

Jen: Well, that's a good question. And one that we probably don't want to learn the answer to. From what I've read, a 1-foot sea level rise would be devastating to many, particularly the ones that live on any of the coasts near the ocean. For me, I live about 5 miles from the ocean. That might bring the ocean literally to my doorstep as there isn't much in Florida to stop the water once it rises. The one thing I've learned from living near the coast for over 25 year is that water wins! It goes where it wants to, and it's very tough to stop. So, let's hope that this doesn't happen.

Jennifer is a member of #STEAMTeam2024. You can find out more about her at her website, JenniferSwansonBooks.com. She is also the creator and co-host of Solve It! for Kids podcast solveitforkids.com

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Antarctic Adventure

My favorite time of year to read about polar adventures is in the winter, when snow and sleet swirl around my house and my road resembles a sloped ice rink. That’s when I whip up a steaming mug of hot cocoa and sit by the window, reading about adventures in far off (and much colder) places.

This book doesn’t come out till March 5th, but I wanted to squeeze a review before spring thaw – just in case you want to go outside on a totally NOT-Antarctic-but-still-cold-and-snowy expedition

My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More 

by G. Neri; illustrations by Corban Wilkin 

96 pages; ages 7-10

‎Candlewick, 2024

Themes: Antarctica, animals, adventure

When I was a kid, I dreamed of being an explorer. I hoped to trek to the Poles or dive into the Mariana Trench or rocket to the Moon one day.

Instead, Greg Neri grew up and started writing books for kids. Lots of books – and that unexpectedly landed him in Antarctica. He was (finally) an explorer!

This book is a fun, wonderfully illustrated scrapbook-like memoir of Neri’s expedition to Antarctica as one of three artists/writers to be awarded a National Science Foundation fellowship. Neri confesses that he wasn’t the best science student in school, but he wanted this opportunity to join the expedition and spend time around lots of scientists, all of whom “seemed to be looking for answers to life’s big questions.” He wanted to bring back stories and photos he could share with kids, adventures that might inspire them to explore science.

Neri, who lives in Florida, had a lot to learn, starting with how to dress. Fortunately, he got outfitted with the right gear – SO many layers! He introduces the scientific community living at McMurdo research station and what they’re working on: geology, plants and animals, outer space. His job: to follow different science teams into the field and learn about their research – and then try to explain it to kids.

Here's what I love about this book:

• The front end papers show a map of Neri’s flight to Antarctica and a map of the ice shelf and landscape;
• The mix of photos and Corban Wilkin’s annotated comics and illustrations .They not only show what the scientists are working on, but life at the South Pole;
• The lists he makes (as you probably know by now, I am a list-maker!). His lists include things you won’t find in Antarctica, things you will find, vehicles found around the research station, critters living on the continent, the things people wear, and toilets. Yep, you heard right – toilets; and
• Back matter, which includes an authors note, facts about Antarctica, books, websites, and other stuff curious folks will want to know.

Beyond the Book:

Fold an origami penguin. You need origami paper or gift wrap with one side that’s white. Here’s a video showing how to make one.

Go on your own expedition to Antarctica. You can start here. 

Print out 2-3 photos of what you might see if you visited Antarctica. Then add your own cartoon art and a bit of a story. 

You can check out the Antarctic Artists and Writers Collective here. They host events and exhibitions to celebrate Antarctica and have recordings archived on their website. They have a Facebook page, too.

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 Little Night Science

 One day I was walking through town and I noticed a small owl napping in the crook of a branch. The tiny screech owl blended in with the tree and, had I not been looking for leaves and flowers, I probably wouldn't have seen them. I have a fondness for owls, and leave my windows open at night so I can hear their hoots and whooos. So I knew right off I just had to read this book!

Night Owl Night

By Susan Edwards Richmond; illus. by Maribel Lechuga

32 pages; ages 4-8

Charlesbridge, 2023

theme: owls, migration, scientists

In October, Mama becomes a night owl.

Not an owl with wings and huge eyes … but a person who works during the dark hours of night. That’s because Sova’s mom is a scientist who studies owls and other birds, and she needs to be out in the field when the owls are active. Sova wants to be a night owl, too. She draws owls, carries around a stuffed owl, and even creates an owl costume. Not yet, Mama tells her. Scientists must wait. Finally, Sova is old enough to join Mama in her owl research. Together they put on headlamps and walk out to the woods where (eventually) they  capture, measure, and release a saw-whet owl.

