Follow #STEAMTeamBooks to catch all the info on the new STEAM/STEM children's books heading your way.
January Releases
Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.
With an engaging design focused around expertly leveled text and colorful infographics that support visual literacy, introduce reluctant and beginning readers to the life cycle, features, and diets of these powerful birds of prey. Ideal for animal lovers, early reports, STEM and biology lessons, and struggling readers, the Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons books will have readers soaring right alongside their favorite birds. A table of contents, glossary with pronunciations, further resources, and an index all enhance comprehension in a nonfiction beginning reader format. |
Marie-Therese Miller is an award-winning author of more than 30 nonfiction books for children and teens. Her most recent selections include Talk It Out: A Sesame Street Guide to Resolving Conflicts, Social Media Addiction, Sly as a Fox: Are Foxes Clever?, and Dogs. Miller earned her PhD in English from St. John’s University, where her academic focus was James Thurber’s humorous writing. She teaches Children’s and YA Literature at Marist College. Miller and her husband have five children and a grandson.
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Linda Zajac is an award-winning science writer and a former computer programmer, systems analyst, and consultant. She writes about cutting-edge science, technology, and biotechnology and how they're used to save wildlife, advance medicine, and protect the environment. Linda is a Tassy Walden winner and a recipient of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Children's Book Discovery Award.
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Laura Perdew is an author, writing consultant, and former middle school teacher. She writes fiction and nonfiction for children, most of which are STEAM books for the education market with a focus on nature, the environment, and environmental issues. This includes Biodiversity: Explore the Diversity of Life on Earth (Nomad Press, 2019), which is on the Booklist editor’s list of the Top 10 Books on the Environment & Sustainability for Youth 2020. Laura lives and plays in Boulder, Colorado.
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Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.
Deep, deep down, at the very bottom of the ocean, lies a secret world. Through lyrical narration, this spare-text STEM picture book takes readers on a journey to a place very few humans have ever been--the Mariana Trench. The imagined voyage debunks scary myths about this mysterious place with surprising and beautiful truths about life at Earth's deepest point. DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench shows a vibrant world far below, and teaches readers how interconnected our lives are to every place on the planet. Hardcover 9781684466153 PURCHASE |
Nadia Ali is an author who writes books that encourage kids to wonder. Her titles include the Animal Societies series (Pebble Books 2023), Read All About Horses (Pebble Books 2023), Humphrey the Egg-splorer (Yeehoo Press 2023). She seeks to inspire change, engage audiences, and educate people of all ages.
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February Releases
Award-winning author of almost two dozen picture books, Linda Elovitz Marshall grew up in New England, then studied cultural anthropology at Barnard College/Columbia University. She’s taught preschool, consulted for NYS Dept of Education, pursued a Ph.D. in Anthropology, owned an indie bookstore, and raised her family as well as chickens, rabbits, a small flock of sheep in a 200-year-old farmhouse on the Hudson River. Linda’s loves include spending time with her family, as well as hiking, swimming, traveling, and finding little specks of beauty in unexpected places.
Discover the fascinating true story of Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie and her sister Bronia, two trailblazing women who worked together and made a legendary impact on chemistry and health care as we know it. Marie Curie has long been a well-known name around the world. Though Marie made extraordinary scientific advances discovering new elements with her husband, Pierre, many students do not know about the powerful bond that propelled her into science: her sisterhood with Bronia! A force in academia and health care herself, Bronia made significant contributions to the scientific world, along with her loving support of sister Marie. Hardcover 9780593377581 PURCHASE |
Dee Romito is a former elementary school teacher and an author of books for young readers from picture books to middle grade. Her debut picture book, Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott received a starred review from Booklist and a Crystal Kite Award. She lives in her hometown of Buffalo, New York where you’ll find her sipping from stainless steel straws, reusing “to go” containers, and filling up her recycling bin. She’s certain each one of us can make a difference in the world and writes books to prove it. You can visit her website at deeromito.com.
Learn how and why a useful, 5000-year-old invention has become a threat to our planet--and what you can do about it--in this history of the simple straw. From reeds used by ancient Sumerians to bendy straws in World War II hospitals, people have changed the straw to fit their needs for 5000 years. Today however, this useful tool is contributing to the plastic problem polluting our oceans. Once again, the simple straw needs a reinvention. With bright illustrations and well-researched text, children can read about the inventors behind the straw's technological advancements, including primary sources like patents, as well as how disposable plastic harms the environment. The backmatter includes more information on the movement to stop plastic waste, action items kids can do, a bibliography, and additional resources on plastic pollution. HARDCOVER 9780823449491 PURCHASE |
March Releases
Karen Jameson is a children’s author and poet based in sunny Southern California. Her lyrical picture books include Moon Babies, illustrated by Amy Hevron; Woodland Dreams, illustrated by Marc Boutavant; Farm Lullaby, illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan & Where the Wee Ones Go, illustrated by Zosienka. Time to Shine: A Celebrating the World’s Iridescent Animals, illustrated by Dave Murray, is her latest STEAM title. A former classroom teacher, Karen enjoys exploring the wonder of nature and animals through her writing.
Combining scientific facts with the art of poetry, this is a humorous and educational picture book about animals that look alike. How do you tell a llama from an alpaca, an alligator from a crocodile, or a dolphin from a porpoise? The animal kingdom is full of creatures that look so similar to others that they are often confused for each other. A Llama Is Not an Alpaca pairs rhyming animal riddles with factual responses to both teach and engage young readers as they compare and contrast features of commonly misidentified animals. How many will you get right?! Hardcover 9780762478781 PURCHASE |
Heather Lang is the author of many award-winning nonfiction books for children, including The Leaf Detective, illustrated by Jana Christy; Swimming with Sharks, illustrated by Jordi Solano; and Fearless Flyer, illustrated by Raúl Colón. To research her books, she has explored the skies, the treetops of the Amazon, and the depths of the ocean. Heather is the mom of triplets plus one, who have all flown the nest. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two super pups.
In comic-style panels full of facts and humor, this lively picture book investigates the amazing lengths animal mothers go to in caring for their young. This first book in a young series on animal science includes in its back matter a look at the "super" qualities of the animals and offers a collection of resources for budding naturalists. Hardcover 9781536217971 PURCHASE |
Darcy Pattison writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction books for children. Five books have received starred PW, Kirkus, or BCCB reviews. Awards include the Irma Black Honor award, five NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, two Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book, two Junior Library Guild selections, two NCTE Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book, an Arkansiana Award, and the Susannah DeBlack Arkansas Children’s History Book award. She’s the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children’s literature. Her books have been translated into ten languages. ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Jordan Kim is a mixed media collage artist who specialized in creating beautiful, unconventional collages using paper. An ecologist, she uses her art to explain the world and help conservation efforts. This is her debut picture book.
