Author: Anastasia Suen

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Beastly Bionics: Rad Robots, Brilliant Biomimicry, and Incredible Inventions Inspired by Nature
by Jennifer Swanson (Author)

Booktalk: Did you know that scientists have developed a bionic tool shaped like an elephant’s trunk that helps lift heavy objects? Or that the needle-like pointed beak of the kingfisher bird encouraged engineers in Japan to change the design of the Shinkansen “bullet trains” to reduce noise? Across multiple fields of study and methods of problem-solving, scientists are turning to biomimicry, or engineering inspired by biology or nature, to make all kinds of cool technological advancements. Discover more than 40 examples of technology influenced by animals, learn about some of the incredible creatures who have inspired multiple creations, and meet some of the scientists and the stories behind their inventions.

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It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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Woman in the House (and Senate): How Women Came to Washington and Changed the Nation (Revised and Updated)
by Ilene Cooper (Author) and Elizabeth Baddely (Illustrator)

Booktalk: For the first 128 years of America’s history, only men served in the Senate and House of Representatives. All that changed in January 1917 when Jeannette Rankin was sworn in as the first woman elected to Congress. From the women’s suffrage movement to the 2018 election, this update highlights influential and diverse female leaders who opened doors for women in politics. Women featured include Nancy Pelosi (the first woman Speaker of the House), Margaret Chase Smith (the first woman elected to the Senate), Patsy Mink (the first woman of color to serve in the House), and newcomers like Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar.

Snippet: Did your parents or relatives leave you an inheritance? Sorry–that automatically becomes your husband’s property.

Not married? Well, you might be able to keep your own money . . . but you’ll have a hard time earning any. There are only a few jobs open to women. You can be a teacher, perhaps, or a seamstress. And with no husband and no children to take care of, many people wil look down on you. You’ll be called an “old maid.”

Oh, and one more thing. You will not be able to vote.

That’s right. Until 1920, there was no national law that guaranteed all women in the United States the right to vote.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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Spaceman: The True Story of a Young Boy’s Journey to Becoming an Astronaut
by Mike Massimino (Author)

Booktalk: From the time he was seven-years-old and saw Apollo 11 land on the moon, Mike Massimino dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Long Island is a long way from space. Kids like him, growing up in working-class families, seldom left the neighborhood. But with the encouragement of teachers and mentors, Mike ventured down on a path that took him to Columbia University and to MIT. It wasn’t easy. There were academic setbacks and disappointments aplenty–and NASA turned him down three times. Still, Mike never gave up. He rose to each challenge and forged ahead, inching closer to realizing his boyhood dream. His love of science and space, along with his indomitable spirit and sense of teamwork eventually got him assigned to two missions to fix the Hubble Space Telescope–as a spacewalker.

Snippet: On March 1, 2020, I left Earth for the first ime. I got on board the space shuttle Columbia and blasted 350 miles into orbit. It was a big day, a day I’d been dreaming about since I was seven years old, a day I’d been training for nonstop since NASA had accepted me into the astronaut training program six years earlier. But even with all of that waiting and planning, I still wasn’t ready. Nothing you do on this planet can ever truly prepare you for what it means to leave it.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Hello, #kidlit friends!

You are invited to add your blog post about children’s literature to our end-of-the-month #kidlit carnival round-up ALL DAY on June 29, 2020.

For the June 2020 Carnival of Children’s Literature, we’re looking for blog posts about children’s literature written by/for parents, educators, librarians, and children’s book authors, illustrators, and reviewers. We look forward to seeing you!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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Lift as You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker
by Patricia Hruby Powell (Author) and R. Gregory Christie (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Long before the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s, Ella Baker worked to lift others up by fighting racial injustice and empowering poor African Americans to stand up for their rights. Her dedication and grassroots work in many communities made her a valuable ally for leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and she has been ranked as one of the most influential women in the civil rights movement. In the 1960s she worked to register voters and organize sit-ins, and she became a teacher and mentor to many young activists.