What I like about this book: I like the repetition of “scientists must wait” – whether it is for the right time, or for the owls to show up. I love Sova’s enthusiasm for owls, and her creative ways to remind Mama that she wants to be a night owl, too. I can totally see the costume she creates inspiring kids to make their own wings and bird mask. I especially like how the field science is represented: the careful measuring and weighing and banding of the owl – and the gentle release into the night. And of course, there is back matter for curious young night owls-in-training: a page about common northern forest owls, an explanation about how banding is used by scientists, and resources for learning more.

I wanted to know more about Susan Richmond and her writing process so I asked her a Couple Questions:

Me: This is your third picture book I’ve reviewed – and I want to know: when do you know you have a book idea? 

Susan: First, thank you so much for reviewing my previous books, Sue!  I really appreciate it.  

I know I’ve got a book idea - maybe partly at least - when I can’t get it out of my head! Though it often takes a while, sometimes years, before an idea finds its proper form.  For example, Bird Count I originally envisioned as a simple, seek-and-find counting book in verse! Many iterations later, with feedback from both my critique group and my editor at Peachtree, it became a community science adventure packed with birdwatching tips.  Night Owl Night, however, came to me with its complete story arc soon after my own saw-whet owl banding experience.  I had learned and felt so much in a single evening that I believed I could use a similar setting to have my audience do the same. Because I wanted the book to invite inquiry about other species of owls as well, and to teach more about the significance of banding in bird conservation, those refinements came later through additional research.  

Me:  Do you use a dummy and/or storyboard in your writing process? 

Susan: This may sound strange, but my dummy/storyboards are really in my head.  My artistic skills are very untrained, so I rarely try to sketch my ideas on paper.  Then, when I think the book is approaching a satisfying draft, I paginate the manuscript.  I’ve heard that some editors/agents don’t like to receive paginated manuscripts from authors who aren’t illustrators, but for me it’s a necessary step.  It allows me to “see” spreads and page turns, including potential “cliff hangers,” to be sure the story has  enough visual and plot interest.  Paginating also helps me with pacing and ensuring the book will “work” within a picture book format. 

Beyond the Books:

You can watch trailer for Night Owl Night, and download activity kit (a fun migration maze included!) at Susan's website.

Make an owl puppet out of a paper bag – and tell your own owl stories. Here's how.

Learn to talk like an owl. Here are some great resources from Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and the American Bird Conservancy.

Bake an Owl pizza (no owls will be harmed in this activity!). You’ll need to make a pizza crust and have pepperoni and olives on hand for toppings. Here’s directions

Susan Edwards Richmond is a member of #STEAMTeam2023. You can find out more about her at her website.  Here’s where you can find my reviews of her other books, Bird Count and Bioblitz!: Counting Critters

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

A Climate Change Toolbox

 Tomorrow is Earth Day, so today is a perfect day for introducing a book about…

Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet   

by Laura Gehl 

72 pages; ages 9-14

Millbrook Press (Lerner), 2023

“Sometimes, when something is big and frightening, we don’t want to think about it,” writes Laura Gehl. And right now, the biggest and scariest problem we’ve got is climate change. It’s a huge problem, so overwhelming that we might wonder what can we even do to solve it?

As with every problem, the best place to begin is with understanding what it is. So Laura takes the first chapter to explain what climate change is, how humans are causing it, and what we can do about it. Then she introduces fourteen scientists who are studying – and fighting – climate change. A forester, a conservation biologist, a scientist working with artificial intelligence. An economist, a materials scientist, a psychologist, and eight more. 

Chapter by chapter, Laura shows what scientists and climate activists are doing to understand – and communicate their findings about – climate change. In each chapter, the featured “climate warrior” offers recommendations: making cities more walkable, planting trees, creating better public transportation systems, finding substitutes for meat, protecting forests and coastal ecosystems… the list is long.

