The Picture Book Buzz - October 2024 Interview with STEAM Team Books Members (Part 1)

Whether you're here to support the STEAM Team authors, curiosity, or because you love nonfiction books, I hope you read to the end because you'll discover some amazing authors and super spectacular books!

Today I have the pleasure to introduce you to four creatives from the STEAM Team Books – a group of authors and illustrators who joined together to celebrate and help promote their STEAM books. I hope you enjoy this peek at these delightful books and fascinating creatives.

"STEAM Team Books is a group of authors who have a STEM/STEAM book releasing in 2023. It includes fiction & nonfiction, trade or educational books.” Check out their website for other interviews, activities, and bios.

Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write or illustrate? How long have you been writing or illustrating? What is your favorite type of book to write or illustrate? What drew you to STEAM books? etc.)

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Wind is a Dance (Kids Can Press 10/1/2024) – I grew up on a farm in a big family and we couldn’t do much outside of the immediate world around us. I was also quite shy. But books—books could take me anywhere. I could be anyone I wanted to be in a book. Books filled in some of those empty spaces . And as I grew up and did different things, books were always my constant. When I had kids and started reading picture books with them, I realized I wanted to be more than a reader. I wanted to write, and I wanted to write picture books. It took 12+ years, but it’s finally happening!

I’ve written so many manuscripts—both fiction and nonfiction—over the years. Most of what I write comes from a sense of wonder or awe, stumbling over a trivial fact I didn’t know, a historical event or person I had never heard of but still mattered. I want kids to open up books and get lost in them—like I did when I was a kid. And STEAM books are the perfect avenue to cultivate that wonder and awe.

[Author of Peculiar Primates: Fun Facts about These Curious Creatures, illustrated by Claire Powell (2022), Freaky, Funky Fish: Odd Facts about Fascinating Fish, illustrated by Claire Powell (2021), Tell Someone, illustrated by Tristan Yuvienco (2020).]

Patricia Newman – Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea (Lerner 10/1/2024) - I grew up in Vermont and was an "outdoor" kid who planted trees with my dad, sailed, and tried to save the fish we caught rather than eating them. I was also a serious book nerd who took a book wherever I went. (I still do.) At Cornell University, I pursued a child development major and later taught remedial math. Writing as a job never crossed my mind.

When my children were born, we spent a lot of time reading picture books together. One day my mother-in-law surprised me by saying, "you can do this." The revelation led to a long apprenticeship figuring out what kids (and editors) want and then how to write it. I found small blocks of time to write, including during my kids’ karate and tennis lessons.

I have written more than twenty books in the last twenty years. I usually have a general idea where I’m going when I begin, but it takes several tries and lots of errors before I find my way. Most of my titles deal with some aspect of nature. I write about things that amaze me or make me angry. I want to figure out how to help and to encourage others to join me.

[Author of 20+ books, including A River’s Gift: The Mighty Elwha River Reborn, illustrated by Natasha Donovan (2022), Planet Ocean: Why We All Need a Healthy Ocean, photos by Annie Crawley (2021), Eavesdropping on Elephants: How Listening Helps Conservation (2018), Neema's Reason to Smile, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini (2018), Zoo Scientists to the Rescue, photos by Annie Crawley (2017), Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem (2017), and Plastic, Ahoy!: Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, photos by Annie Crawley (2014).]

Kelly Rice Schmitt – I Fuel : How Energy Powers Our Busy World (Millbrook Press/Lerner 10/1/2024) –I have always loved writing, but I started focusing seriously on Kidlit in 2016. I love to write stories that weave imagination and truth together. Finding interesting ways to convey facts or true stories is so much fun! I think that is part of why I am drawn to STEAM subject matter. I work in energy supply and trading, a field that is very male dominated. As one of the only females in my training program, I felt compelled to inspire more kids, especially girls, to get excited about STEM. And I’m also a big advocate for the “A” of steam, Arts! I’m a singer and performer and believe the performing arts provide numerous benefits to the growing minds and spirits of kids. As for the “how” of my writing, I write anywhere I can! As a mom of 3 who also has another job, I squeeze my writing time in—early mornings, after the kids are in bed, and waiting in car lines. I try to think through my stories throughout each day and let them work in my subconscious. On manuscripts I’m editing or drafting, I often work on a small section at a time on the go, either in the notes on my phone, or on a print-out copy. There is so much in-between time that I try to harness.