Award-winning science writer Darcy Pattison presents a superbloom from the desert’s point-of-view. When a sudden downpour, a monsoon, falls in the desert, plants and animals explode with growth. Plants sprout, bloom, produce seeds and die within a couple days. Likewise, in a week, animals hatch, grow, mate, lay eggs, and return to hibernation or estivation. Strong lyrical text takes on the persona of the desert as it watches seeds it has cradled become flowering plants. “…I’m flooded with redbluegreenyelloworangepurple and buzzing with life--gorgeous, outrageous, frail LIFE!” As the heat builds, the desert grieves that the color and life is so brief. “One day they bloomed, a single day, a rare day—already yesterday.” The natural life cycles of the desert depend on rain. Explore this fascinating environment during one of its most spectacular displays of life. Paperback 9781629441788 PURCHASE, Hardcover 9781629441771 PURCHASE |
Lindsay H. Metcalf is a journalist-turned-award-winning author of nonfiction picture books: Beatrix Potter, Scientist, a Mighty Girl Best Book of 2020 and Young People’s Literature Award winner from the Friends of American Writers Chicago; Farmers Unite! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices, a Kansas Notable Book, Friends of American Writers honoree, NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and Junior Library Guild selection; and No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, a Kirkus and Chicago Public Library Best Book, Notable Social Studies Trade Book, and NCTE Notable Poetry Book. Forthcoming titles include No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, a poetry anthology from the team behind No Voice Too Small (Charlesbridge, spring 2023); and Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm, illustrated by Xin Li (Astra Young Readers, spring 2024). Lindsay lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, and a menagerie of pets. Learn more at lindsayhmetcalf.com and @lindsayhmetcalf on Twitter and Instagram.
Fans of No Voice Too Small will be inspired by young climate activists who made an impact around climate change in their communities, countries, and beyond. Climate change impacts everyone, but the future belongs to young people. No World Too Big celebrates twelve young activists and three activist groups on front lines of the climate crisis who have planted trees in Uganda, protected water in Canada, reduced school-bus climate footprint in Indonesia, invented alternate power sources in Ohio, and more. Fourteen poems by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, David Bowles, Rajani LaRocca, Renée LaTulippe, Heidi E. Y. Stemple, and others honor activists from all over the world and the United States. Additional text goes into detail about each activist's life and how readers can get involved. Hardcover 9781623543136 PURCHASE |
Marie Boyd studied chemistry in college and is currently a law professor at the University of South Carolina. An expert in cosmetics and food regulation, she loves spending time outside, whipping up new creations in the kitchen, and—of course—quilling! Just a Worm is her first book for children. Marie Boyd currently lives in Columbia, South Carolina, with her family. For craft ideas and more, follow her at www.marieboyd.com and on Instagram @artistscholar.
After being called “just a worm” by two children, Worm embarks on a journey around the garden to prove them wrong. Debut author-illustrator Marie Boyd seamlessly incorporates concepts of nature, natural selection, habitats, and interdependence in this picture book beautifully illustrated with a cut-paper technique called quilling. Worm isn’t “just a worm,” no matter what anyone says. Worm is special! Right? Worm sets out across the garden to prove it, interviewing one garden inhabitant after another. Butterfly seems to have all kinds of important qualities—as do Snail, Dragonfly, Ladybug, and Spider. But what can Worm do? What makes Worm special? Maybe Worm is just a worm after all . . . and what’s so bad about that! This STEAM-themed picture book explores the many wonderful and unique ways in which Worm and friends contribute to the garden and work together to make it grow. Just a Worm celebrates everyone’s individuality and highlights the importance of interdependence—how it’s necessary for a stable, collaborative, and healthy environment. Using the ancient craft of quilling, Marie Boyd meticulously created each illustration out of strips of colored paper that she shaped, layered, and glued to produce a lush three-dimensional world. Just a Worm is a great read-aloud for family sharing and is a terrific choice for classrooms where the concepts of nature and the natural world are introduced, as well as for teaching social skills such as collaboration and empathy. Includes a quilling craft for young readers, facts about earthworms, a glossary, and a special message to readers from Worm. Hardcover 9780063212565 PURCHASE |
Aimee Isaac is a children’s book author who writes stories fueled by her passion for the natural world. She is a former teacher and a busy advocate, dedicated to protecting the environment and ending Alzheimer’s. Aimee’s educational background includes sociology, early childhood special education, and reading. When Aimee isn’t writing or advocating, she’s often found hiking, reading, or spending time with her family. Aimee spends time each summer by the Juniata, a river that meanders its way toward the Atlantic Ocean where she lives now with her husband and three children in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
"This is our Earth, the planet we call home. These are the mountains, stretching from Earth, the planet we call home. This is the sun, that warms up the mountains, stretching from Earth, the planet we call home." And on the story goes: The planet we call home has mountains that stretch from the earth, and those mountains have streams that swell in the sun, and those streams lead to rivers that meander by towns, and on and on—all interconnected and all dependent on one another. And throughout it all is us, the people who call this planet home, and who care for its many wonders and help keep it beautiful and vibrant for generations to come. With a warm, cumulative text by debut author Aimee Isaac, gorgeous, sweeping art by award-winning and bestselling illustrator Jaime Kim, this is a perfect read for budding environmentalists—and for anyone who loves the planet we all call home. Hardcover 9780593351369 PURCHASE |
Melissa Stewart has written more than 200 science-themed nonfiction books for children, including the Sibert Medal Honoree Summertime Sleepers: Animals that Estivate, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. She co-wrote 5 Kinds of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children’s Books, edited the anthology Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing, and maintains the award-winning blog Celebrate Nonfiction. Melissa’s highly-regarded website features a rich array of nonfiction writing resources.
Gorgeous painterly art and gentle, lyrical prose combine to bring a little-known, deep-sea ecosystem to life for young readers. Meet the fascinating community of creatures, from amphipods and zombie worms to squat lobsters and sea pigs, that depends on a decaying whale for shelter and sustenance for up to 50 years. Hardcover 9780593380604, Library 9780593380611 PURCHASE |
Susan Johnston Taylor is a Writing Barn fellow and author of Animals in Surprising Shades: Poems about Earth’s Colorful Creatures (Gnome Road Publishing, 2023). Her poetry also appears in 10.10 Poetry Anthology: Celebrating 10 in 10 different ways. As a freelance writer for over a decade, she’s written over a dozen titles for the educational market and published nonfiction articles in children’s magazines including FACES, Highlights for Children and Scout Life. Her writing for grownups has appeared in The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, Entrepreneur and Fast Company. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and their two rescue dogs.
For young poets who love science and young scientists who love poetry, this thoughtful collection of poems about fascinating and colorful creatures found throughout the world invites readers to linger and wonder on every page. Learn why the Blue-footed Booby puts on a special dance or how the Picasso Bug uses its masterful chemical defense against predators. Explore simple and fun poetic forms like the tanka, haiku, and quatrain. Just be sure to take good notes! An interactive component rewards practicing poets seeking to challenge themselves further. With gorgeous illustrations and a rainbow of colors to complement the lyrical and engaging text, this book will fit nicely on the shelves of any classroom or library where kids are interested in science, writing or the arts. ISBN: 9781957655048 PURCHASE |
Leslie Bulion creates award-winning science poetry steeped in hands-on learning experiences, nature observation, research, humor and imagery in a variety of poetic forms. Her illustrated collections invite readers on multi-layered science adventures exploring spiders, birds, sea creatures, insects, amphibians, and more. Leslie's graduate science background and years as a school social worker inform both her poetry and her science-infused novels for young readers. She offers lively and engaging author visits worldwide. Her two newest science poetry books, SERENGETI: PLAINS OF GRASS and GALAPAGOS: ISLANDS OF CHANGE take readers on poetic tours of two of Earth’s remarkable ecosystems (Peachtree 2022, 2023).