Each chapter ends with one or more things kids (and their families) can do to combat climate change. Here’s the thing: as crazy as it sounds, individual efforts add up. So if you do something, and get your family and friends to join you, you’re making a positive change. Laura ends her book with a chapter that adds a short list of specific ways you can be a climate warrior. 

Reduce your use of plastics, Laura says. “Switch to reusable containers instead of plastic bags … and encourage your family to use refillable water bottles and soap dispensers.” Plant a garden. Compost food scraps and leaves. Share things like bicycles and books. Eat less meat. Last on the list – and possibly most important – use your voice to share climate-friendly actions. Included in back matter is a quick guide for writing a letter to your Congressperson, Governor, or even the President. There’s also a list of helpful books and websites.

I caught up with Laura Gehl a few days ago and she graciously answered a couple questions.

Me: What do you do to avoid feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the face of such 

a huge problem like climate change?

Laura: One of the scientists I wrote about in Climate Warriors, David Rolnick, told me that he fights climate change using artificial intelligence because that’s what he’s good at. He said that everyone can help fight climate change using their own specific skills and talents. This conversation really resonated with me, because writing is what I happen to be good at. In all aspects of my life, the best way to avoid feeling overwhelmed and helpless is to dig into whatever is making me feel that way. So writing about climate change, specifically the hopeful side and how scientists, kids, and everyone else can work together to help slow it down, was the best possible way to feel empowered instead of powerless. Taking a reusable water bottle when I go for a hike, instead of single-use plastic, is a small way to help slow climate change…but the impact of this book, if it inspires lots of kids, could be much bigger.

Me: I love how you set up each chapter with an explanation of what that climate warrior does, along with recommendations from their work. You follow this up with an entire section 

about how kids can be climate warriors. These features really make this book feel like a toolbox for hope. 

Laura: Climate change is such a huge, complicated topic, and I am a scientist at heart. So I wanted to include a lot of science in this book, which I believe is needed in order to really understand the problem, as well as the possibilities for slowing it down. On the other hand, I wanted the book to feel accessible for kids and not like they were being bombarded by too many tricky concepts—from hydrology to economics to materials science! I experimented with different formats, and both my critique partners and my editors really helped me hone in on a format that would feel kid-friendly and empowering. My personal favorite part is that I talk about what each scientist was like as a kid. I hope that this will really bring home to readers that each of these scientists was once in their shoes…liking music or sports or playing outside, trying to figure out what they might want to do as a job one day…and spark the idea that they too could grow up to be a huge part of finding new ways to combat climate change! 

Laura is a member of  STEAM Team 2023. You can find out more about her at her website

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.

Building Children’s Science Identities One Notebook at a Time ~ by Jessica Fries-Gaither

 I’ve loved the natural world my entire life. Thanks to a childhood full of hikes in metro parks, afternoons splashing in creeks, and workshops at a local science center, I grew into an adult who enjoys sharing these wonders with others. Becoming a science teacher was a natural step after I decided that the research life wasn’t for me. And eventually my other lifelong love—reading—caught up and led me to extend my influence beyond the walls of my classroom by writing my own books. 

In my 23 years as a science educator, I’ve become increasingly convinced that simply teaching science content is not enough. Rather, we need to help children build identities as scientists themselves. Being able to recite all the concepts and vocabulary in the world means little if kids can’t see themselves in science and see science as relevant to their lives. 

Here's something else I know to be true: while children don’t bring the traditionally accepted body of scientific knowledge to their interactions and explorations with the natural world, they are indeed scientists. Spend any amount of time with a curious preschooler and you’ll witness many sophisticated science and engineering practices at work: asking questions, testing variables, and iterative problem solving. 

Sadly, traditional means of schooling can drum the curiosity right out of kids. And the problem is only compounded when science is presented as the domain of dead white men. How can we better structure experiences both in and out of school to help students bolster their scientific identities? One of the most powerful practices I’ve discovered to link students to scientists is keeping a science notebook.

Anyone who pursues science for a career or a passion keeps records of some sort. Chemists, molecular biologists, geneticists, and others keep lab notebooks which record their experimental methodologies, data, and analysis. Ecologists, paleontologists, and geologists keep field journals which detail observations and findings on location. Even citizen scientists and hobby birdwatchers document their findings in notebooks or digital apps. The documentation of procedure and findings is an essential practice of science for a variety of reasons: archiving results for future reference, replicating experiments, and sharing findings with others.