[Author of I Ship: A Container Ship's Colossal Journey, illustrated by Jam Dong (10/3/2023). ]

Jonathan Roth – Rover and Speck: It’s a Gas! (book 3) (Kids Can Press 10/1/2024) – Many moons ago, out of art school, I rediscovered picture books and kidlit and knew without a doubt that this was what I wanted to do (note: this was an odd choice for a ‘serious’ art student). I jumped into creating picture books, ready to take the world by fire – and then spent years in the trenches, getting lots of rejections, but learning the ropes and building my community.

Finally, with my second agent, I had luck with a chapter book series and now a picture book and book 3 of my graphic novel series (all STEAM themed!) By day, I’m an elementary art teacher – just completed year 25!

[Author of Almost Underwear: How a Piece of Cloth Traveled From Kitty Hawk to the Moon and Mars (2024) and the chapter book series Beep & Bob (2018-19) and Rover & Speck (2022-24).]

What helps you to be inspired? (perhaps a certain place, music, activity, etc.)

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Being outside or staring out a window. And many times, just reading an incredibly good book.

Patricia Newman – I receive a tremendous amount of inspiration from nature and the scientists and communities working so hard to add a bit of hope to the normally gloomy environmental headlines. When I was a kid, finding connections between the real world and what I was learning in school spurred me on to learn more. I hope that my books help readers discover their own unique role in nature and inspire them to ACT!

Kelly Rice Schmitt – Children! My own, myself as a child, those I meet, and those I imagine that may need a book like the one I am creating. I am so fortune to get to create for the most incredible audience on Earth!

Jonathan Roth – Reading! Holding a good book makes me want to create my own. One big theme of my recent picture book Almost Underwear is that we’re always building off the work of others, and I certainly couldn’t be a writer without first being a reader. Though I write and draw my books almost exclusively at my desk – adjacent to teeming bookshelves – a lot of my ideas are worked out during walks and bike rides.

I love all these ways to be inspired! Now that we know a little more about all of you, what sparked your interest and caused you to write this book?

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Wind is a Dance (10/1/2024) – In 2015, I fell in love with Miranda Paul’s Water Is Water, illustrated by Jason Chin. I also loved Laura Purdie Salas’ “Can Be” series—A Leaf Can Be, A Rock Can Be, Water Can Be—illustrated by Violeta Dabija. In November 2015, I was doing Tara Lazar’s Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo) and decided I wanted to write a book about the weather since I love the sense of change in the air when the weather and seasons are changing. So, I wrote down, “Lyrical NF book about the wind—different types?” I wrote my first draft in 2016 , using both Paul’s and Salas’ books as mentor texts. This book has had a long, winding journey, nine years in the making!

Patricia Newman – Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea (10/1/2024) - I read about Kerstin Forsberg and her conservation organization, Planeta Océano (Planet Ocean), in Time. One of my books is titled Planet Ocean, so of course, I felt an immediate kinship with her. Kerstin’s ocean initiative in Peru has received several awards because of its unique approach – rather than descending on a community as an activist, she engages community members and empowers them to be the stars of their own conservation story. A subtle difference, right? Also, giant manta rays are fascinating. They’re as large as four king-size beds pushed together.

Kerstin uses science, education, and sustainability to show coastal communities in Peru how saving the ocean is in their best interests. Her results are startling. Fishers, students, teachers, and business leaders march behind her to help protect our ocean. Kerstin’s story is such a feel-good boost for conservation! Watch the trailer here.