Millions of years ago, an undersea volcano erupted in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Lava flowed, then cooled, building a volcanic cone above the waves. Over time, new volcanoes erupted, forming the Galápagos Islands. Traveling on wind and ocean currents, animals and plants gradually arrived at these isolated islands, and many of them eventually evolved into unique forms of life found nowhere else on Earth. Marvel at this complex story of a young volcanic ecosystem where food energy moves through integrated land and sea communities, each in its own season of growth and renewal. Distinctive species featured include Galápagos penguins, marine iguanas, Galápagos giant tortoises, giant daisy trees, and many more. Brief informational comments enrich each spread. At the end of the book, a glossary, poetry notes, an overview of human impact over time, and a map bring one of Earth’s most remarkable ecosystems into sharper focus. Hardcover 9781682634967 PURCHASE |
April Releases
Lisa Varchol Perron is a widely published children's poet and the author of seven upcoming books for young readers. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines--including Highlights High Five, Highlights Hello, Babybug, The Caterpillar, Tyger Tyger, and The School Magazine--as well as various poetry anthologies. She especially enjoys blending poetry and nonfiction and often collaborates with her husband, an Earth & planetary scientist.
Look around and discover patterns in the natural world--from leaf veins to snowflakes to sand dunes. Rhyming verse is accompanied by stunning photographs, and brief sidebars explain how these different patterns form. Library 9781728460420 PURCHASE |
Author of over a dozen books for kids, Roxanne Troup grew up along the waterways of Missouri, where everyone had a pecan tree but few grew pecans commercially. Today, she lives in the mountains of Colorado (where no one grows pecans) and writes picture books that celebrate wonder and family. With a background in education, Roxanne often visits schools to water seeds of literacy and teach about writing. And sometimes remembers to water the plants in her own garden.
Pecans are North America's only indigenous tree nut, and one of the United States’ oldest export commodities. But how are these crops grown and harvested? In lyrical language, MY GRANDPA, MY TREE, AND ME follows a young child’s relationship with his grandfather through the seasons of caring for and harvesting pecans both in a commercial pecan orchard and their own backyard. Hardcover 9781953458551 PURCHASE |
Nancy Castaldo has been writing books about the planet for the last twenty years and has received many accolades and awards, including the Green Earth Book Award, Eureka Silver Honor, Outstanding Trade Science Book, and Junior Library Guild Gold Selection honors. She strives to inform, inspire, and empower her readers with each title.
In this follow-up to THE FARM THAT FEEDS US, Nancy Castaldo and Ginnie Hsu introduce the farmers around the world striving to keep our world and food healthy. THE WORLD THAT FEEDS US includes everything from farmbots to the steps in making chocolate bars. Hardcover 9780711277717 PURCHASE |
Nadia Ali is an author who writes books that encourage kids to wonder. Her titles include the Animal Societies series (Pebble Books 2023), Read All About Horses (Pebble Books 2023), Humphrey the Egg-splorer (Yeehoo Press 2023). She seeks to inspire change, engage audiences, and educate people of all ages.
A rollicking story that expands the famous tale of a fragile egg to a new story about bravery, creativity, and forging your own path. Eggs are fragile and bought specifically to be cracked. . . but what if they don't want to be cracked and have their own ambitions and goals for life like becoming a great egg-splorer? Humphrey has long known the cautionary tale of his grandfather, Humpty Dumpty. Being an egg means he can easily slip and crack at any time . . . but what does that mean for his dreams of becoming an egg-splorer and going on grand adventures? But Humphrey is determined, and he’ll do whatever it takes to become a brave adventurer―even if that means putting himself through the fieriest trials to get there. Inspired by the beloved nursery rhyme, author Nadia Ali and artist Valentí Gubianas deliver a rollicking story that expands the famous tale of a fragile egg to a new story about bravery, creativity, and forging your own path. Hardcover 9781953458575 PURCHASE |
Nora Nickum is the Senior Ocean Policy Manager at the Seattle Aquarium, where she leads orca recovery and other ocean conservation policy efforts. Nora writes nonfiction and fiction books for children, many of which celebrate biodiversity and STEM topics and explore today’s wildlife conservation challenges and innovative solutions. She lives in Washington.
Meet the playful and beloved Southern Resident orcas and the people working to save them from extinction using tactics that vary from medicine and laws to drones and dogs. The endangered Southern Resident orcas whistle and click their way around the waters of the Pacific Northwest in three small family groups while facing boat noise, pollution, and scarce food. Superpod introduces young readers to the experts who are training scat-sniffing dogs, inventing ways to treat sick orcas, quieting the waters, studying whales from the air, and speaking out. Author Nora Nickum also discusses her own work on laws to protect the orcas; tackles the dark history of orca capture for marine parks; and shares moments of wonder. Readers can dive in to help save these majestic orcas with diverse action ideas and find inspiration for a wide range of future careers. Hardcover 9781641607933 PURCHASE |
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Abi Cushman is the author-illustrator of SOAKED!, a Kids’ Indie Next Top Ten Selection, and ANIMALS GO VROOM!. She has also worked as a web designer for over 15 years. Her websites include MyHouseRabbit.com and AnimalFactGuide.com, which was named a “Great Website for Kids” by the American Library Association. Abi lives in a small Connecticut beach town with her family. In her spare time, she enjoys running, playing tennis, and eating nachos. (Yes, at the same time.) Visit her at www.abicushman.com.
Wombats are elusive, burrowing marsupials. Their teeth never stop growing, they have backward-facing pouches, and they’re the only animal to have cube-shaped poop. And if you ask their snake friend, those aren’t the only things that are weird about wombats! Abi Cushman’s WOMBATS ARE PRETTY WEIRD contains informative, expressive, and funny illustrations, and offers an entertaining blend of narration, sidebars, speech balloons, and dialogue between Snake and the wombats he meets in the wild. A refreshing departure from traditional informational books, WOMBATS ARE PRETTY WEIRD is a child-friendly guide to understanding the weird and wonderful world of wombats. Hardcover 978-0063234437 PURCHASE |
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Carrie A. Pearson is an author and speaker who lives on the sandy shore of Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. She is a former early ed teacher and writes books about real things. She volunteers for SCBWI (co-Regional Advisor, Steering Committee member, Impact and Legacy Fund) to help other people create good books for all children. Carrie raised three daughters on stories of strong women and knows that narratives about princesses who need saving are most likely fairy tales.