Science educators often have students keep science notebooks as well. But simply requiring the notebook isn’t enough. To maximize on the identity-building potential of a notebook, students must understand that they are engaging in the same practice as that of professional scientists. Want students to record observations through sketches? Read about John James Audubon, Beatrix Potter, or Charles Darwin and view samples of their notebook pages before starting on your own. Need to focus on modeling? Galileo’s notebooks might hold inspiration. Planning experiments? Read about Charles Henry Turner’s groundbreaking work with insects. 

The recent explosion of picture book biographies provides a terrific opportunity to help kids make connections between their own work and that of scientists. I created a [partial] list of picture book biographies and their correlations to science and engineering practices from the Next Generation Science Standards on my own blog and try my best to keep it updated.

Additionally, my first picture book, Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings (NSTA Kids 2016), profiles a diverse group of historical and contemporary scientists and engineers for whom notebooks are an essential tool. There are some recognizable names (Galileo and Newton, for example) mixed in with unfamiliar ones (Lonnie Thompson), and ones that you might not have known were scientists at all (Beatrix Potter). Linda Olliver’s beautiful illustrations make the scientists come alive, and the addition of photographs of actual notebook pages are sure to intrigue readers. In one of those “I can’t believe this is my life” moments, my book was sent to the International Space Station and read aloud by astronaut Joseph Acaba through the Story Time from Space program. The video is available on the Story Time from Space website and is perfect for sharing with children at school or at home.   

For teachers looking for more guidance in this area, I published a book on the topic this year. Science Notebooks in Student-Centered Classrooms (NSTA Press 2022) is a practical and research-based guide to implementing a notebooking practice and a testament to how science notebooks support a sensemaking culture in elementary classrooms. 

It’s worth noting that science notebooks aren’t just for school. Explorations of science and nature happen outside of the classroom, and parents can encourage children to keep records of what they are doing and learning. Homemade notebooks with a few pieces of paper stapled together work just as well as a notebook purchased from the store. Read Notable Notebooks together, talk about the ways that scientists use notebooks in their work, and then put it into practice. Sketch the worm wriggling through the garden, or write the steps for creating that perfect batch of slime. Take that notebook on a visit to a local park or the beach, and encourage kids to draw, describe, question, and investigate. Give them time to share their work and reinforce the idea that by keeping their notebooks, they are, in fact, acting as scientists.

The notebook pages featured in this post come from Jessica's students. 

Jessica is an experienced science educator and an award-winning author of books for students and teachers. Her 20+ year teaching career spans elementary school through middle school science and math. She also spent five years in the College of Education and Human Ecology, School of Teaching and Learning at The Ohio State University where she directed NSF-funded projects and provided professional development for elementary and middle school teachers. She is currently the Science Department Chair and Lower School Science Specialist at the Columbus School for Girls in Columbus, OH. You can find out more about her and her books at her website, www.jessicafriesgaither.com

Untold Stories of Scientists and Inventors

 Stolen Science 

by Ella Schwartz; illus. by Gaby D'Alessandro 

128 pages; ages 9-11

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2021

This book asks the question: when you think of famous scientists and inventors, who comes to mind? Chances are you might have thought about Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Charles Darwin… maybe even Marie Curie.

If you stop and think for a moment, you might start wondering: where are the black inventors? Where are the stories of women in science? Why don’t we hear more about immigrant contributions to science and technology and engineering?

Because, writes author Ella Schwartz, too often their contributions have been overlooked, or credit for their discoveries given to other people. She sets out to rectify the situation by telling the stories of thirteen people who have been overlooked, underappreciated, and written out of history:

Mary Anning, whose discovery of ichthyosaur was published in scientific papers by a man who never credited her for finding – and digging out – the fossils.

Jo Anderson, who forged parts for, and assembled the mechanical reaper bearing the McCormick name. As an enslaved person, Jo never received credit for his invention.

Antonio Meucci, who invented a telephone years before Bell, but could not raise enough money to build the working prototype required for a patent.

Benjamin Bradley who built working models of steam engines but, as an enslaved person, was prohibited from patenting the idea.