Kelly Rice Schmitt – I Fuel : How Energy Powers Our Busy World (10/1/2024) – I fell into the energy industry by chance and have loved being able to supply people with energy to fuel their lives and also to understand such an important part of the global economy. Once I realized how much humans currently depend on fossil fuels yet how little engaging information there is on this topic for kids, I knew I was the person that had to write this book. I believe in order to change something; you must first understand it very well as it currently exists. My goal with I Fuel is to help children understand the current state of energy including how we depend on oil products, the benefits we get from them and the problems they cause, the research happening with alternative fuels, and the kinds of renewable energy we see today. Once children understand the now, they can then have the tools they need to begin to innovate for tomorrow.

Jonathan Roth – Rover and Speck: It’s a Gas! (book 3) (10/1/2024) - In book one of the series, Rover and Speck visit a rocky planet, like Mars. In book two, a watery world (think Earth with very little land). For book three, I wanted to challenge myself, and picked a very common type of planet, but one very seldom explored in literature: a gas giant. Just like it sounds, gas giants are mostly just that: giant balls composed of gases (and liquids). But how would you explore one? Can a gas giant possibly hold life?

Fortunately, I’m a fan of Carl Sagan, who I discovered when his show Cosmos aired when I was a teen. He and physicist Edwin Salpeter had a theory, which he shares in an animated clip, that different kinds of floating life could adapt to the cloudy gas layers of Jupiter: not the hot, inner core or the cold, turbulent upper layers, but the mid-layers where the temperature and conditions could prove (in Goldilocks narration) “just right”. Wild possibility, huh? So that’s where Rover and Speck boldly go!

These are all such fascinating books. What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of being a children’s author?

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Getting a manuscript accepted by a publisher is so, so challenging. I’m excited that I have five books either published or under contract, but I also have been writing for about 15 years and have worked really hard on many, many manuscripts that have not been picked up by a publisher—manuscripts that I think kids would love. I know so many creators with amazing stories that aren’t getting published. While I know it’s just a part of the business, I think we all would love to get more of our books in the hands of kids.

Patricia Newman – Writing for children is the hardest job I’ve ever had. My husband often jokes that I should have gone into something less stressful…like bomb disposal! [HA!]

But seriously, in terms of craft, shaping an idea into something that matters to a child is a huge challenge. It often takes me several tries to get it just right. In terms of the publishing industry, the hardest thing is the glacial pace with which books are read, accepted, and published. The only thing we writers can do is keep writing.

Kelly Rice Schmitt – Our job is incredibly important—we are shaping the minds and hearts of the next generation, and with picture books, we are often providing a child their first experience with fine art. Despite this, other adults (often potential customers) don’t take the job seriously and assume that writing for children is a sweet hobby, an item to complete on a bucket list, or a simple task. The difficulty is in pursuing the work for the child’s sake, even if many other adults will never fully understand the depth or true impact of it.

Jonathan Roth – In most of the arts, you can reach an audience without too much trouble – you can sing at an open-mike, display paintings at local gallery, post comics on social media. But to get a book in a child’s hand (other than a child you may know) is a pretty labyrinthine process. The books that kids read come from bookstores, schools and libraries, and there’s no real short-cut for getting them there. Your book is either published or not – and by far, most are not. And then when it is finally in the world, with great luck and years after you wrote it, it’s still one of thousands of titles that’s not Dogman. (In my Jewish grandmother’s voice, with hands in the air: “What isn’t challenging?”) [😊]

Definitely not a career for the faint of heart! Is there anything special you want your readers to know about your book?

Text © Debra Kempf Shumaker, 2024. Image © Josée Bisaillon, 2024.

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Wind is a Dance (10/1/2024) – Most of the winds listed in Wind Is A Dance are winds that most kids in North America will have heard about or experienced. There is one wind, the derecho, that may not be as well known. We had a derecho hit our neighborhood in June of 2012 and the power behind this straight-line wind was a bit scary but also incredibly fascinating. We lost power for three days and many trees in the neighborhood went down. When I wrote my first draft of Wind Is A Dance in 2016, I knew I would include the derecho.

From Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea by Patricia Newman

(Millbrook Press/Lerner, 2024)

Patricia Newman – Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea (10/1/2024) - Committing to conserving our natural resources is not just a job for adults. In fact, kids and teens all over the world are inspiring adults and policy makers. I hope that readers study what the youth in Giant Rays of Hope have accomplished. And then I hope readers go the next step and mimic the enthusiasm and perseverance of the youth in the book for their own communities. Change happens bit by bit and it’s up to us to become the stars of our own conservation stories! Teachers and parents, you might be interested in this article I wrote for PLOS SciComm, “What Does Gratitude Have to Do With the Environment ?”

Text © Kelly Rice Schmitt, 2024. Image © Jam Dong, 2024.

Kelly Rice Schmitt – I Fuel : How Energy Powers Our Busy World (10/1/2024) – Don’t forget the back matter or Activity Guide on this one! I FUEL is intentionally sparse and simplified for readers to understand the essential elements of where our energy comes from, how we use it and what that means. But the depth of both the science and discussion of our reliance on oil are really explored in the back matter. The activity guide also has great hands-on ways for kids to better understand these complicated concepts, while also aligning with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Text & Image © Jonathan Roth, 2024.

Jonathan Roth – Rover and Speck: It’s a Gas! (book 3) (10/1/2024) – As I mentioned above, my book takes place in an unusual setting: within the cloud layers of a gas giant. If there are other children’s books with such a setting, I’m not aware of them. If a reader of this knows of any, please send the titles my way!

I think kids (and their adults) are going to LOVE these books. What was the hardest, or most challenging, part of writing or researching your book? Was there a bit of your research you didn’t get to include?

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Wind is a Dance (10/1/2024) – Finding the structure and through line for this story was difficult. I initially started with poems of different types of wind, but knew I needed a through line to have it be a picture book. Reviewing my first few poems, I realized metaphors made them more visual and kid-like. So figurative language was the first through line. But coming up with an opening, closing, and a way to string the various descriptions together still took a lot of work. I tried organizing them by season, which was clunky. After dozens of stops and starts with my opening lines, once I compared wind to a “dance of air”, inspiration hit. Ordering the winds from weakest to strongest and using transitions related to dance tied the entire manuscript together.

Patricia Newman – Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea (10/1/2024) - Distance was the biggest challenge. When I had planned to travel to Peru for research, their president was deposed, and rioters had taken over the major airports. Thank goodness for Zoom, and my translator Ernesto Paredes! I interviewed more than 30 fishers, teachers, kids, teens, and Planeta Océano staff. I was lucky enough to include most of my research and everyone was more than willing to send personal photos to share their experiences with readers.

I felt lucky to be a small part of such a generous, thriving community. That’s the thing about nonfiction. We authors insert ourselves into our subjects’ lives. Not only do they welcome us, we establish a strong bond.

On a more personal note, I remember revising Giant Rays of Hope while taking care of my father who had just been released from the hospital. A month later my mother died. My manuscript pages soaked up a lot of tears.

Kelly Rice Schmitt – I Fuel : How Energy Powers Our Busy World (10/1/2024) – With my background in the energy industry, writing this book came easily to me once I had the right angle and streamlined it into a very sparse text. But I wanted to get the science of oil formation and geology just right, and that required research. Luckily, an old colleague of mine who is a petroleum geologist and former crude oil trader consulted on the project as an expert. It was difficult to make sure that the art could convey the massive passage of time covered in the book and show the HOW of rocks and crude oil forming over millions of years. I also did a surprising amount of dinosaur research to ensure that all the dinosaurs and marine life shown in this book were accurate to the time period and location of the crude oil being formed in the book. All the prehistoric creatures shown coexisted in what is now the western United States during the late Cretaceous period.