Real Princesses Change the World is an inspirational and diverse picture book profiling 11 contemporary real-life princesses and 4 heirs apparent from all around the world highlighting who they truly are: diplomats, engineers, activists, athletes, and so much more. From Nigeria to Japan, Saudi Arabia to Sweden, and Thailand to Tonga, this picture book takes readers on a trip that spans the globe. With stunning portraits done by bestselling illustrator Dung Ho (Eyes that Kiss in the Corners), Carrie A. Pearson's Real Princesses Change the World showcases princesses in an empowering, feminist light that is both accessible and engaging for young readers. Hardcover 9781250751430 PURCHASE |
Donna B. McKinney has authored 17 nonfiction books on topics ranging from science and technology to history to sports. Before she wrote for children, she wrote about topics like oceanography, chemistry, space science, and robotics at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C.
Near the ocean surface, sea creatures live in a sunlit world. But what lurks far below the waves, where the water world dims? Meet the weird and wonderful glow-in-the-dark sea creatures that live in the deep ocean. Young readers will encounter the viperfish, that hunts with a blinking beacon to lead unsuspecting prey into its mouth; learn about the glowing fireworm, rising from the depths in a glowing cluster to search for a mate; discover how the bioluminescent vampire squid evades predators with its twinkling lights. Hardcover 9781953458476 PURCHASE |
Christine Layton is a children's author living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Christine is also a teacher and literacy specialist with a focus on culturally and linguistically diverse learners. She loves train rides, mountain hikes, and fossil walks. She also loves to get kids excited about reading and writing. For more info, please visit christinemarielayton.com.
Light Speaks is an informational picture book about how light communicates all sorts of messages, from insect invitations and flashlight codes to airplane signals and space telescope clues. Readers discover how, without a sound, light speaks. Hardcover 9780884489245 PURCHASE |
Carol Doeringer once lived where skunks loved snacking on grubs in her grass. She learned the little stinkers’ warning signals and never had a stenchy encounter. After a career in financial services, Carol turned her passion for wildlife into a blog, and she began writing nature-themed picture books. Carol lives in Allegan, Michigan surrounded by woodland critters. If You Wake a Skunk (2023) is her debut picture book.
Oh-oh! A skunk! What's a pair of campers to do? This laugh-out-loud cautionary tale will have readers cringing as each page is turned. Tension builds as the campers creep closer and tempt fate, dismissing the skunk's warnings. But skunks can be fakers. Does this one have the stink to stank the campers? Title includes back matter about skunk biology and behavior, and supports elementary NGSS units related to animal survival and adaptations. Hardcover 9781534111721 PURCHASE |
May Releases
Catherine Payne and her brother, John Payne II, write cultural and science books for children to enjoy. They co-authored These Little Kittens in Hawai'i (BeachHouse Publishing, 2021) and I Lalai i Bilembaotuyan (University of Guam Press, 2022). They live on Guam, where they were born and raised.
Mole and Tell offers a fun way to learn about scientific measurements and to celebrate Mole Day. It is the first installment in the Celebrating Science series. Hardcover 9781958629116, Paperback 9781958629109 PURCHASE |
Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) as well as fiction. Her books have earned five starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Cook Prize Honor Book, CrystalKite Award, Mathical Honor Book, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her titles include ADA BYRON LOVELACE AND THE THINKING MACHINE, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER, and CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER. Laurie has an MFA in Writing from VCFA and is a former software engineer and computer science professor. You can find Laurie on the Web at www.lauriewallmark.com and @lauriewallmark.
A Passion for Science: Maria Mitchell, Astronomer tells the story of the first professional female astronomer in America and the first American to discover a comet. Hardcover 9781954354135 PURCHASE |
Megan Clendenan writes middle grade non-fiction that aims to instill curiosity, wonder and questions about the natural world, help readers to understand how everything is connected, and to explore innovative solutions to the global climate crisis. She is the co-author of DESIGN LIKE NATURE: BIOMIMICRY FOR A HEALTHY PLANET, which earned a School Library Journal starred review, FRESH AIR, CLEAN WATER: OUR RIGHT TO A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, and the forthcoming CITIES: HOW HUMANS LIVE TOGETHER. Megan lives with her family near Vancouver, Canada and spends as much time as possible visiting the mountains and the ocean and learning to grow vegetables in her backyard.
If you could design a city that would be both a great place to live and good for the planet, what would it look like? Today, more than half the world’s population live in cities and they face big challenges including the climate crisis, food insecurity, and rapid population growth, but they are also places where innovation can thrive. Peek into the past to see how cities have changed through time and explore what could make cities more sustainable and welcoming today and for tomorrow. Hardcover 9781459831469 PURCHASE |
June Releases
Darcy Pattison writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction books for children. Five books have received starred PW, Kirkus, or BCCB reviews. Awards include the Irma Black Honor award, five NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books, two Eureka! Nonfiction Honor book, two Junior Library Guild selections, two NCTE Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts, a Notable Social Studies Trade Book, an Arkansiana Award, and the Susannah DeBlack Arkansas Children’s History Book award. She’s the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children’s literature. Her books have been translated into ten languages.
In 1818, Jeannette Power, a young French woman moved to Sicily and fell in love with the Mediterranean Sea and the Argonauta Argo octopus, the weirdest octopus on Earth. (Amazing weird fact: The Argonaut octopus creates a delicate shell for itself which it uses to travel up and down in the water and as a safe place to raise its young.) At the time, though, the only way to study a marine animal was if it was dead on land. That wasn’t good enough. Jeannette wanted to study this creature alive. She had many questions: did it create its own shell, how did it reproduce, what did it eat, and did it know she was watching? She knew that careful observation was the only way to answer her questions. Follow French scientist Jeannette Power on her quest for answers about one of the most mysterious marine animals on Earth. Paperback 9781629442334 PURCHASE, Hardcover 9781629442327 PURCHASE |
July Releases
Jessica Stremer is a mom, military spouse, and author of two forthcoming nonfiction picture books - GREAT CARRIER REEF (Holiday House, 2023) and LIGHTS OUT (Paula Wiseman Books, 2024) - as well as a third soon to be announced title. Jessica obtained a B.S. in Biology, with an emphasis in Ecology, from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She enjoys combining her love of science and writing to create books that inspire kids to explore the world around them and beyond. Jessica received honorable mention for the SCBWI 2021 Ann Whitford Paul award, and took first place for her nonfiction entry in the 2021 Rate Your Story writing competition. When not writing, Jessica loves spending time with her family traveling, hiking, and camping. Jessica currently resides in Okinawa, Japan.
What happens when something designed to be unsinkable gets bombed to the bottom of the ocean floor? With careful preparation, new life can take root! This incredible story brings young readers along on the journey of the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany—the Mighty O—as it transitions to its new role as the world's largest artificial reef. Extensive back matter reveals more about the Mighty O’s history, the diseases eating away at the world’s natural coral reef systems, and the role artificial reefs play under the sea, and budding marine biologists will love poring over the exquisite illustrations. Hardcover 9780823452682 PURCHASE |
Jilanne Hoffmann is a children’s book author with a BS in Engineering and an MFA in Creative Writing. She has traveled to the Amazon rainforest highlands in Peru, collected the dust of six continents in her shoes, and plans to see the dust swirl in Africa’s Sahel and Sahara Desert before she turns to dust. Jilanne lives with her family in San Francisco, where dust from China’s Gobi Desert flies on the wind, on its way to feed the trees of the High Sierra.
