STEM

February 11 – National Inventors’ Day

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About the Holiday

Today’s holiday was established in 1983 and is celebrated on February 11 to honor the birthday of Thomas Edison. The day recognizes the spirit of inventors who look at life a little differently, let their imagination fly, and create a new . . . something! While we often think of inventions that change the world on a day like today, simple ideas implemented at home also make a big impact—or just lead to lots of fun. If you and/or your kids enjoy being creative, today’s the day to tinker around with your ideas. 

Thanks to Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers for sharing a digital copy of The Quiet One with me!

The Quiet One

By Yiting Lee

 

In her noisy classroom, Milly was the quiet one. She wasn’t exactly sure why she didn’t join in with her talkative classmates or why she especially dreaded Show and Tell, which was coming up on Friday. She most liked hanging out in her “secret place”—a shed filled with all sorts of things people didn’t need anymore or had forgotten. Milly was happy in her own company and liked to entertain herself by transforming other people’s old junk into amazing inventions like a running wheel for the shed’s mice and a working train from unused roller skates.

Copyright Yiting Lee, 2025. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Then Milly found a broken cleaning robot. Getting out her toolbox, two caster wheels, and other supplies, Milly went to work. When she was finished and rebooted the robot, she was astonished to discover that it could talk—”Hi, I’m Arnold,” it said. Milly told Arnold her name. All afternoon Milly and Arnold worked to turn Milly’s secret place into a playground. Then as Milly explained what she wanted to build next, she “realized it was the first time she ever really enjoyed talking.”

Copyright Yiting Lee, 2025. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Milly was still nervous about Show and Tell, but Arnold told her he would go with her and she could talk about him. On Friday, under the gaze of her classmates who seemed to loom above her, Milly froze. Arnold came to the rescue. He introduced himself and began: “Milly made me out of . . . of . . .”. He stopped, not knowing what came next. But Milly found her voice and finished the story, becoming more passionate about her subject as she went along. In fact, “she was so caught up in the moment that she forgot all about her fear.” Her classmates thought Milly was amazing, and Milly, later playing with her new friends on the playground she and Arnold had built, “was happy that she had been heard.”

Copyright Yiting Lee, 2025. Courtesy of Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Yiting Lee’s story offers reassurance to quiet, introspective children as well as to those who feel anxious when talking in or to a group. Through Milly’s experience, such children may feel encouraged to talk about a special skill, experience, or talent or to share the “stage” with a supportive friend who can help them overcome their fear. Lee also reminds readers that—as a favorite teacher of mine liked to say—”still waters run deep”, and that beneath a quiet exterior often bubbles unique perspectives, creativity, and loyal friendship.

Lee’s charming, cartoon illustrations contrast how Milly shrinks in her raucous classroom with how she comes alive in the junk shed—for her, a lab full of exploration, inspiration, and energy. Readers will enjoy stopping to look over all the images of Milly’s inventions and be inspired to create a few themselves.

A fast-paced, multilayered and inspiring story to spark confidence, foster understanding, and build connections among kids of all talents, The Quiet One offers a valuable resource for classrooms and school libraries and is a heartening choice for home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-0802856418

About the Author/illustrator

Yiting Lee was once the quiet one in class, much like Milly. She followed her love of art to earn her MA in children’s book illustration at the University of Cambridge. Originally from Taiwan, Yiting currently lives in Surrey, England, where she has illustrated books like What’s the Rush? (Princeton Architectural) and Little Dinosaurs, Big Feelings (Magic Cat). Follow her on Instagram @yitinglee_art and visit her website at yitinglee.com.

National Inventors’ Day Activity

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Inventor’s Box

 

For young inventors or tinkerers, having bits and pieces of this and that as well as some tools to work with all stored in one place encourages creative thinking. Filling the drawers of a tool case, a tool box, or a tackle box with items like springs, brads, wheels, hinges, plastic piping, pieces of wood, glue, tape, and simple tools can spark a child’s imagination. Take your child along to the craft or hardware store and choose items together!

You can purchase The Quiet One at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

February 10 – National Poop Day

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About the Holiday

Who knew poop could inspire such a thoughtful and health-conscious holiday? But it has! Initiated in 2016 by the Madison Children’s Museum in Wisconsin to celebrate and educate the public on digestion and excretion, the day has become a fun, educational way to encourage people to be more aware of their digestive health and hygiene as well as that of their pets. By normalizing conversations about poop, the holiday aims to improve overall health practices and increase understanding of how our bodies work. The topic is no less fascinating in the world of wildlife, as today’s book shows.

Thank you to Sara Levine and Millbrook Press for sharing a copy of Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It with me!

Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It 

Written by Sara Levine | Illustrated by Florence Weiser

 

So, you wake up starving for a delicious meal. You’ve been dreaming of pancakes, maybe, or a plate of eggs and bacon. But when you get to the table, there’s a bowl of poop waiting for you?! What’s going on?! While you might sulk (and probably hold your nose), there are plenty of creatures who’d be thinking “Bring it on!” Who are these critters? They’re animals that practice coprophagy, and they do it “for a number of surprisingly good reasons,” as Sara Levine reveals.

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

For some animals eating poop is just part of being a Number 1 (or maybe Number 2 is better in this case) parent. Butterflies, cats, and dogs as well as robins and other birds all have specific reasons for dining on doo-doo, from making eggs strong to protecting their babies from predators to keeping “a nest clean and tidy.” 

While these animals eat poop for external or aesthetic reasons, others engage in coprophagy to keep their digestive system working well. Still others, because of the length or shape of their digestive tract, require that food travels through their body twice to extract all of the nutrients. If you have a rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, or other small rodent as a pet, you know that their poop looks like little round balls or small pellets. As Levine tells readers, “this is the poop that has been through their digestive tract a second time. These animals’ first poop comes out soft, sticky, and full of nutrients. It’s called a cecotrope (SEE-ca-trope).” They then “gobble it up at night when it comes out. That’s why you don’t see it” in the cage.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-poop-for-breakfast-butterflies

Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

Since there are so many creatures who do eat poop, why don’t humans? Levine has included a whole list of reasons for why we don’t—and don’t need to. She also provides back matter that includes “The Scoop on Poop”—an explanation of what poop and pee are, how they’re created in the body, and how they’re eliminated. Kids will also have fun becoming “poop detectives” with the help of the illustrated poop identification guide for common pets and wildlife and also by playing a synonym game.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-poop-for-breakfast-robins

Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

Sara Levine is exceptional at presenting fascinating nature science topics in humorous and accessible ways for young audiences, and her latest book is no exception, Leaning into the “Ewww!” factor, Levine dishes up short, take-away reasons certain animals, birds, and insects practice coprophagy followed up with longer passages that explain the science and/or behavior behind them in easy-to-understand language sprinkled with humor that will keep readers riveted to this already high-interest subject.

Florence Weiser’s colorful illustrations perfectly bridge the humorous and the scientific nature of Levine’s text. Readers’ skeptical view of this “gross” habit is amusingly juxtaposed with creatures’ excited anticipation of a delicious meal through the characters’ facial expressions while the anatomical reasons for or against coprophagy are clearly depicted in images of human and various animals’ digestive systems.

Anatomy and nature science education at its best, Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It will keep kids enthralled as each page turn brings on a new round of giggles and avid learning. The book would enhance any home STEM collection and is a must for classroom, school, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 5 – 10

Millbrook Press, 2023 | ISBN 978-1728457963

About the Author

Sara Levine is an author, educator, and veterinarian. Her science books for children include the Animal by Animal series, Germs Up Close, and A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use. Her books have received a number of awards including AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize, Utah Beehive Book Award, Cook Prize finalist, Monarch Award master list, and Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year. Visit her at saralevine.com and on Instagram at saralevinebooks.

About the Illustrator

Florence Weiser is a French illustrator currently based in beautiful, rainy Belgium. While growing up in Luxembourg, she always knew she wanted to draw and draw. She lives and works surrounded by nature, from which she gathers most of her inspiration. Visit her at florenceweiser.com and on Instagram at florence_weiser_illustration

You can find Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

January 31 – It’s National Mentoring Month

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About the Holiday

Learning—and the success that comes with it—can be easier and more fun when it’s shared with a mentor. Teachers, instructors, coaches, crafters, family members, and other adults like passing on their knowledge to younger generations, and while kids gain valuable skills, they also benefit from the bonds that form between them and their mentor. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor check out the resources at mentoring.org. National Mentoring Month is also a terrific time to thank a mentor in your life and tell them what a difference they made. 

Thanks to Tundra Books for sharing a copy of Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs

Written by Paulette Bourgeoise | Illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths 

Professor Marie Curious Goose—”renowned and distinguished scientist”—is on a mission to correct the science in her great-aunt Mother Goose’s stories. This time, she’s tackling The Three Little Pigs. The story starts off in the familiar way: “Once upon a time, there were three little pigs.” The first pig liked to eat and play. The second little pig liked to laze in the mud. And the third little pig worked hard and sweated every day. One day their mother sends them off into the world with the admonition to “‘Save your own bacon!'” Sounds about right, right?

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

But wait! Before you move on in the story, Professor Goose reveals that even these brief profiles are full of erroneous myths! To clear things up, the professor imparts zoologist-approved information, including such facts as pigs don’t gorge themselves, they lay in mud to lower “their body temperature on hot days,” and, because pigs have few sweat glands, they always stay fresh and dry. 