Jonathan Roth – Rover and Speck: It’s a Gas! (book 3) (10/1/2024) - Being the third book in the series, I was worried it might be hard to replicate the form and feel (and page count) of the first two. To my delight, the process really flowed! If there’s a most challenging part to all three, it’s drawing the final illustrations. I’m a fast writer, but the art part is much more exacting and time consuming - and my style is relatively simple. But that’s comics for you!

Thank you all so much for your candor in describing the challenges you encountered with these books. Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

Debra Kempf Shumaker – I have an SEL picture book coming out in 2026 that I’m excited about titled Sunday Scaries. It’s about a young girl who struggles every Sunday night because she doesn’t like Monday mornings and school. It will come out with Knopf Kids. I’ve been out on submission the last few months with another nature and lyrical nonfiction picture book that I would love for an editor to snatch up. We’ll see!

Patricia Newman – I have two upcoming projects that I’m thrilled to share. Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger surfaces in the spring of 2025 with Millbrook Press/Lerner. Cristina is an Italian scuba diver and shark conservationist in the Bahamas who has removed more than 300 fishing hooks from sharks – including deep in their throats! Her dramatic story is sure to appeal to kids.

Beatrice and the Nightingale will be published by Peachtree Press in the spring of 2026. This book takes readers to England between World Wars I and II for the story of how famous cellist Beatrice Harrison united the world with the song of her cello and the nightingale who accompanied her. Their duet was broadcast by the BBC, the first time millions of listeners had ever heard a nightingale sing and the first live broadcast of birdsong. It’s a beautiful story of one blissful moment when music, nature, and technology united.

Kelly Rice Schmitt – I Fuel and I Ship will be joined by a third yet to be announced book next year. I’m really excited to have just seen some final art from Jam Dong. It’s gorgeous. I’m so glad this series is still truckin’ 😉 with Lerner. I have The Farm Next Door coming in summer 2026 from Knopt BFYR, illustrated by Charles Santoso about a farmer who loses everything in a storm and must rely on the help of her neighbors to rebuild and keep the economy flowing. I just saw sketches and I’m over the moon!

Jonathan Roth – All my published books so far are set mainly off Earth, though I have written plenty of stories closer to home. Right now, two ideas I’m working on involve Da Vinci and dinosaurs. Not together, but hmm…

These all sound very intriguing. Best of luck to you all with these and your other endeavors. How do you deal with, or celebrate, rejections?

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Rejections are such a common part of this industry and I’ve been doing this long enough that they no longer phase me. I just note them and move on. Of course, the rejections from acquisition meetings hurt much more. Those I mourn for a bit. But then I move on. It’s the only way.

Patricia Newman – I don’t “celebrate” rejections, but I do read them carefully. Some of them seem to keep a door open for resubmission after revision. I consider these “NOT NOWs” rather than “NOs.” In the meantime, I keep writing.

Kelly Rice Schmitt – I try to keep myself busy enough that I don’t have time to get too upset. Rejection is an inevitable part of being a creator in the art world. Everything is subjective, so although someone may not connect with something, it may be perfect for someone else. I try to remember that and always root for finding the perfect cheerleader for my stories.

Jonathan Roth – You get so used to rejection in this biz – you have to. That said, there are different tiers of rejection: if my agent has a book out with ten editors, and I get an email that one has passed, I have a quick pang and then it’s done. If it’s the tenth editor, a sinking feeling. The worst by far, though, is when after weeks of buildup an editor takes it to an acquisitions meeting – they really want it – but it gets shot down (usually some marketing concern you have no way to revise your way out of). That’s a big ugh.

Thank you all for these nuggets of advice. Last question, is there a plant or flower you love growing, or wish you could grow, in your yard or garden?

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Our yard is feasted on by the numerous deer around. So, while I grow quite a few flowers, my yard is not as colorful as I would like. My childhood yard in Wisconsin had these amazing lilac bushes that filled the air with a divine fragrance every May. Here in Virginia, lilacs bushes don’t grow as easily or as big. Every spring I long for those bushes.

