Anastasia Suen

May 17, 2019May 16, 2019

When the Stars Come Out

When the Stars Come Out
by Nicola Edwards (Author) and Lucy Cartwright (Illustrator)

Booktalk: As we delve into the magical realm that is our universe at night, we discover what makes it so extraordinary . . . from moonbows to shooting stars and from the polar night to the northern lights. Experience how different habitats, from the city to the ocean, come alive when the sun sets. Meet animals that make their own elaborate beds and others that sleep while swimming or flying. Explore the history of human sleep across the globe and dive into a world of dreams.

Snippet:
Sleep and Dreams
All living creatures need sleep to survive. Meat-eating animals tend to get more time asleep than plant-eating animals, as the plant-eaters usually spend lot of time watching out for meat-eaters who may want to snack on them! A good comparison is the giraffe, who sleeps for around half an hour on average, and the lion, who snoozes for more than 15 hours a day!

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 10, 2019May 9, 2019

Thinkers and Tinkers

My new Focus on STEM column: Thinkers and Tinkers is in the May Quick Tips for Schools and Libraries newsletter.

Booktalk: Thinkers who like to tinker will enjoy these inspiring pairings of project books and biographies.

Snippet: Some thinkers are also tinkerers. As they think, they play, working with their hands, trying this and that until it’s just right. Thinkers and tinkerers build and plant, paint and code. They make things that others can see, hear, and use. These new biographies and DIY project books will help inspire the thinking, tinkering makers at your school or library.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

May 3, 2019May 2, 2019

The First Men Who Went to the Moon

The First Men Who Went to the Moon
by Rhonda Gowler Greene (Author) and Scott Brundage (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Celebrate Apollo 11’s historic moon landing with cumulative tale verse and informational text.

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It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

April 26, 2019April 26, 2019

Flower Talk

Flower Talk: How Plants Use Color to Communicate
by Sara C. Levine (Author) and Masha D’yans (Illustrator)

Booktalk: A cantankerous cactus explains the significance of different colors of flowers in terms of which pollinators (bees, bats, birds, etc.) different colors “talk” to.

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It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

April 19, 2019April 18, 2019

In Focus: Forests

In Focus: Forests
by Libby Walden (Author) and 10 Illustrators

Booktalk: Ten illustrators delve into the woodlands to explore the creatures, culture, and conservation of our forested areas. Each spread of this over-sized book opens in the middle with a gatefold on both the left and the right giving each topic 6 pages of content. See all four parts of the rain forest, wind your way through the fir trees, and dive to the depths of the kelp forest to uncover the fascinating facts of these unique ecosystems.

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It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

April 12, 2019April 11, 2019

A Brief History of Life on Earth

A Brief History of Life on Earth
by Clémence Dupont (Author / Illustrator)

Booktalk: The story of life on earth unfolds era by era in this concertina book that takes readers from 4.6 billion years ago to the present day. When the book is fully open, the timeline is as long as a triceratops! (That’s 26 feet / 8 meters.)

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It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

April 5, 2019April 4, 2019

Otters, Snails and Tadpole Tails

Otters, Snails and Tadpole Tails: Poems from the Wetlands
by Eric Ode (Author) and Ruth Harper (Illustrator)

Booktalk: An homage to all things wetland. From raccoons to muskrats, frogs to heron, it’s a celebration of biodiversity, art, poetry, and healthy ecosystems.

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It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

March 29, 2019March 28, 2019

Soar High, Dragonfly

Soar High, Dragonfly
by Sheri M. Bestor (Author) and Jonny Lambert (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Dragonflies are some the world’s most beautiful (and fascinating!) insects — and one many children can find right in their backyards! This scientific look at a dragonfly’s life-cycle includes informative sidebars that let children learn even more about these amazing insects.

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It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

March 22, 2019March 21, 2019

The Everyday Journeys of Ordinary Things

The Everyday Journeys of Ordinary Things
by Libby Deutsch (Author) and Valpuri Kerttula (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Young children are full of questions about how the world works; the processes and machinations behind the scenes. Why does a light come on when you flick a switch? How can cheese from the supermarket have come out of a cow? What happens when you send a text? Where does your poo go when you flush?(!) All very good questions, and all explained–along with many more–with flowing illustrations and chunks of text from the early beginnings to the very end.

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See the book trailer.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

March 15, 2019March 14, 2019

The Nebula Secret

Explorer Academy: The Nebula Secret
by Trudi Trueit (Author)

Booktalk: Cruz leaves his tranquil home in Hawaii to join 23 talented kids from around the globe to train at the Explorer Academy with the world’s leading scientists to become the next generation of great explorers. But for Cruz, there’s more at stake. No sooner has he arrived at the Academy than he discovers that his family has a mysterious past with the organization that could jeopardize his future. In the midst of codebreaking and cool classes, new friends and augmented reality expeditions, Cruz must tackle the biggest question of all: Who is out to get him, and why?

Snippet: It wasn’t a swish, like a fish or turtle passing. It was a good pull. And it could mean only one thing: shark! Cruz tried to slide to the left side of his board, away from the shark, but it had a firm hold on his ankle. He was being dragged down, away from the surface.

Don’t panic! KICK!

Cruz clung to his surfboard, the only thing that would keep him afloat, and kicked with all his might. If he could manage to turn around, he could use the board to bop the shark on the nose and break loose. As he struggled, a million thoughts raced through his head.

Stupid! Sharks feed at dusk. You should have gone in when Dad called. You’re not supposed to drown. Stupid!

He was swallowing water. He couldn’t breathe.

No. No! NO!

The words pounded in rhythm to his heart.

He would not die this way.

With his lungs burning and his energy waning, Cruz twisted his body in one last effort to strike a blow. He lashed out and his fist hit something smooth and hard. Bubbles swarmed around him. He saw a yellow snake. No! A tube. This was no shark. It was a person!

See the book trailer.

It’s STEM Friday! (STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)