Finally on their own, the siblings get down to the business of living their best lives. The first little pig builds himself a house of straw then goes off to play basketball. Here, Professor Goose takes a moment to imaprt a lesson on the states of Matter and what Matter is made of. By now the wolf has caught up with the first little pig, who rebuffs him with the familiar “‘Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.'” Despite this the wolf does his huffing and puffing—you know the drill—and the pig runs off to his sister’s house. But waaaiit . . .. The prof takes exception to a few tidbits here, too, such as the chinny-chin-chin line and the house destruction method.

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

Soon, while the wolf is menacing the second little pig, Professor Goose works herself into a lather over the “lone wolf” attack and the story’s depiction of wolves in general. To calm herself down, she instructs readers in details about structures and construction. 

Undeterred, the wolf high tails it to the third little pig’s house of bricks, where she and her siblings are cozily ensconced. The wolf huffs and puffs, can’t blow the brick house down, and the pigs are triumphant. But is this where the story ends? No! The prof explains how many fairy tales—just like this one—use a pattern of three and that patterns are found in everything, including nature, music, and math. Finally, Professor Goose concludes with her own version of what became of these three pig siblings—and the story even turns out well for the wolf!

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

Paulette Bourgeouis’s clever take on the familiar tale of The Three Little Pigs will have kids captivated and laughing from beginning to end as Professor Goose points out foibles in the story and connects the setting, the wolf’s powerful breath, the pigs’ houses, the pigs themselves, and the story’s structure to a wide range of scientific principles. Through Professor Goose’s Fact Checks, kids learn surprising and educational facts about zoology, matter, weather, architecture, patterns, and even coding. 

Alex G. Griffith’s engaging illustrations make for a fun and funny learning experience that will have kids in stitches and their eyes glued to every page. Griffith’s tiny details, facial expressions, and slap-stick humor give a fresh, comic-style look to this well-known story and enhance the science-based facts this fractured fairytale is built on for today’s kids.

A unique retelling of a favorite classic that takes superb advantage of all a fractured fairy tale can offer, Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs is sure to be asked for again and again…and again. The STEM-related connections make this book a terrific and educational introduction to a variety of units for science educators.

Ages 3 – 8 and up

Tundra Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-0735267329

About the Author

Paulette Bourgeouis is best known for creating Franklin the Turtle, the character who appears in the bestselling picture books illustrated by Brenda Clark. The series has been translated into thirty-eight languages and adapted into an animated television series, merchandise, and feature-length films. She is also the author of award-winning books for children including Oma’s Quilt, which was developed as a short film by the National Film Board of Canada, and more than two dozen non-fiction science books. She is a member of the Order of Canada, received an honorary doctorate degree from Western University, an award of merit from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and most recently graduated with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. Paulette frequently teaches and she has been the writer-in-residence at UBC, Whistler, BC, and Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland.

About the Illustrator

Alex G. Griffiths is a children’s book illustrator originally from London, UK. The majority of his work is done by hand, using a combination of pen and ink line work and brush textures in a messy way to create an unusual illustration style. He now lives in Canada with his wife and two children. Visit him at alexgfriffiths.com.

National Mentoring Month Activity

CPB - Playhouse craft

Cardboard Playhouse

Kids love pretending with their toys and playhouses. With this craft you and your child can make a playhouse with recycled items and lots of imagination. While you and your child make the house, talk about the building process and ask questions that get them thinking about how various parts of a house work. Once the house is finished, kids can make up their own stories with it—or create their own fractured tale of The Three Little Pigs! 

Supplies

  1. Cardboard box

     2. Recycled items, such as:

  • Bottle caps for door knobs,
  • Small boxes for a chimney
  • Use the cardboard cut from the windows to make shutters
  • Scraps of cloth for curtains

    3. Craft paint

    4. Markers

    5. Glue

You can purchase Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

November 8 – National STEM/STEAM Day

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About the Holiday

November 8th is National STEM/STEAM Day. This holiday was founded in 2015, and the date was partially chosen for its secret play on words: “NOV 8” can be read as (in)novate! On this day, we highlight the importance of science, technology, engineering, art, and math in education and society at large. This holiday is also meant to uplift voices and perspectives that are often given less representation in STEAM careers and fields of study.

On this National STEM/STEAM Day we review a biography of Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Father of Neuroscience. Despite many people discouraging him along his journey Ramón y Cajal found ways to merge his love for art and observation with his scientific background to create new and important discoveries. 