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Join the virtual book launch of one of my 2010 writing students.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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Rise Up! The Art of Protest
by Jo Rippon (Author)

Booktalk: Human rights belong to every single one of us, but they are often under threat. Developed in collaboration with Amnesty International, this middle grade book encourages young people to engage in peaceful protest and stand up for freedom. Photographs of protest posters celebrate the ongoing fight for gender equality, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, refugee and immigrant rights, peace, and the environment.

Snippet: Protest is not a new idea. It might seem that way because of recent high-profile marches, rallies, and demonstrations. But throughout history there are many examples of people coming together to make the world a better and fairer place.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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Immigrant Architect: Rafael Guastavino and the American Dream
by Berta de Miguel (Author), Kent Diebolt (Author), Virginia Lorente (Author / Illustrator)

Booktalk: The Spanish architects Rafael Guastavino Sr. and his son, Rafael Guastavino Jr., designed more than one thousand iconic spaces across New York City and the United States. The book is written in the voice of the son, who was eight years old in 1881 when he immigrated to America with his father. An introduction to architectural concepts and a timely reminder of immigrant contributions to America, the book includes four route maps for visiting Guastavino-designed spaces in New York City: uptown, midtown, downtown, and Prospect Park.

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It’s Nonfiction Monday!

The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing after the Oklahoma City Bombing
by Chris Barton (Author) and Nicole Xu (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Sometimes bad things happen, and you have to tell everyone. Sometimes terrible things happen, and everybody knows. On April 19, 1995, something terrible happened in Oklahoma City: a bomb exploded, and people were hurt and killed. But that was not the end of the story. Those who survived–and those who were forever changed–shared their stories and began to heal. Near the site of the bomb blast, an American elm tree began to heal as well. People took care of the tree just as they took care of each other. The tree and its seedlings now offer solace to people around the world grappling with tragedy and loss.

Step 1. Read aloud
Listen to the author’s read-aloud video.

Step 2. Think aloud
Talk about the book. How do you feel when something really bad happens? How do you feel when more bad things happen? Do you want someone to listen to you? Do you want someone to be with you — no matter what?

Step 3. Write it down
Write your own story about how you feel when something really bad happens and what you want to do afterwards.

Need help guiding your young writer? Use these age-appropriate writer’s workshop tips.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

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Elizabeth Warren’s Big, Bold Plans
by Laurie Ann Thompson (Author) and Susanna Chapman (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Discover the inspiring story of Senator Elizabeth Warren and her lifelong commitment to working hard and advocating for equality in this picture book biography written by one of my former students.

Elizabeth Warren always has a plan. As a child, she wanted to help others by becoming a teacher. When discrimination forced her to surrender that dream, she found another path: She became a lawyer. Then life changed again, and Elizabeth became a professor of law–and she didn’t stop there. No matter her job title, Senator Elizabeth Warren has always worked to ensure that people with more power help those with less.

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See how the author and the illustrator created the book.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Mario and the Hole in the Sky: How a Chemist Saved Our Planet
by Elizabeth Rusch (Author) and Teresa Martinez (Illustrator)

Booktalk: The true story of how a scientist saved the planet from environmental disaster.

Mexican American Mario Molina is a modern-day hero who helped solve the ozone crisis of the 1980s. Growing up in Mexico City, Mario was a curious boy who studied hidden worlds through a microscope. As a young man in California, he discovered that CFCs, used in millions of refrigerators and spray cans, were tearing a hole in the earth’s protective ozone layer. Mario knew the world had to be warned–and quickly. Today Mario is a Nobel laureate and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His inspiring story gives hope in the fight against global warming.

Step 1. Read aloud
Listen to the author’s read-aloud video.

Step 2. Think aloud
Talk about the book. Have you ever been ignored or misunderstood when you tried to explain something important? What happened the last time you tried to solve a big problem?

Step 3. Write it down
Write your own story about solving a big problem.

Hear the illustrator read the book in Spanish.

See a list of Families Write posts.
Need help guiding your young writer?
Use these age-appropriate writer’s workshop tips.

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

The Naturally Creative Workshop is free to all June 21-July 17, 2020.
Copyright © 2020 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.