Patricia Newman – I love peonies, but I don’t have any success with them in Sacramento. It’s too hot! If any of you out there grow peonies, give them some love from me 😊.

Kelly Rice Schmitt – I love hydrangeas, but the typical shade loving ones won’t grow in most of my yard (harsh full Southern US sun), so I found a new kind that love the full sun. It’s been lovely having them. I love to leave them all through the winter. They are brown, but look beautiful still, and my kids love to have flowers left to cut and play with through the cold months.

Jonathan Roth – We have a big garden – it’s mostly my wife’s canvas, and I just help out and enjoy. My favorite part is seeing bees on the flowers, fireflies at night, and picking fresh tomatoes, cukes, and basil.

NOW, let me take a moment to introduce you to these amazing STEAM books!

Wind is a Dance by Debra Kempf Shumaker, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon (Kids Can Press 10/1/2024) – You can feel it and you see it's effect, but you can't actually see wind. It can be delicate like a butterfly (breeze), frisky as a puppy (gale), or as rough as a boxer (blizzard). The beautifully lyrical, free verse analogies of wind are accompanied by puffy white stunning illustrations taking on the shapes of the analogies. The derecho is aptly depicted as a train charging through and a hurricane as a whisk, beating everything in its path! Each example has a sidebar explanation of the type of wind referenced and a bit about its particular behavior. The back matter includes additional information about winds and how to measure them. This is a truly stunning nonfiction picture book on the types of winds and our interactions with them.

Synopsis: Poetic text and ethereal illustrations combine with science facts about wind in this delightful informational picture book.

”You can feel wind … but you can’t see it. What is wind?“ This exploration of different types of wind pairs lyrical descriptions of wind types with accessible, informational sidebars about each. The whimsical narrative uses metaphor to help readers visualize wind’s characteristics: ”Wind is a butterfly – fluffing flower petals and ruffling riverbank grasses.“ Informative bubbles on each page compliment these descriptions with short explanations of each wind type, which range from a light breeze to a hurricane. Evocative illustrations further bring the text to life in this fascinating introduction to the ever-changing wind.

Author Debra Kempf Shumaker uses figurative language and metaphors to capture the imagination of readers as they learn about wind. Her imagery will inspire readers to find their own words to represent the world around them, and in particular to answer the question at the end of the book: ”How would you describe the wind today?“ The breezy illustrations by award-winning, bestselling artist Josée Bisaillon help readers feel the movement of the air. With its easy-to-understand depictions of the types of wind, this is a perfect STEAM pick for lessons on daily and seasonal weather. More information about types of wind, the Beaufort scale and a list of resources for further learning are at the back of the book.

Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea by Patricia Newman (Lerner 10/1/2024) – Interweaving information and statistics about the giant manta rays with the role of Kerstin Forsberg, from a child to an adult, in trying to ensure their survival and teach the local fishermen to respect them this book photo illustrated middle grade book does a great job of exploring these magnificent animals and sea turtles and the community of scientists, activists, and kids determined to ensure their survival. Afterall, “You don’t need to be a Ph.D. researcher to help with science,” Wonderful examples of kids and classes taking an active role in changing their community's understanding of the interconnectedness of everyone and everything in the world. Wonderful side panels offer additional scientific information, definitions, and highlights on those involved. A timeline, author's note and note from Kerstin offer more information and a call to action. This is a wonderful book on an amazing gentle giant.

Synopsis: Off the coast of Perú, gentle giants swim beneath the waves. Thanks to the work of Kerstin Forsberg, giant manta rays have become a symbol of hope for ocean conservation in the region. Mantas are a flagship species, and when they're protected, the whole ocean ecosystem benefits.