Reviewed by Dorothy Levine

Santiago Saw Things Differently: Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Artist, Doctor, Father of Neuroscience

Written by Christine Iverson | Illustrated by Luciano Lozano

 

Santiago always had a passion for creating and exploring. As a child in Spain, he spent time creating music and inventing toys with any scraps he could find, drawing elaborate charcoal scenes across neighbors’ walls and racing around his grandfather’s loom shop. There, as “he twirled and tangled woolen thread…. Dust sparked and soared in a kaleidoscope of motion.” Unfortunately, not everybody understood the magic of his creations. Neighbors, and particularly Santiago’s father, believed Santiago’s public displays of art were more bothersome than intriguing. 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-santiago-saw-things-differently-drawing-on-wall

Image copyright Luciano Lozano, 2024, text copyright Christine Iverson, 2024. Courtesy of MIT Kids Press.

As Santiago’s father ushered him through many different schools, aiming to leave room for no “distractions” from study, Santiago held on to his artistic practice and passion for exploring the natural world in secret. When once admonished for drawing on the margins of his paper, Santiago was forced to spend time in his school’s dark basement. But, in a stroke of luck, “The room was lit by a wisp of light leaking through an old shutter—just enough for drawing.” Another time, stuck in a classroom with no paper, Santiago used his pencil to unlock the door. 

As he grew up, Santiago developed a specific fascination for the human body. At medical school, Santiago observed the way blood vessels in our bodies mirror the canals of the Ebro River near his university. “He saw the human body as a work of art,” a work that replicates in nature and is connected more broadly to the world at large.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-santiago-saw-things-differently-graveyard

Image copyright Luciano Lozano, 2024, text copyright Christine Iverson, 2024. Courtesy of MIT Kids Press.

Years later, when scientists were focused on working out how the tiny connectors (or nerve fibers) in our brains worked, Santiago was able to use his microscope and drawing skills to sort out that the fibers spread in a similar fashion to the young trees he had spent so much of his time drawing and observing. With the help of ink stains, study, and lots of drawings of his observations, Santiago drew new conclusions about neurons and cells that helped scientists across the globe to understand the human brain better. 

All because “Santiago saw things differently” he was able to unlock new ways of understanding the brain, gaining him a Nobel prize and the eventual title of the Father of Neuroscience. 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-santiago-saw-things-differently-microscope-view

Image copyright Luciano Lozano, 2024, text copyright Christine Iverson, 2024. Courtesy of MIT Kids Press.

Iverson writes a detailed lyrical account of the life of Santiago Ramón y Cajal that is accessible for a wide range of readers. For interested older audiences, the book includes extensive back matter on the Anatomy of a Neuron, more biographical information on Santiago Ramón y Cajal and an explanation of the science behind one scene in the story. 

Interwoven with quotes and images from Ramón y Cajal’s original works are Lozano’s masterful swirling illustrations of Santiago and his environment as they both grow and change. Throughout the story, Lozano inserts details for readers to observe and make their own discoveries, such as the dog who follows Santiago throughout his childhood. Lozano illustrates the story mainly in blushing pinks, sky blues and light-yellow browns with accented vibrant greens and darker colors signifying location changes and key turning points in the story. There is a subtle humor helping to lighten the darker parts of Santiago’s life. The tale closes with the image of Santiago face-to-face with a cartoon-like human skeleton (filled with neurons) smiling back at him.

Santiago Sees Things Differently is a celebratory account of innovation, perseverance and appreciation for the often-interdisciplinary nature of outside-of-the-box thinkers. The title page opens with a poignant quote from Santiago Ramón y Cajal himself, encouraging “young investigators” to keep exploring the vast unknown of the natural world and to remember that what is left undiscovered is always larger than what has been already found. Santiago Sees Things Differently provides readers with the empowering knowledge that new perspectives are necessary for new discovery. And that while difference is often looked down upon, it is, often, in fact a superpower. 

(This book is available in both Spanish and English versions)

Ages 5 – 9

MIT Kids Press, 2024 | ISBN 978-1536238334

About the Author

Christine Iverson is a physical therapist with a strong interest in neural pathways. She holds a BS in history from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a doctoral degree in physical therapy from Baylor University, and an M.Ed. with a focus in children’s literature from Pennsylvania State University. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia. Visit her at christineiversonwrites. com.

About the Illustrator

Luciano Lozano is a Spanish author, illustrator, and graphic artist. He is the creator of several picture books, including Mayhem at the Museum: A Book in Pictures, and the illustrator of many others, including I (Don’t) Like Snakes by Nicola Davies. He lives in Spain. Visit him at lucianolozano.com.

STEM/STEAM Day Activities

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Neuroscience Coloring Pages

Follow Santiago’s footsteps by coloring pictures of different parts of the brain and scientific tools used in the story with these coloring pages from the University of Washington. You’ll also find brain games, plus loads of printable puzzles, worksheets, bookmarks, and even treasure hunts here too! (Coloring pages available in English and Spanish!)