A RIVER OF DUST: THE LIFE-GIVING LINK BETWEEN NORTH AFRICA AND THE AMAZON, a lyrical ode to global interconnectedness, takes readers on a journey across thousands of miles of vibrant landscapes, celebrating the power and wonder of Earth’s ecosystems, and showing how dust's tiny particles are, in fact, key to the health of our planet. Hardcover 9781797211756 PURCHASE |
Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) as well as fiction. Her books have earned five starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Cook Prize Honor Book, Crystal Kite Award, Mathical Honor Book, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her titles include ADA BYRON LOVELACE AND THE THINKING MACHINE, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER, and CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER. Laurie has an MFA in Writing from VCFA and is a former software engineer and computer science professor. You can find Laurie on the Web at www.lauriewallmark.com and @lauriewallmark.
This is the true story of how Judit Polgár captivated the world as she battled to become the youngest chess grandmaster in history! Follow her incredible journey as she strives for chess immortality. Hardcover 9781499813067 PURCHASE |
After years of freelance writing, Kim Zachman finally realized her dream to be a children's author with her first book There's No Ham in Hamburgers released in April 2021. It was selected by the Junior Library Guild as a Gold Standard selection for 2021. The Georgia Center of the Book chose it as a 2022 "Book All Young Georgians Should Read". Her second book There's No Cream in Cream Soda will release in July 2023.
The scientific discoveries, inventions, and innovations that have influenced American beverages. Hardcover 9780762481323 PURCHASE |
Science Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers. Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival the Atlanta Science Festival and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.
Have you ever wondered how astronauts stay healthy in space? What if an astronaut gets sick on the space station? Does snot run in space? This fascinating photo-illustrated look at space and medicine explores how scientists and physicians study astronauts in space, how they help keep them safe, and what we've learned about the human body through space exploration. Questions from real kids and answers form from astronauts, along with photos from NASA, combine for an out-of-this-world exploration of health. Hardcover 9798887700076 PURCHASE |
David A. Kelly has wanted to go to the Moon since he first watched a rocket launch on television. In fact, in kindergarten he claimed to have a sick stomach so he could stay home and watch one of the Apollo Moon missions blastoff. Although he didn’t make it to the Moon like Alan Shepard, he’s now happy writing about space, sports, and other things that interest him. David is best known for his Ballpark Mysteries and Most Valuable Players series of sports mysteries books. He lives in Newton, MA, with his family. Visit www.davidakellybooks.com.
Astronaut Alan Shepard's mission: Fly to the moon. Study it in more detail than ever before. Hit a golf ball in low gravity. But how far? Find out in this engaging STEM/STEAM picture book. In 1971, Alan Shepard and his fellow astronauts made their way to the Moon in the cramped Apollo 14 capsule. Their mission: Study the moon in more detail than ever before. While the world watched on TV, Shepard and Edgar Mitchell gathered rock and soil samples wearing stiff, heavy spacesuits. But Alan Shepard had a secret hidden in his sock: two tiny golf balls. Golf was Shepard's favorite sport. And since the moon has virtually no atmosphere and gravity that is only a fraction of the Earth's, a golf ball should have been able to go far. But did it? Here's the little-known but true story of an experiment that may have started as a stunt, but ended up making people think differently about the moon, ask questions, and look for answers. Hardcover 9781662680175 PURCHASE |
August Releases
Carrie A. Pearson is an author and speaker who lives on the sandy shore of Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. She is a former early ed teacher and writes books about real things. She volunteers for SCBWI (co-Regional Advisor, Steering Committee member, Impact and Legacy Fund) to help other people create good books for all children. When each of her three daughters were born, Carrie listened for their important APGAR Scores but never knew the trailblazing woman behind them.
Unstoppable . . . The brilliant woman who invented the life-saving test that bears her name. The simple, five-step score Virginia Apgar created to assess newborns babies' health—scribbled on the back of a piece of paper in answer to a trainee’s question—is familiar the world over and impacts countless newborn babies’ lives every day. Ginny adored science, hated cooking, drove fast, made her own violins, earned a pilot’s license, and traveled the world. This picture book captures the energy and independence of a woman who didn’t slow down for anything—and changed neonatal healthcare forever. Hardcover 9781324003939 PURCHASE |
Katie Furze is an author of children’s stories and books who holds a master’s degree in creative writing. Her debut non-fiction picture book, Tuatara, a Living Treasure is on its way from Scholastic NZ in 2023. Katie’s work is regularly published in The School Magazine in Australia and The New Zealand School Journal. She’s also written early readers and children’s plays for the educational market, and published stories in anthologies. Read more about Katie at: http://www.katiefurze.com/
A sprinkling of tiny islands off the coast of Aotearoa New Zealand are home to the unique reptile known as the tuatara. Tuatara: A Living Treasure follows the life of a female tuatara, showing her ongoing struggle to survive and explains why tuatara can be considered a living treasure. STEAM links are further developed in secondary text and back matter. Paperback 9781775437987 |
When Ginny Neil is not slogging through a marsh trying to spot spring peepers, crawling around on a barn floor looking for owl pellets, or chasing errant sheep across the mountain meadows of her farm, she manages an Outdoor Learning Lab, teaches STEM to elementary school students and writes about all the things and people that make the Earth such a fun and fascinating place to live.
A wildfire roars through the forest, leaving nothing but ashes until seeds sprout from deep below. Root by root and seed by seed, the forest rises again. In this lyrical cumulative nonfiction story about forest succession, readers will learn that forest fires are critical to forest health and that the end of a tree's life provides the opportunity for new life. Back matter explains the timeline of the forest cycle in more detail. Hardcover 9781681529004 PURCHASE |
Susan Edwards Richmond is the award-winning author of the new release Night Owl Night and the community science adventures, Bird Count and Bioblitz! Counting Critters. and the author of Science Play, an activity book for preschoolers in Storey Publishing's Busy Little Hands series. Bird Count is the winner of a Parent's Choice Silver Award and the International Literacy Association's Primary Fiction Award and is a Mathical Honor Book. A passionate birder and naturalist, Susan teaches preschool on a farm and wildlife sanctuary in Eastern Massachusetts. She earned her M.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California, Davis, and her B.A. with Honors in English from Williams College. She is also an award-winning poet with five collections of nature-based poetry for adults. Susan is happiest exploring natural habitats with her husband and two daughters and learns the native birds wherever she travels.
