Anastasia Suen

June 21, 2019June 20, 2019

Scampers Thinks Like a Scientist

Scampers Thinks Like a Scientist
by Mike Allegra (Author) and Elizabeth Zechel (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Scampers is no ordinary mouse. She’s curious. She asks questions. And she experiments. In short, she thinks like a scientist! Her friend Nibbles, reluctantly joins her as they set out to discover the truth about the owl in the garden.

Snippet:

BONUS! Download the Activity Guides

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

June 14, 2019June 13, 2019

Is That Your Dad?

Is That Your Dad?
by Carles Ballesteros (Illustrator)

Booktalk: Who is Froggy’s dad? Froggy knows who his dad is not–he’s not the roaring lion or the squawking parrot or the growling bear. And with the turn of each board book page, Froggy gets one step closer to finding him!

Snippet:

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

June 7, 2019June 7, 2019

Apollo 11 Quick Tips column

Artwork © Thomas Gonzalez, Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon

My new Focus on STEM column: Apollo 11 is in the June Quick Tips for Schools and Libraries newsletter.

Booktalk: Use the approaching fiftieth anniversary of the lunar landing to inspire school- and library-friendly activities.

Snippet: July 20 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the first successful lunar landing. Round up these new Apollo 11 books–along with the ones already in your collection–for a book display/activity table in your library.

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

May 31, 2019May 30, 2019

Why Should I Walk? I Can Fly!

Why Should I Walk? I Can Fly!
by Ann Ingalls (Author) and Rebecca Evans (Illustrator)

Booktalk: A little bird, a big sky, and the first time out of the nest! A robin’s first flight is a gentle reminder about what we can accomplish if we just keep trying.

Snippet:

BONUS! Download the Book Activities

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

May 24, 2019May 23, 2019

SR-71 Blackbird

SR-71 Blackbird
by Kate Riggs (Author)

Booktalk: A fast-paced, high-interest overview of the features, purpose, history, and high-speed capabilities of the SR-71 Blackbird–the fastest manned airplane in the world.

Snippet:

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

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.

Snippet:

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.

Snippet:

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.

Snippet:

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