 

Build a Hands-on Model of a Neuron

Have fun and learn about neurons by making a model! You can use almost any kind of material you like—clay, perler beads, bread dough, or even candy—to make it. So put on your thinking cap and get creative! You’ll find lots of ideas on this page from The University of Washington’s Neuroscience for Kids Page.

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You can purchase Santiago Saw Things Differently at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

October 16 – Get Ready for STEM Day (Nov. 8) and World Science Day (Nov. 10)

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About the Holidays

Today I’m highlighting two upcoming holidays that celebrate science and introduce kids to the wide-ranging applications that science, engineering, technology, and math have on our lives now and as we move into the future.

STEM Day — November 8

Instituted in 2015, National STEM Day aims to encourage kids to explore the fields of science technology, engineering, and math. This year’s theme is “Hands on Learning” to promote creative and impactful experimentation, innovation, and discovery. Children who are introduced early on to the workings of math and science do better as they advance through school and are more likely to choose science-based careers. Solving many of the problems that the world now faces relies on having a workforce who can think inventively to design a better future for us all. To learn more about STEM and to find lots of free ideas and activities to get kids excited about these subjects all year around—from awesome virtual field trips to labs, space centers, museums, and more to detailed lesson plans and printables to hands-on activities from the National Inventors Hall of Fame—visit Create & Learn.

World Science Day for Peace and Development — November 10

This annual, internationally observed day highlights the importance of science in and for society and is sponsored by the United Nations. Its aim is to promote education and awareness of scientific issues that affect the world and its sustainability as well as to underscore the role that scientists play in improving our lives and developing solutions for the future. 

Thanks go to Phaidon for sharing a copy of Our Galaxy: A First Book of Space with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Our Galaxy: A First Adventure in Space

Written by Sue Lowell Gallion | Illustrated by Lisk Feng

 

If you want to WOW your young children, students, or library patrons and make them eager to learn about space, science, technology, engineering, and math, open the cover of Our Galaxy: A First Adventure in Space. Then open it a little more . . . and a little more . . . and all the way around until this awe-inspiring book becomes a sturdy, freestanding globe full of adventure and exploration.

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Image copyright Lisk Feng, 2024, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion. Courtesy of Phaidon.

As this journey into space begins, readers find themselves in a planetarium, where Lisk Feng’s mesmerizing illustration of an enormous telescope aimed at the starry sky hints at the marvels above.  Sue Lowell Gallion’s accompanying rhyming couplet invites kids to “Start at sunset, / Scan the sky. / Let’s take a voyage, / Way up high!” 

On the next page readers join viewers on shore to count down “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 . . . Liftoff!” As a rocket is propelled upwards by a fiery blast, a short paragraph explains that “some rockets are like high-tech delivery vehicles” supplying the International Space Station while “other rockets are an astronaut’s ride into space.” She then asks kids whether they’d rather “watch a rocket launch” or “be on board,” a great way to get kids thinking and joining in.

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Image copyright Lisk Feng, 2024, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion. Courtesy of Phaidon.

Appropriately, the rocket’s first stop is the Moon. In Feng’s gorgeous painting, kids are beckoned to join two astronauts using a vehicle on the rocky surface as Gallion imparts information about this “familiar face”—facts about the Moon’s orbit, its astronaut visitors, and the long-lasting imprint they’ve made on the Moon. Of course, we wouldn’t be able to take a voyage like this—or even live on Earth—without the Sun, “Our nearest star, / The brightest in our sky, / By far.” Children can almost feel the heat radiating from the sun as they learn about the Sun’s power and size.

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Image copyright Lisk Feng, 2024, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion. Courtesy of Phaidon.

On following pages, kids also learn about our solar system; meet the four rocky planets of Mercury, Venus (complete with a scorching look at one of its volcanoes), Earth, and Mars (which astronauts plan to visit in the future); and discover why Earth is “One of a kind! / A perfect home / For humankind.”

Planets aren’t the only objects in space. On their journey, readers also learn about asteroids—what they are, where they’re found, and even some of their funny names—before zipping on to uncover fascinating tidbits about Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-our-galaxy-astronaut

Image copyright Lisk Feng, 2024, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion. Courtesy of Phaidon.

Future scientists and astronauts will want to accept Lisk Feng’s invitation to join astronauts working on the International Space Station and floating in the cosmos. They’ll view a giant telescope that informs scientists about our galaxy and beyond and the technology that monitors space and records data. Kids will also be intrigued by the illustrations of space probes and satellites that, in addition to teaching us about objects light years away, help “scientists predict weather and transmit signals that make out phones and TVs work better.” Returning to Earth, readers have a chance to contemplate “Our universe, / A starry show, / With mysteries / We want to know!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-our-galaxy-satellites

Image copyright Lisk Feng, 2024, text copyright Sue Lowell Gallion. Courtesy of Phaidon.

