STEM Friday

July 8, 2022July 8, 2022

Animal Allies: 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research

Over at Wrapped in Foil blog, we are featuring the biography collection Animal Allies: 15 Amazing Women in Wildlife Research by Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan .

Elizabeth Pagel-Hogan has sorted the animals into five categories: birds, arthropods, sea creatures, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals. Within each category, she has found three amazing female scientists who study those types of animals. For example, Corina Newsome is saving seaside sparrows while Michelle LaRue uses satellites to study Antarctic birds. Lizzy Lowe takes on what many fear in researching spiders, and Erin Ashe lives out the dream of many studying dolphins and whales. Kristen Hecht chases the elusive hellbender amphibian while Enikö Kubinyi uses robots to get information on wolf pups.

As an entomologist, I went straight to the arthropod section. The first biography is of Dr. Corrie Moreau, who studies ants. She is currently working at Cornell University, where she is the curator of the insect collection. Corrie Moreau is passionate about ants, which comes across clearly in the text. We learn about her childhood, her education, about different aspects of the ants she studies (dracula ants!), and some of the pitfalls she encountered.

As for reading level, the suggested age is 12+, but mature middle graders will probably enjoy it as well.

Animal Allies is a must have collection for young readers who are interested in careers studying animals. It is also a wonderful choice for those interested in STEM, as well as nature lovers. Investigate a copy today!

And then hop, fly, or scoot over to Wrapped in Foil for the full review and an activity suggestion.

July 8, 2022July 7, 2022

Parts of a Whole

Parts of a Whole
by Magda Gargulakova (Author) and Federico Bonifacini (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: You may be surprised to learn how many individual parts make up the things around us. Do you know all the things that go into alphabet soup, a sandpit or a clock? Can you imagine how lovely all the parts look when sorted and arranged side by side? You can’t? An inquisitive cat called Ada will show you what makes up lots of ordinary and special things and places.

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

July 1, 2022June 28, 2022

Funky Fungi: 30 Activities for Exploring Molds, Mushrooms, Lichens, and More

At Growing with Science blog this week, we are delighted to present Funky Fungi: 30 Activities for Exploring Molds, Mushrooms, Lichens, and More by Alisha Gabriel and Sue Heavenrich .

Fungi are fascinating organisms, but are too often ignored. For a long time they got shoved into a drawer with plants and forgotten. It is great to see publishers and educators finally taking an interest in all the cool stuff they have to offer.

The contents are fabulous. In addition to 30 hands on activities you can do with inexpensive materials, topics range from what the different kinds of fungi to all their uses. I learned so much. Did you know people are making shoes and handbags from a leather-like product made of fungal mycelium?

My favorite part of the book is the series of sidebars called “From the Fungus Files.” Each features a fungus that has interesting (amazing!) attributes, like the charcoal-loving elf cup with spores that germinate after a fire and the lobster fungus that grows on other fungi!

Although the suggested reading age for Funky Fungi is 7-9, it is appropriate for middle grade and on up to adult. Educators will love it. Pull it out for lessons on classification, decomposition, or to accompany a hike in the woods. If you are interested in nature, you need to check out this book!

Be sure to stop by Growing with Science to see an interview with co-author Sue Heavenrich.

June 24, 2022June 23, 2022

I See the Sea

I See the Sea
by Julia Groves (Author / Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: What will you see in the sea? Explore the ocean in this picture book with a die-cut hole on each page. Facts about each animal and how you can help our endangered oceans can be found in the back of the book.

Snippet: I SEE a serene swimmer, alone in vast oceans.

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

June 17, 2022

Book of Dinosaurs: 10 Record-Breaking Prehistoric Animals

Today at Growing with Science Blog we are featuring the new picture book Book of Dinosaurs: 10 Record-Breaking Prehistoric Animals by Gabrielle Balkan and illustrated by Sam Brewster.

In Book of Dinosaurs, explore which record-breaking dinosaurs had:
• The toughest armor
• The sharpest eyesight
• The biggest belly
• The spikiest tail

and more.

Readers are asked to guess which dinosaur wins the category based on an amazing illustration of that dinosaur’s skeleton and a set of clues about it. Turn the page for the big reveal, a colorful illustration of the animal and more details about its biology.