Sova’s mother is a scientist who studies birds and their migratory patterns. Each night she goes into the woods to conduct research, and finally Sova is old enough to join her. Securing headlamps, Sova and her mother head into the woods to capture, measure, and release saw-whet owls. Through the quiet night, Sova learns about the patience, persistence, and excitement that comes with conservation efforts and scientific research. This heartwarming mother-daughter story is the perfect primer to conservation, science, and amazing owls! Hardcover 9781623542511 PURCHASE |
Susan Wroble is a Denver based children's writer who focuses on writing about STEM topics, climate change and neurodiversity. She also writes for the Colorado Encyclopedia, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and the Denver Rose Society. She holds degrees in electrical engineering and foreign affairs and leads Denver’s support group for parents of twice exceptional children (kids who are highly gifted and have learning disabilities). You can often find her volunteering at Colorado Children’s Hospital with her therapy dog.
LIVING WITH DEPRESSION examines the causes of and treatments for depression. It explores the relationship between stress and depression and provides resources students can use to find help for themselves, their friends, or the family members. Hardcover 9781678206666 PURCHASE |
Science Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers. Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival the Atlanta Science Festival and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.
A whistle-stop tour of the most amazing features and places on planet Earth, illustrated with LEGO models, including tips for budding LEGO builders Explore our amazing planet – and learn to build the most incredible things on Earth! There is so much to see on planet Earth. From the rainforest canopy to the deepest depths of the Pacific Ocean, discover plants, animals, and the geological features that make up our planet. Travel the continents and look inside volcanoes, mountains, geysers, and much more. Visit the Amazon, check out the world’s tallest waterfall, and explore the most incredible places on the planet without leaving home. With more than 100 LEGO models to inspire you, what on Earth will you build? ©2023 The LEGO Group. Hardcover 9780744081763 PURCHASE |
Sue Heavenrich writes about science for children and their families. A long line of ants marching across the kitchen counter inspired her first article for kids. When not writing, she’s either in the garden or tromping through the woods. Her books include 13 Ways to Eat a Fly, and Funky Fungi. Visit her at www.sueheavenrich.com
Under Molly’s watchful care, we watch a pumpkin seed sprout and grow and fruit. At the end, Molly turns her pumpkin into a delicious pie for one and all to share in a celebration of gratitude. All from the seed that Molly sowed. Back matter includes facts about pollinators who help them grow. Hardcover 9781534111844 PURCHASE |
Stephen R. Swinburne is a naturalist as well as the author of over 40 books for young readers on the subjects of animals and nature, including Lots and Lots of Zebra Stripes, Sea Turtle Scientist and Ocean Soup: Tide Pool Poems. An accomplished photographer and musician, Steve visits schools each year and gives book presentations on wildlife, conservation and writing.
Twiga the giraffe introduces young readers to fascinating facts about giraffes and their relationship to other creatures -- all by using math concepts such as measurements, graphs, shapes, word problems, and more. This interactive picture book explores these spectacular animals through a STEM lens as everything from thier speed and size to their intricate camouflage patterns (which function as internal air-conditioning) and other body characteristics are featured. It's an in-depth look at the animal kingdom's most beloved gentle giants. Hardcover 9780316346771 PURCHASE |
Sue Lowell Gallion writes nonfiction and fiction for kids. Our Underwater World is the third in a series of globe-shaped large format board books designed to inspire curiousity and wonder for kids of all ages. The first book in the series, Our World: A First Book of Geography (published 2020) was named one of Parents Magazine's best books for kids for 2020. Sue is the author of the award-winning Pug Meets Pig series. She lives in the Kansas City area.
Our Underwater World: A First Dive into Oceans, Rivers, and Lakes, is a poetic read-aloud celebration of our planet’s underwater worlds that opens up to create a freestanding globe. The youngest readers are invited to explore and experience our blue planet’s amazing underwater ecosystems through rhyming verse and lush illustrations: from freshwater ponds to the deepest depths of the ocean, streams, and rivers, to coral reefs and polar waters. Secondary text offers more detailed, curriculum-focused facts and encourages readers to learn about different plants and animals found in various watery habitats across the globe. This informative homage to our blue planet is sure to inspire readers to go outside, explore the water worlds around them, and to learn more about our planet. This sturdy and gorgeous book, which, like others in the same series (Our World and Our Seasons), opens out into a 3D freestanding globe, is the perfect gift for young readers, encouraging them to explore our globe's vital water ecosystems through its artful and engaging pages. Board Book 9781838667009 PURCHASE |
Marie-Therese Miller is an award-winning author of more than 35 nonfiction books for children and teens. Her recent selections include Sly as a Fox: Are Foxes Clever?,Dogs (An Early Encyclopedia), Sesame Street Science Books: Sink or Float, States of Matter and Simple Machines, and How Are You Feeling?: Naming Emotions with Sesame Street. Miller earned her PhD in English from St. John’s University, where her academic focus was James Thurber’s humorous writing. She teaches Children’s and YA Literature at Marist College. Miller and her husband have five children and a grandson.
Health-care workers play an important role in keeping people happy and healthy. Doctors, nurses, and psychologists diagnose diseases and injuries, caring for patients of all ages. Other health-care professionals educate people about healthy habits, respond to emergencies, or help hospitals run smoothly. Jobs in Health Care explores a wide variety of careers in the field, covering the education and skills needed for each job. Library 9781098290887 PURCHASE |
September Releases
Elizabeth Shreeve grew up in a family of writers and scientists along the Atlantic coastline. After studying geology, working as an urban planner, and raising three rambunctious boys, she now writes books for young readers that celebrate the origins and diversity of life on Planet Earth. Elizabeth lives in northern California with her family, including Hector the PaleoDog. Visit her at www.elizabethshreeve.com, YouTube: Elizabeth Shreeve Books, and @ShreeveBooks.
SIX KINDS OF SLOTHS hang out in the trees of Central and South America. Small, lightweight, silent, and camouflaged, they move slowly, eat slowly—and even poop slowly. But did you know there were dozens of prehistoric sloth species, nothing like their modern descendants? They lived on the ground. Some were as a big as cars. Some foraged in the ocean. Some roamed the plains in packs. Find out more in this accessible, informed, and gorgeously illustrated picture book that pairs and compares these beguiling modern forest-dwellers with their ancient ancestors. Hardcover 9781324015772 PURCHASE |
Heather Ferranti Kinser writes at the intersection of story, poetry, and nature from her home on the San Francisco Peninsula. She’s a former technical editor who now spends her days writing small stories—to make a big difference for kids!
Glaciers, rivers, wind, and rain are a few of the elements that shape the landscape in powerful ways. They form features big and small--from grand canyons and enormous caves to smooth pebbles and fine grains of sand. Lyrical verse by Heather Ferranti Kinser introduces weathering, erosion, and deposition, and eye-catching photos provide a look at some of the world's geological marvels. Back matter gives more information about the processes that sculpt the landscape and highlights formations including Half Dome, a hoodoo, and basalt columns. LIBRARY BINDING 9781728477190 PURCHASE |
Rachelle Burk is a retired social worker who writes fiction and non-fiction for readers ages 3 to 13. Her previous books include Women Who Changes the World: A Feminist Book for Children, Don't Turn the Page!, The Story of Simone Biles, The Best Four Questions, and many others. She lives in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
Meet a judo champion, a chess grandmaster, a spacewalking astronaut, a World War II spy, and more. . . What do all these people have in common? They are all inspiring Jewish women--mensches who rocked the world! HARDCOVER 9781951365110 PURCHASE |
Award-winning author of almost two dozen picture books, Linda Elovitz Marshall grew up in New England, then studied cultural anthropology at Barnard College/Columbia University. She’s taught preschool, consulted for NYS Dept of Education, pursued a Ph.D. in Anthropology, owned an indie bookstore, and raised her family as well as chickens, rabbits, a small flock of sheep in a 200-year-old farmhouse on the Hudson River. Linda’s loves include spending time with her family, as well as hiking, swimming, traveling, and finding little specks of beauty in unexpected places.