Carlos Juan Finlay, Anna Wessels Williams, and Nettie Stevens who were denied credit for their discoveries in medicine and genetics

Lise Meitner, Hilde Mangold, Chien-Shiung Wu, Marie Tharp, and Rosalind Franklin who did groundbreaking research in physics, embryology, and more, but whose discoveries were presented by men. 

After grinding my teeth over the injustice of it all, I asked Ella One Question:

me: What made you want to tell these stories?

Ella: Throughout history, women and marginalized people have long had to claw their way to make advances in the sciences, only to have the credit for their groundbreaking work stolen from them - and that’s not fair. I chose to write Stolen Science to finally give credit where credit was due! These stories deserve to be told and children of all backgrounds deserve to see themselves represented in the sciences. Science is open to everyone.

One of the cool things about this book is that sprinkled throughout are sidebars that offer deep dives into the science and technology. You can learn more about the molecular structure of DNA, have fun with nuclear physics, and get a better grounding in paleontology.

Stolen Science is a perfect book for Women’s History Month. It’s also one of the books featured over at STEM Tuesday this month, where the focus is on diversity in STEM.

Ella is a member of #STEAMTeam books. Her middle grade book, Is It Okay To Pee In The Ocean? comes out in January, 2023 from Bloomsbury. You can find out more about her at her website.

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.

You Can Be a Primatologist

You Can Be a Primatologist: Exploring Monkeys and Apes with Dr. Jill Pruetz 
by Jill Pruetz
32 pages; ages 4 - 8
National Geographic Children's Books, 2020

theme: animals, scientists, families

Hi! My name is Jill Pruetz, and I’m a primatologist.

Primatologists study primates, including monkeys, lemurs, and chimps. Dr. Pruetz studies chimpanzees on the African savanna, and shares tips for future primatologists. She talks about what a typical day in the field is like, what chimps like to eat, and how she observes their behaviors. All that observation means a lot of note-taking.

Dr. P asks questions, such as: how do her chimps make and use tools for hunting? and do they remember you? There’s a spread showing the stuff she carries with her into the field, and a great section on how studying primates helps protect them. And she ends with tips for how you can become a primatologist.

What I like about this book: I love the photos and how close Dr. P gets us to the chimps. And I really liked her response to the question, “does your job ever get boring?”

Beyond the Books:

Find out more about Dr. P’s research. You can read her blog posts here, and meet the members of her chimp group here.

Learn more about primates by reading a book or articles about them. Here is one place to start.

If you want to be a primatologist, you have to be good at observing and recording what animals do. So grab a notebook and binoculars (if you need them) and find an animal to observe: neighborhood squirrels, your cat or dog, birds in the trees – even ants. Write down what they do and how they do it.

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.

Solve it! for Kids ~ a podcast for all ages

Ever wonder how scientists, engineers, and experts solve problems? If so, you will want to check out the Solve It for Kids podcast. My friend and colleague, Jennifer Swanson co-hosts with Jed Doherty – and they get the scoop directly from experts on they solve problems in their really cool jobs.

New podcasts are released each Tuesday. Each podcast is a half-hour long interview with a scientist doing their thing. And they’re archived so you can catch up on any you’ve missed.

Want to know how to build teeth out of soap? You can find out here.
What about measuring particles that you can’t see? Or figuring out how to communicate with astronauts on Mars? You’ll find those here and here. Each episode includes a challenge for kids (and curious adults) – which is great because, as Jennifer and Jed say, “You’ve got what it takes to solve the world’s biggest challenges!”

Jennifer is a member of #STEAMTeam2020 and also the creator of the STEM Tuesday blog. You can find a review of her most recent book, Beastly Bionics here and find out more about her at her website.

Books Can Help Us Think Like a Scientist!

Today I’m sharing picture books that feature scientists – and want-to-be scientists.
Theme: biography, STEM, inspiration 

Dream Big, Little Scientists: A Bedtime Book
by Michelle Schaub; illus. by Alice Potter
32 pages; ages 3-7
Charlesbridge, 2020 (releases Feb. 18 

Dream BIG, little scientists, and close your sleepy eyes…
This is the perfect bedtime story to read your STEM-enthused youngster. Each spread illustrates a young scientist getting ready for sleep. Posters on their walls, quilts, and books on their shelves highlight their passion for a particular field, from astronomy to geology to chemistry.