In her poetic and accessible multi-layered text, Sue Lowell Gallion engages both the youngest readers and those ready for more in-depth facts in an inspiring and educational exploration of the wonders of space and a celebration of human curiosity that has propelled us to tremendous scientific achievements. The rigorously researched text is also sprinkled with engaging questions that will get kids excited about joining in discussions at school or at home, while opening their imaginations to what they could accomplish in their future.

In her stunning, realistic illustrations, Lisk Feng captures the breathtaking beauty and vastness of space. Her dazzling images of our solar system are textured and detailed, urging children to look closer (is that a satellite among the asteroids?) and appreciate not only what lies beyond but humans’ early  accomplishments as well as the technology that marks our contemporary era of space exploration.

Sure to ignite wonder, curiosity, and a desire to learn more about space, science, and technology, Our Galaxy: A First Adventure in Space offers endless inspiration for teachers and educators, homeschoolers, and any child enthralled with space. The unique format allows for easy and eye-catching display and will entice kids to dip into this book again and again, making it a must addition to school, public library, and home collections.

Ages 2 – 5+

Phaidon Press, 2024 | Oversized Boardbook: ISBN 978-1838668839

Pair Our Galaxy: A First Adventure in Space with Our World: A First Book of Geography when kids are ready to explore all the wonders on our home planet.

Get Ready for STEM Day & World Science Day Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-I-am-the-future-of-stem-activity-book

“I Am the Future of STEM” Activity Book

 

The coloring pages, puzzles, and other activities in this comprehensive activity book makes an impactful addition to any lesson or simply makes free time fun!

I Am the Future of STEM Activity Book

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-our-galaxy-cover   

You can purchase Our Galaxy: A First Adventure in Space at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

March 22 – It’s Women’s History Month

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About the Holiday

National Women’s History Month is all about celebrating women who broke barriers with their intelligence, creativity, courage, persistence, and unwavering confidence in their abilities. In every discipline, women have brought and continue to bring new perspectives, experiences, and talents to make contributions toward a better world. The theme for Women’s History Month 2024 celebrates “’Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.’ This theme recognizes women who understand the need to eliminate bias and discrimination from individuals’ lives and institutions.”

Today’s book celebrates a visionary woman who made it her life’s work to protect a unique ecosystem, educate people on the importance of the environment and conservation, and provide the US with one of its most stunning national parks. 

I’d like to thank Calkins Creek/Astra Books for sharing a copy of Cactus Queen” Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are mt own.

Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park

Written by Lori Alexander | Illustrated by Jenn Ely

 

Even as a child, Minerva loved the outdoors, was eager to share her thoughts and opinions, and enjoyed “long chats with friends.” When she grew up she married Dr. Albert Hoyt. In 1897 Minerva and her husband moved from Mississippi to Pasadena, California, close to Los Angeles. To meet new friends, Minerva hosted a backyard party, complete with games, food, and, of course, long chats.

Settled into her new city, Minerva took to making trips to the Mojave Desert. She was awed by the Joshua trees, which grew nowhere else but here. After the death of her husband in 1918, Minerva spent more time in the desert, even camping out while “the wind whistled through the Joshua trees,” and “bright constellations swirled overhead.”

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Illustration copyright Jenn Ely, 2024, text copyright Lori Alexander, 2024. Courtesy of Calkins Creek, Astra Books for Young Readers.

As Los Angeles grew and grew, with more buildings, more cars, and more noise, people began to visit the desert frequently. They didn’t just visit, though, they wanted to take it home. People dug up the “… fuzzy cholla, spiky yucca, and barrel cacti to keep in their backyards.” They even dug up Joshua trees and carted them away. Many of these desert plants didn’t survive their new city surroundings. The Joshua trees were also cut down for construction materials, and motorists lost in the desert set them afire to communicate with other drivers.

By the late 1920s little remained of Minerva’s beloved desert. She wanted to save it . . . but how? Suddenly, “Minerva had a wild idea.” She would show the rest of the country just how special the desert was. With help from garden clubs, artists, taxidermists, and friends, she gathered samples of desert flora and fauna and took them east—by train.

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Illustration copyright Jenn Ely, 2024, text copyright Lori Alexander, 2024. Courtesy of Calkins Creek, Astra Books for Young Readers.