All his life, Bob Marshall craved adventure and being in nature. He knew and liked how different the city was from the wilderness. He also understood the importance of both. Bob was born in New York City in 1901 into a German-Jewish family. Outside his window, taxis honked and buses belched smoky air. But when summer came, Bob and his family left the city for the Adirondack Mountains. There, his parents taught him to identify plants, to love and cherish nature, and to fight for civil rights. Bob learned these lessons well. He decided that he would protect the wild places from the cars, trucks, and trains that threatened them. His college studies of forestry and environmental science and Ph.D. in plant physiology led Bob to jobs with the U.S. Forest Service and as Chief of Forestry with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 1935, Bob joined with like-minded folks to form The Wilderness Society, eventually resulting in the Wilderness Act of 1964. Entirely through his own efforts, Bob Marshall saved five million acres of American wilderness. Alongside others, he contributed to the protection of over 110 million acres of wilderness. Though he died young, at the age of 38, Bob’s dedication to preserving the wild places left a lasting legacy. Thanks to Bob Marshall, there are still places in America where people can listen to the wind in the trees, scramble up a mountain, and perhaps spot a grizzly cub (or two). |
Autistic mom of three autistic kids, Jen Malia is the author of the children's chapter book series THE INFINITY RAINBOW CLUB (Beaming Books, 2023 and 2024) and the picture book TOO STICKY! Sensory Issues with Autism (Albert Whitman, 2020). She is Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing Coordinator at Norfolk State University. As a freelance journalist, she has written about autism and neurodiversity for the New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Magazine, Glamour, Woman's Day, Self, and others. She has also appeared on NPR's With Good Reason and was featured in Parents' Parenting Against All Odds video series. She has a Ph.D. In English and a M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the University of Southern California. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. A native of Pittsburgh, she lives in Virginia Beach with her husband and three kids.
10-year-old Nick is an autistic boy who wants to brick build by himself using his own set routines to create his designs. When the Infinity Rainbow Club participates in the Brick Builders Challenge, he's stuck paired up with Ruby, a new girl with dyslexia, who he doesn't think could possibly have the same brick building skills that he does. But Ruby comes up with a design idea for an amusement park that Nick really likes. She shows him that with her creativity and his attention to detail, they could design even better brick builder projects. Will Nick learn to be more flexible and work as a team with Ruby so they can win the competition? Paperback 9781506493411 PURCHASE, Hardcover 9781506485959 PURCHASE |
Melissa Stewart has written more than 200 science-themed nonfiction books for children, including the Sibert Medal Honoree Summertime Sleepers: Animals that Estivate, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. She co-wrote 5 Kinds of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children’s Books, edited the anthology Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing, and maintains the award-winning blog Celebrate Nonfiction. Melissa’s highly-regarded website features a rich array of nonfiction reading and writing resources.
Under the glow of the shimmering Moon, creatures great and small are wide awake hunting, exploring, fending off predators, and building families. As the Moon changes phases, these animals alter their behavior to match its waxing and waning—while we look on in wonder. With luminous illustrations and lyrical text that’s part lullaby, part scientific resource, Thank You, Moon is a treasure for all ages to enjoy. Hardcover 9780593435076, Library 9780593435083 PURCHASE |
Katrina Tangen lives in Southern California between Disneyland and the beach. She studied History & Science at Harvard before dropping out to pursue the exciting full-time job of being disabled by ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis). Katrina loves being an aunt and recently discovered the joy of Lego kits. She writes fiction and nonfiction for kids of all ages; Copy That, Copy Cat! is her debut. Learn more at katrinatangen.com.
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s biomimicry! Did you know plane wings are shaped like bird wings and bike reflectors work like cat eyes? Learn about parallel function with funny riddles. (Plus lots of flaps to lift!) Board Book 9781646869992 PURCHASE |
Vicky Fang is a product designer who spent 5 years designing kids’ technology experiences for both Google and Intel, often to inspire and empower kids in coding and technology. She started writing to support the growing need for early coding education, particularly for girls and kids of color. She is the author, and sometimes illustrator, of nineteen new and upcoming books for kids, including the Layla and the Bots series, Invent-a-Pet, I Can Code board books, Friendbots series, and the forthcoming Ava Lin series, Best Buddies series, AlphaBot, and The Boo Crew Needs You!. You can visit Vicky at vickyfang.com.
Even the youngest robotocists will love flipping the flaps to create their own robot—while exploring a simple A to Z roundup of robotics terms. Found your circuit-board head? Your voice-control torso? Your hydrojet feet? Hooray! You’ve made one of the 729 mix-and-match robots that are possible with this innovative flip-flap book. Alongside the bright and cheery illustrations of robot parts is a basic alphabetical listing of terms—from android to gears, neural network to program, wheels to Z-drive—and a basic definition of each. Printed on sturdy card stock to hold up to enthusiastic flap-turning, AlphaBot is full of appeal for young robot lovers, preschoolers who love machines, and anyone looking for STEM books for the younger set. Back matter includes a brief explanation of the three key abilities of robots: to sense, think, and act. Hardcover 9781536226539 PURCHASE |
October releases
Katie Mazeika is an Ohio girl, born and raised! She grew up in Cincinnati, graduated from The Columbus College of Art and Design, and now lives in the Cleveland area with her husband, two kids, and two dogs. Katie can’t imagine a better job than making books. She specializes in telling stories based on real people and events and likes to highlight disabled voices and create characters that make an impression. When she’s not drawing Katie likes to spend her time gardening or reading other people’s books.
Meet Beulah Louise Henry, a girl with a knack for problem-solving who grew up to be a world-famous inventor, in this captivating picture book biography for fans of Just Like Rube Goldberg and The Girl Who Thought in Pictures. Growing up in the 1890s, when Beulah Louise Henry spotted a problem, she had to find a solution, turning it around and around in her mind until...aha! She had a hunch--what she called the inventions she came up with to solve the puzzles she saw all around her. Beulah's brain worked differently. She had hyperphantasia, which meant she saw things in extreme detail in her mind, as well as synesthesia, which caused words and numbers and even music notes to show up as different colors in her brain. Beulah's unique way of seeing the world helped her think up vivid solutions to problems--her hunches came to her fully formed with gears whirring and wheels spinning. She invented everything from a new and improved parasol to cuddly stuffed animals and from ice cream makers to factory machinery. Beulah's inventions improved daily life in lots of ways, earning her the nickname "Lady Edison," and she became one of the most prolific inventors in American history. Hardcover 9781665903639 PURCHASE |
Leslie Barnard Booth grew up in the Pacific Northwest, among giant trees and rugged mountains. She attended Pomona College and later earned an MFA in creative writing and an MS in education from the University of Oregon. She lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves exploring the natural world with her family. A Stone Is a Story is her first picture book. Visit her at lesliebarnardbooth.com.