What I like about this book: I love the calming rhymes that incorporate principles from the different disciplines. For example, one room has posters of Donna Strickland and Stephen Hawking, books about Newton and flight and gravity, and paper airplanes scattered on the floor. The text is perfect: As motion slows and quiet grows, objects come to rest.

I also love the ending – which I am not going to spoil for you – and the back matter that encourages kids to Think Like a Scientist! That’s where readers can learn more about the different fields introduced in the book. (review copy provided by Blue Slip Media)


Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet
by Elizabeth Rusch; illus. by Teresa Martinez
40 pages; ages 6-9
Charlesbridge, 2019

 Mario Molina was born in Mexico City on March 19, 1943. By the time he was six, the world was awash in amazing new products made from amazing new chemicals.

When he turned eight, his parents gave him a microscope. Mario put a drop of water – and then some dirty, smelly water – under his microscope lens. He looked at salt crystals, food, even toothpaste. When Mario wanted to turn a bathroom into a chemistry lab, his parents encouraged him – even buying chemicals he couldn’t find in children’s chemistry sets.

As Mario studied chemistry, he wondered about the safety of new chemicals. Soon, he was studying chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), chemicals used as a propellant in spray cans and used in refrigerators. They stuck around in the atmosphere and broke up the ozone molecules. Mario had to warn people, and quickly, before the hole in the ozone got too large to fix.

What I like about this book: Scientist-becomes-hero! A great story – but wait! What happens when people don’t want to believe what you have discovered? That, too, is part of this story. What I really like: that leaders from around the world listened and took action. It gives you hope that maybe, just maybe, we can come together again to solve global environmental problems.

I like that back matter includes a comparison between the Ozone hole and global warming. There’s a list of books you can read. And there is a short list of things you can do right now to reduce your contributions to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. (review copy provided by publisher)


Buzzing with Questions: the inquisitive mind of Charles Henry Turner
by  Janice N. Harrington; illus by Theodore Taylor III
48 pages; ages 7-10
Calkins Creek, 2019

As a passionate insect-watcher, I am happy to see a picture book about Charles Turner. He loved to study plants and animals, and bugged his parents with unending questions. When a teacher urged him to go find out the answers, Charles did. At a time when most colleges didn’t accept black students, Charles Turner went to college.

Charles asked BIG questions about small creatures: how does an ant find its way home? Could a cockroach learn to solve a maze? Can bees use color cues to find sweet rewards? He never tired of asking questions and sharing what he learned with his students. Back matter includes a timeline and resources for curious readers. (review ARC provided by publisher)

Beyond the Books:

Check out the biographies of the scientists whose posters are tacked to the walls of the kids in Dream Big... here at Michelle Schaub's website.

Learn more about Charles Turner here

Learn more about chemist Mario Molina here.

Think Like a Scientist – tips from a fun video.


We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday in a couple weeks -  once the Valentine story contest ends. PPBF is a gathering of bloggers who share their reviews of picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website.

You can be an Entomologist!

You can be an Entomologist
by Dino Martins, PhD
32 Pages; ages 4-8
National Geographic Children’s Books, 2019

theme: insects, ecology, nature

Hi! My name is Dino Martins, and I’m an entomologist.

Dino grew up loving insects, so he became a scientist who studies insects. All you need to be an insect water is curiosity and patience. Curiosity because once you start watching insects you’ll be asking tons of questions about what they’re doing, why they look the way they look, and how can they fly backwards? Patience because you have to watch quietly and wait for insects to arrive.

What I like about this book: Dino explains why scientists study insects and how the research he and other entomologists do helps farmers and other people. Some insects pollinate food crops; others eat leaves or fruits. In one chapter he describes how entomologists do their research. If you guessed that they use insect nets and record observations in notebooks, you are correct!

I especially like that Dino includes a section on how insects help people – and that he thinks there are plenty more insects waiting to be discovered. Full disclosure: I love bugs!

Beyond the Book:

Find out more about insects. Look through field guides, books, or check out this DK website.