Kerstin, who founded the organization Planeta Océano, has taken a new approach to ocean conservation. Previous conservation projects were often led by scientists from other places who didn't work with the local people. When Kerstin decided to help manta rays, she sought the opinions of local fishers and educated them about the dangers of overfishing, bycatch, and poaching--things that affect both manta rays and fishers. She also involved local schools and teachers.

With the help of teachers, students, and fishers, Kerstin launched a project to identify and track manta rays and protect them, making the ocean a better place for all creatures. Dive in with author Patricia Newman and explore how taking care of the ocean can benefit everyone!

I Fuel : How Energy Powers Our Busy World by Kelly Rice Schmitt, illustrated by Jam Dong (Millbrook Press/Lerner 10/1/2024) – A wonderfully accessible account of where of various petroleum fuels originated. Spanning millions of years, from the dinosaurs to oil rigs, this book does a great job of showing kids the process the made petroleum, some other uses than just fuel, its dangers, and a few other forms of energy. It is engaging and intriguing. Detailed back matter delves deeper into the science, it usages, problems, and alternatives. A great introduction for a child about where fuel comes from and what it powers.

Synopsis: We're mighty fuel―ready to power the world!

From lightbulbs and stoves to cars and planes, many things around us need fuel to work. Where does that fuel come from?

Follow oil on its journey from the time of the dinosaurs to the bottom of the ocean floor, through drilling machines and oil refineries, and right into our homes and vehicles. Discover oil's power and problems, and find out how the sun, wind, and water are providing cleaner forms of energy. Engaging text, bright illustrations, and approachable science explore why fuel matters, how it got here, and where it's going next.

A fun and fact-filled look at fuel from the team that created I Ship!

Rover and Speck: It’s a Gas! (book 3) by Jonathan Roth (Kids Can Press 10/1/2024) – This fun, imaginative, and cartoonish graphic early reader does a great job of positing what life could (possibly) exist on a gas giant planet. Interspersed among the humor and sci-fi elements are "Fun Science Facts" (from a discussion on helium to explaining a "Goldilocks planet"). Colorful illustrations and cool characters - spark sharks, and space jellies - are swirled in the gas clouds with a dash of friendship and fun science, with a subtle poke at dogmatic beliefs. It ends with a task for the reader to imagine life on four "spaces places." A fun and entertaining way to think about what light might exist that we don't know about, yet.

Synopsis: Rover and Speck are loose on an unknown gas giant planet. Will they survive? And what’s so funny about ”gas“ anyway?

Rover and Speck have found a new kind of planet to explore – a gas giant! The pair don’t know what to expect when they launch themselves from their spaceship, so they’re thrilled when they find life there. That is, until shark-like creatures start shooting sparks at them! And things only get worse when Rover is zapped out of commission by one of their bolts, leaving Speck to save the day on his own! Thankfully, Speck makes a new friend, Jelli, who’s happy to help him try to avoid the Spark Sharks and get Rover back to their spaceship for a reboot. But will they be able to do it in time?

This is the third installment in Jonathan Roth’s popular graphic novel series about an endearingly mismatched pair of space-traveling rover friends: organized and careful Rover, and impulsive, excitable Speck. It features classic, colorful comic-style art and a fast-moving character-driven plot, and is packed with jokes, including kid-perfect riffs on how funny it is to say ”gas“. Illustrated sidebars supplement the story with accessible information about gases and space, and a built-in drawing activity is included at the end of the story, making this book an engaging tool to augment lessons on gases as well as earth and space systems.

Thank you all for giving us a little peek into yourselves and your books. Wishing you all enormous success.

To learn more about these writers, or to contact them:

Debra Kempf Shumaker – Wind is a Dance (Kids Can Press 10/1/2024) –

Website: debrashumaker.com

Facebook: facebook.com/debra.k.shumaker/

Twitter: twitter.com/ShumakerDebra

Instagram: instagram.com/debrakshumaker/

Patricia Newman – Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea (Lerner 10/1/2024) –

Website: https://www.patriciamnewman.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaNewmanBooks?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatriciaNewman

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/newmanbooks/