Where do rocks come from? The answer may be more incredible than you think. After all, a stone is not just a stone: a stone is a story. Embark on a journey across time to see how one stone can change and transform, from magma under Earth's crust, to the sand swept up in a rushing river, to the very heart of the tallest mountain. Watch what happens when rain, ice, and wind mold this rock into something new, something you might even hold in your hand--something full of endless possibility. Hardcover 9781534496941 PURCHASE |
Buffy Silverman’s fascination with nature inspires much of her writing. She is the author of over 90 nonfiction books for children, featuring topics from Angel Sharks to Alligators, and Mars to Monster Trucks. On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring, received a star from Kirkus Reviews and was an NCTE 2021 Notable Poetry Book. A companion book, On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures was published by Millbrook Press in fall, 2022. Visit her at www.buffysilverman.com.
With winter's arrival, plants and animals hunker down for the cold season. Rhyming text and eye-catching photos sparkle in this wonderful read-aloud that encourages kids to closely observe the natural world. Back matter offers more information on the featured animals, plants, and weather conditions. LIBRARY BINDING 9798765605028 PURCHASE |
Lisa Varchol Perron is a children's author and poet who is passionate about engaging kids' sense of wonder. Her poems have been featured in various children’s magazines and anthologies, and her books include Patterns Everywhere, My Love for You, the Tell Me About series (Space and Oceans), and the upcoming Wonder Why and All the Rocks We Love, which she coauthored with her geologist husband. Lisa lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts with her family.
Perfect for curious little minds, this nonfiction board book teaches young readers all about outer space through question-and-answer text! Tell me why the sun goes down. What happens to its light? The sun stays put! It's Earth that spins, creating day and night. Why don't we float into space? How many moons are there? A child asks about outer space, and their grownup answers in rhyming, factual text. Little ones will love learning that the earth is constantly spinning, that Saturn isn't the only planet with rings, and that most planets have their own moons! BOARD BOOK 9781665935579 PURCHASE |
Kelly Rice Schmitt is a mom in STEAM writing for curious kids of all ages! She loves getting little humans excited about BIG ideas and believes that children are often far more capable than grown-ups assume. A former energy trader, Kelly is an advocate for girls in STEM and business. Combining a love of writing with her STEAM background, Kelly creates books to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators. Kelly lives in North Carolina with her family and many piles of books. I SHIP is her debut picture book. You can learn more about Kelly at kellyriceschmitt.com and find her on social media at @krschmittwrites.
Climb aboard one of the world's largest vehicles in a behind-the scenes look at container shipping in I SHIP: A CONTAINER SHIP'S COLOSSAL JOURNEY. This lyrical, STEM, informational fiction picture book follows a mega container ship as it collects and delivers goods from port to port. I SHIP is loaded with back matter on international shipping and trade and also includes a playful search & find. Hardcover 9781728476827 PURCHASE |
Heather Ferranti Kinser writes at the intersection of story, poetry, and nature from her home on the San Francisco Peninsula. She’s a former technical editor who now spends her days writing small stories—to make a big difference for kids!
Work up an appetite for cave popcorn as you journey into a subterranean world filled with dazzling cave formations and cave-dwelling creatures! Join two young explorers and their trusted guide as they head off on a wonder-filled underground adventure. With a lyrical, rhyming text, and illustrations that illuminate and bring warmth to an otherwise dark and damp environment, IN A CAVE is sure to please science and nature lovers of all ages. HARDCOVER 9781957655185 PURCHASE |
Jessica Fries-Gaither is an award-winning author of books for children and teachers. Her writing introduces readers to the wonder of the natural world and the work of scientists, past and present. Her first children's book, Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings, was named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12 by NSTA and the Children's Book Council and was read aboard the International Space Station by astronaut Joseph Acaba as part of the Story Time From Space program. Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data, her second title, was also named an Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12. Learn more at her website, www.jessicafriesgaither.com and follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jfriesgaither and on Twitter and Instagram at @JessicaFGWrites.
Some rules are meant to be broken, even those in the animal kingdom! You're probably familiar with many of the common categories scientists use for animals: warm-blooded or cold-blooded, nocturnal or diurnal. But what about the animals that don't fit in? Sharks cannot be classified as warm or cold-blooded--they are somewhere in-between. And Eurasian eagle owls don't hunt during the day or night. Instead, they swoop through the trees at dawn and dusk. Author and science educator Jessica Fries-Gaither introduces seven common categories scientists use and the animals that break those rules. Gorgeous, full-color photos will captivate budding scientists with every read! Library 9781728477206 PURCHASE |
IAutistic mom of three autistic kids, Jen Malia is the author of the children's chapter book series THE INFINITY RAINBOW CLUB (Beaming Books, 2023 and 2024) and the picture book TOO STICKY! Sensory Issues with Autism (Albert Whitman, 2020). She is Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing Coordinator at Norfolk State University. As a freelance journalist, she has written about autism and neurodiversity for the New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Magazine, Glamour, Woman's Day, Self, and others. She has also appeared on NPR's With Good Reason and was featured in Parents' Parenting Against All Odds video series. She has a Ph.D. In English and a M.S. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the University of Southern California. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. A native of Pittsburgh, she lives in Virginia Beach with her husband and three kids.
10-year-old Violet is a girl with OCD who volunteers at the local natural history museum with her friends from the Infinity Rainbow Club. When testing the augmented reality for the Jurassic Land exhibit with Nick, an autistic boy, Violet worries that something will go wrong on opening night. But Nick helps Violet realize that she doesn't always have to check everything seven times and make lists of seven. Will Violet stop repeatedly checking for problems so she can enjoy the exhibit that she helped to create? Paperback 9781506493428 PURCHASE, Hardcover 9781506485973 PURCHASE |
Jen Fier Jasinski lives outside of Washington, D.C. with one husband, two toddlers, three pianos, and piles of picture books. Story Time was her favorite part of the schoolday, first as a student and later as a teacher. Now Jen enjoys spending time with her family, writing, reading, and playing outside. MY PIANO is her debut picture book.You can learn more about Jen at www.jenfierjasinski.com and find her on social media @jenfierjasinski
MY PIANO is an exploration of the workings of a grand piano as told through the eyes of a young child preparing for a recital. The cumulative structure should satisfy curious readers who want to know how the interconnected parts of a piano work together, from the pedal pressed to the ground to the keys that hoist the hammers. Backmatter features tips for a successful piano recital and a diagram of the grand piano. Illustrated by Anita Bagdi, this story is sure to be a musical treat for students, teachers, and music enthusiasts alike. Hardcover 9781957655161 PURCHASE |