At the 1928 International Flower Show in New York City, Minerva erected a display of the desert. Crowds were thrilled to discover this “strange landscape,” and reporters took pictures for magazines and newspapers. Minerva won a gold medal for her exhibit, The Spirit of the Desert. Minerva also won awards in Boston and London for exhibits there. But more important than these accolades was that people were really listening to her and beginning to love the desert. When she donated her exhibits to museums, more people became interested in the desert.

By 1933, Minerva was ready to move on to the next stage in her plan. She wanted 1,000,000 acres of the desert to be declared a national park, protected by federal laws. Minerva garnered an audience with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and brought photographs to show him. She convinced the President—now it was up to Roger W. Toll, superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, to inspect Minerva’s desert and agree.

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Illustration copyright Jenn Ely, 2024. Courtesy of Calkins Creek, Astra Books for Young Readers.

As Roger Toll stood in the middle of the desert on a rainswept day, he asked, “where are the lush trees, the waterfalls, and lakes?” When he later filed his report, he rejected the desert for National Park status. Minerva was disappointed but did not give up. She began a letter-writing campaign, convincing “scientists, teachers, politicians, and friends” to write to the National Park Service. Letters poured in—enough to convince the Service to send out a new inspector.

This time Assistant Director Harold C. Bryant, who lived in California, was sent. “He knew all about desert plants and animals.” When he arrived, Minerva and more than one hundred supporters greeted him. After touring the desert for three days, Bryant announced his decision: Yes! “Minerva’s desert was worth saving.”

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Illustration copyright Jenn Ely, 2024, text copyright Lori Alexander, 2024. Courtesy of Calkins Creek, Astra Books for Young Readers.

Extensive backmatter, accompanied by photographs, offers more biographical information about Minerva, points about wildlife in Joshua Tree National Park, facts about other national parks in the United States, tips for how young people can help the environment through easy-to-implement actions, and a bibliography. In Lori Alexander’s Author’s Note, she relates the dangers and destruction that the fragile environment of Joshua Tree National Park and the surrounding desert continues to suffer from “vandalism, urban development, and the effects of climate change,” a report that demonstrates the need for continued education and care taking of our natural resources.

In Cactus Queen, Lori Alexander has created a compelling biography of a remarkable woman as well as a call to action for readers to stand up for the environmental or other causes that are important to them. Alexander highlights Minerva Hoyt’s love of the desert, her dedication, and her unflagging determination to overcome setbacks. Hoyt’s creativity, pragmatism, and lifelong focus serves as an inspirational roadmap for accomplishing goals for children, teens, and even the adults who read with them.

The first thing readers may notice upon opening Cactus Queen is Jenn Ely’s beautiful color palette that mirrors the unique hues of the desert. Her stunning images of the desert and Minerva’s ingenious ways of rallying the country and the President to her cause transport children from Hoyt’s earliest days through her long-fought success. Ely’s charming illustrations reveal not only the special plants and creatures of the Mojave Desert but Minerva’s distress at its destruction and her tenacity to enact change to protect it. 

Both a fascinating biography of Minerva Hoyt and an in-depth look at the multifaceted workings of conservation efforts, Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park will inspire readers to advocate for causes that are important to them. For educators the book would make an excellent addition to science and language arts curriculum. Cactus Queen would also be an engaging accompaniment to museum visits or field trips for families and teachers.

Cactus Queen is a top pick for classrooms, public and school libraries, museum shops, and families.

Ages 7 – 10

Calkins Creek, 2024 | ISBN 978-1662680212

About the Author

Lori Alexander is the award-winning author of several children’s books, including All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World, which won a Robert F. Sibert Honor, and A Sporting Chance: How Ludwig Guttmann Created the Paralympic Games, an NCSS Notable Book. Her work has received several starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Horn Book Magazine, has made the NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book list, and has been selected by the Junior Library Guild. Visit Lori Alexander at lorialexanderbooks.com.

About the Illustrator

Jenn Ely is an artist and animator, who has worked on the movies The Boxtrolls and Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio. In her recent foray into children’s books, she illustrated The Gardener of Alcatraz and If You Were a Kid Building a Pyramid. Visit Jenn Ely at jennely.com.

Women’s History Month Activity

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Become a Joshua Tree National Park Junior Ranger

How would you like to become a Joshua Tree National Park Junior Ranger? You can your badge with this online program full of fun and educational activities for all ages! You can learn how to draw a Joshua Tree, create your own constellation, learn all about desert tortoises, create your own rock formation, learn about adaptable plants and design your own, and more.

To earn your badge kids ages 5 – 7 are asked to complete 2 activities; kids ages 8 – 10 are asked to complete 3 activities; and kids ages 10 and above are asked to complete 4 or more. After finishing projects, you just need to send images of your work to receive your badge in the mail!

Simply visit the official Joshua Tree National Park website and learn more about their Junior Ranger program! Learn more about the park and view lots of pictures and videos here.