It is unusual because the text is written in first person point of view. It is as if the dinosaurs are telling their own stories. And the facts have been finely distilled to the most interesting and informative.

The illustrations on the reveal pages have texture overlaying in the shape of creature’s skeleton from the previous page. Basically, the reader can feel (and see) the skeleton as it would be positioned inside. Pretty cool!

There are many books on the market about dinosaurs. Book of Dinosaurs fills an important niche between the board books /simple picture books for the 4-6 year olds, and the massive encyclopedic titles for older readers. Plus it is engaging and fun to read. Get it into the hands of a dinosaur-loving reader today!

And be sure to visit Growing with Science for more information and related activity suggestions.

June 17, 2022June 16, 2022

The Ocean

My new Focus on STEM column, The Ocean, is in the June Quick Tips for Schools and Libraries newsletter.

Snippet: Get to know about ocean zones and marine life through books and online resources for young and middle-grade learners.

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

June 10, 2022

What A Shell Can Tell: Where They Live, What They Eat, How They Move and More

Summer conjures up thoughts of a trip to the beach. Today we have a new picture book that is a perfect selection for accompanying a trip to the beach as well as for celebrating #WorldOceanDay on June 8 and #NationalSeashellDay on June 21, What A Shell Can Tell: Where They Live, What They Eat, How They Move and More by Helen Scales and illustrated by Sonia Pulido.

Award-winning marine biologist Helen Scales introduces children to the wonders of all molluscs (The British spelling for the phylum is used throughout. In the US, they are called mollusks.) She answers a series of questions, such as “What is a shell?” “What can a shell’s color tell you?”, “Who else uses shells?” etc.

Because Scales is an expert in the topic, the answers are spot on. They are well organized, informative, and up-to-the-minute accurate. They are also enjoyable to read. Although the recommended reading age is 6 to 9 years old, I would say that it is more like 6 years old (probably with an adult to help) plus. Adults will likely learn new things from it.

The text is well done, but it is the gorgeous illustrations that will keep you going back. They feature vibrant colors, the interesting shapes, and water that ripples off the page.

What a Shell Can Tell is great to accompany a trip to the beach, or to conjure up cool waves in your own home. It would be a must-have resource for libraries, too. Enjoy a copy today!

And stop by Growing with Science blog for more information and an ocean of activity suggestions.

June 10, 2022June 9, 2022

How Does Solar Energy Work?

How Does Solar Energy Work?
by Jennifer Swanson (Author) and Glen Mullaly (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Find out what solar energy is and how it is harnessed and used. Discover the history of this technology as well as need for solar power and how it could change our world.

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

June 3, 2022June 2, 2022

How to Build a Human: In Seven Evolutionary Steps

How to Build a Human: In Seven Evolutionary Steps
by Pamela S. Turner (Author) and John Gurche (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: The epic story of human evolution in seven big steps! Find out how, when, and why did we:

1. stand up,
2. smash rocks,
3. get swelled heads,
4. take a hike,
5. invent barbecue,
6. start talking (and never shut up), and
7. become storytellers?

Snippet:
A NOTE ON RACE
The modern concept of race is relatively recent. It is tied to efforts by early European scientists and naturalists to arrange life on a religiously inspired ladder with a Christian God at the top, followed by angels, then white people, with other races just a step above monkeys and apes. These racial concepts were closely tied to a wave of European colonialism that began in the sixteenth century.

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

May 20, 2022May 19, 2022

I LOVE Strawberries!

I LOVE Strawberries!
by Shannon Anderson (Author) and Jaclyn Sinquett (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: With scrapbook-style journal entries, young readers learn how Jolie convinces the “old people” (aka her parents) to let her grow her own strawberries from seedling to table. Growing strawberries is a lot of work and responsibility, but Jolie is ready with the help of her faithful rabbit Munchy! Together they find out just how delicious, rewarding, and sometimes complicated it can be to grow your own food.

Creating a garden calendar and notebook, how strawberries grow, what pests to look out for in a garden, why ladybugs are helpful, and how a good gardener takes care of strawberry plants are all explained in Jolie’s journal entries. Informational backmatter includes tips on growing strawberries, an explanation of integrated pest management for greener, safer gardening – and even tips for how to find a pick your own strawberry patch near you.

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BONUS! Download the coloring pages and Educator’s Guide

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