Want to learn more about butterflies? Go to Butterfly School.

Become an entomologist! Join a citizen science project and help scientists learn more about the bugs around your neighborhood.

Learn how to walk an ant, and find more buggy things to do over at Sally's Bookshelf today!

Today we're joining other book bloggers over at STEM Friday, where you can discover other cool STEM books. And 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 publisher. 

Celebrating Women in Science ~ Archaeology and Architecture

Archaeology: Cool Women who Dig
by Anita Yasuda; illus. by Lena Chandhok
112 pages; ages 9-12
Nomad Press, 2017

March is Women's History month, and I can't think of anything more appropriate than to share a couple of books from Nomad's "Girls in Science" series.

Archaeology begins by making an important distinction between collecting and archeology - you might have a stamp or coin collection, but archaeological collections demand careful notes and context that provides insight into he society that created the artifacts.

Chelsea Rose, for example, studies a Gold Rush town in Oregon. In addition to field work and interviews, she researches census records, mining claims, and newspapers. Justine Benanty is another archaeologist, but her passion is maritime archaeology and slave ships. So in addition to sifting through documents, she dives deep into cold water to uncover the facts.

Our world may be mapped, but the past remains largely unexplored. Which means there is a lot of room for you - if you love history and enjoy solving mysteries. It's not all about deserts and dirt - there are space archaeologists, and garden archaeologists!

Architecture: Cool Women who Design Structures
by Elizabeth Schmermund; illus. by Lena Chandhok
112 pages; ages 9-12
Nomad Press, 2017

Are you creative? Do you like solving problems? Architecture combines art and science - not only do you have to understand physics and engineering, but you get to design beautiful buildings. Or bridges.

Patricia Galvan designs post offices and modernized schools. She works at a small firm where she gets to see projects through, from start to finish. Farida Abu-Bakare remembers that she was inspired by the computer game "Sim City". And Maia Small is an urban designer. She remembers building structures in her back yard when she was a kid.

While the young women agree that the jobs they do are fun and challenging, they say that they are treated differently than men in the same position. They tend to be cut off when talking, or their proposals may not be taken seriously by their male colleagues. Still, they can't think of more fulfilling work. Their advice: study hard and try to get a mentor when you head into the working world.

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup . Review copies from the publisher.

Weather and Meteorology

Little Kids First Big Book of Weather
by Karen de Seve
128 pages; ages 4-8
National Geographic Children's Books, 2017

I like this book because it is so browsable. Sure, it's divided into chapters. In fact there are seven of them, including a chapter focusing on hot weather, one focusing on windy weather, one on cold weather, and one on rainy weather. There's a chapter devoted to clouds and one that explains how scientists study the weather (so we know what's headed our way).

But here's the thing: you can just flip through until something catches your eye - like the photo of an ice-encrusted car or the very cool photo that captures a raindrop splattering apart on a flower petal. Reading stuff on that page will make a kid want to dive in deeper, find out more.

There are also plenty of pop-up facts (aka: textboxes) and questions that encourage conversations on the topic... like the last time you chased after a piece of paper blown away by the wind (or maybe it was a hat). There are games and mazes at the end of chapters and a great "parent's" section at the back with more activities for curious kids.

Meteorology, Cool Women who Weather Storms
by Karen B. Gibson; illus. by Lena Chandhok
112 pages; ages 9-12
Nomad Press, 2017

This is another great title in the Girls in Science series. But here's the cool thing: you don't have to be a girl to read it. Sure, it focuses on three women who conduct weather science, and yes, there are lots of short biographies of even more women in meteorology...
But the first two chapters introduce the science of meteorology and why it is important.

Regardless of your gender, weather affects your life. As we've seen over the past year, severe storms have a tremendous impact on towns and cities, destroying homes and encouraging some people to move to a new place. And when you're in the path of a storm, those forecasts are important.

Bianca Hernandez is one of the scientists profiled. She tells about storm-chasing and dropwindsondes, which are released from aircraft and collect data as they parachute towards the ground. You'll also learn about phased-array radar and other technology used by weather scientists. There's also a great discussion on the difference between weather and climate, and the relationship between climate change and weather.

Today we're joining the STEM Friday roundup. Review copies from the publishers.