Joshua Tree National Park Coloring Page

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Enjoy this activity page by filling it with all the colors of the desert.

Joshua Tree National Park Coloring Page

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You can also find Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park at these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

May 11 – National Eat What You Want Day

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About the Holiday

Do you feel like you’ve been on a diet forever? Have you been denying yourself a favorite treat because maybe it’s not the best thing you can eat? Or do you find yourself always making meals to suit everyone else’s taste when what you really want is just a grilled cheese sandwich? If so, today’s holiday gives you carte blanche to enjoy the foods you want without feeling guilty. It also seems like a fitting day to learn about the rather unusual (at least to us) diet of many creatures in the animal kingdom—and that’s where today’s book come in!

Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It 

Written by Sara Levine | Illustrated by Florence Weiser

 

So, you wake up starving for a delicious meal. You’ve been dreaming of pancakes, maybe, or a plate of eggs and bacon. But when you get to the table, there’s a bowl of poop waiting for you?! Come on! While you might sulk (and probably hold your nose), there are plenty of creatures who’d be thinking “Bring it on!” Who are these critters? They’re animals that practice coprophagy, and they do it “for a number of surprisingly good reasons,” Sara Levine reveals.

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

For some animals eating poop is just part of being a Number 1 (or maybe Number 2 is better in this case) parent. Butterflies, cats, and dogs as well as robins and other birds all have specific reasons for dining on doo-doo, from making eggs strong to protecting their babies from predators to keeping “a nest clean and tidy.” Birds have a particularly fascinating way to do this. Since baby birds eat a lot, they poop a lot. Keeping up with that level of cleaning could be daunting. Amazingly, though, these “chicks’ poop and pee come out inside a bag made of mucus. It’s called a fecal sac. Bird parents grasp it with their beaks and carry it away like a disposable diaper. And sometimes the parents eat it. How come? The poop of a newly hatched chick is full of undigested nutrients.”

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

While these animals eat poop for external or aesthetic reasons, others engage in coprophagy to keep their digestive system working well. Still others, because of the length or shape of their digestive tract, require that food travels through their body twice to extract all of the nutrients. If you have a rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, or other small rodent as a pet, you know that their poop looks like little round balls or small pellets. As Levine tells readers, “this is the poop that has been through their digestive tract a second time. The first poop comes out soft, sticky, and full of nutrients. It’s called a cecotrope (SEE-ca-trope),” and these animals “gobble it up at night when it comes out. That’s why you don’t see it” in the cage.

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

Since there are so many creatures who do eat poop, why don’t humans? Levine has included a whole list of reasons (and, yes, the frowny- crinkled-nose-face you’re making right now is one of them) for why we don’t—and don’t need to. She’s also provided back matter that includes “The Scoop on Poop”—an explanation of what poop and pee are, how they’re created in the body, and how they’re eliminated through the anus and the urethra as well as a paragraph about creatures that have a single cloaca instead of two openings. Kids will also have fun becoming “poop detectives” with the help of Levine’s and illustrator Florence Weiser’s guide to the sizes and shapes of poop from common pets and wildlife and playing a silly synonym game.

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Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.

Sara Levine is exceptional at presenting fascinating nature science topics in humorous and accessible ways for young audiences, and her latest book is no exception, Leaning into the “Ewww!” factor, Levine dishes up short, take-away reasons certain animals, birds, and insects practice coprophagy followed up with longer passages that explain the science and/or behavior behind them in easy-to-understand language sprinkled with humor that will keep readers riveted to this already high-interest subject.

Florence Weiser’s colorful illustrations perfectly bridge the humorous and the scientific nature of Levine’s text. Readers’ skeptical view of this “gross” habit is amusingly juxtaposed with creatures’ excited anticipation of a delicious meal through the characters’ facial expressions while the anatomical reasons for or against coprophagy are clearly depicted in images of human and various animals’ digestive systems.

Anatomy and nature science education at its best, Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It will keep kids enthralled as each page turn brings on a new round of giggles and avid learning. The book would enhance any home STEM collection and is a must for classroom, school, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 5 – 10

Millbrook Press, 2023 | ISBN 978-1728457963

About the Author

Sara Levine is an author, educator, and veterinarian. Her science books for children include the Animal by Animal series, Germs Up Close, and A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use. Her books have received a number of awards including AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize, Utah Beehive Book Award, Cook Prize finalist, Monarch Award master list, and Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year.

About the Illustrator

Florence Weiser is a French illustrator currently based in beautiful, rainy Belgium. While growing up in Luxembourg, she always knew she wanted to draw and draw. She lives and works surrounded by nature, from which she gathers most of her inspiration.

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Picture Book Review