The Picture Book Buzz - October 2024 Interview with STEAM Team Books Members (Part 2)
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.)
Kate Allen Fox – Winter Solstice Wish (Beaming Books 10/15/2024) – I’ve been writing for about six years, which is easy to remember because it’s the age of my younger son. My writing schedule has grown and changed with my two boys, who I now homeschool. I often write in the middle of the day when the boys are playing and my mind is fully awake, but I get my best work done after being in nature or exercising (preferably both). When inspiration strikes, I try to capitalize on it. I love writing lyrical STEAM books because I find nature endlessly fascinating and inspiring. In my previous profession, I communicated about science, and I still use my research and science translation skills in my picture books. But, now I get to add all the emotions I feel about nature too. Writing STEM picture books is the dream job I didn’t know to dream of.
[Author of A Few Beautiful Minutes: Experiencing a Solar Eclipse, illustrated by Khoa Le (2023) and Pando, A Living Wonder of Trees, illustrated by Turine Viet-tu Tran (2021).]
Laura Perdew – Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity (Nomad Press 10/15/2024) – Looking back, I’ve loved writing, and I’ve loved being outdoors ever since I can remember. Fast forward a few decades and it makes perfect sense that I combine those two passions to write STEAM books about nature and the environment. My goal as an author is to share with kids things about the natural world with the hope of inspiring them to unplug, explore, and take action.
[Author of dozens of STEAM books for kids including, Your Sustainable World (2024), Picture Book Science Series – Biome Explorers, illustrated by Lex Cornell (2022), Mammals (Field Guides for Kids) (2021), Picture Book Science Series – Animal Adaptations, illustrated by Katie Mazeika (2020), Crazy Contraptions: Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel, illustrated by Micah Rauch (2019), Biodiversity: Explore the Diversity of Life on Earth, illustrated by Tom Casteel (2019), Bringing Back Our Wetlands (2018), and Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds?, illustrated by Tom Casteel (2017).]
Sarah Albee – Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber (Charlesbridge 10/22/2024) - A good many of my books tend to be a mash-up of science and history, with a special interest in the history of ordinary, everyday people. My most recent title, The Painter and the President, leans more toward the “A” in STEAM: it explores the relationship between George Washington and his go-to portrait painter, Gilbert Stuart. (Hint: big personality clash).
My latest book, Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber, traces the use of natural rubber by indigenous peoples of the Amazon, its subsequent "discovery" by Spanish invaders, who introduced it to Europe, and then the eventual discovery of the vulcanization process, with scientific sidebars about rubber's molecular structure and its properties.
[Author of over 100 books, including The Painter and the President, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (2024), Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done, illustrated by Kaja Kajfez (2022), Fairy Tale Science, illustrated by Bill Robinson (2021), Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries, illustrated by Nathan Hackett (2020), Jane Goodall: A Champion of Chimpanzees (I Can Read Level 2), illustrated by Gustavo Mazali (2020), North America: A Fold-out Graphic History, illustrated by William Exley (2019), Dog Days of History: The Incredible Story of Our Best Friends (2018), and Poison: Deadly Deeds, Perilous Professions, and Murderous Medicines (2017).]
What helps you to be inspired? (perhaps a certain place, music, activity, etc.)
Kate Allen Fox – I’m fortunate enough to live in Southern California, and I find the beach to be particularly inspiring. Winter Solstice Wish came to me while I was on the beach (on the winter solstice, no less). Something about all the sensory input–waves crashing, sun shining, sand slipping through my fingers–puts me in a particularly relaxed and creative frame of mind. I’m very grateful to live where I do.
Laura Perdew – I am regularly inspired by the natural world! I spend a lot of time outdoors, especially in the summer; I see so many amazing things that evoke a sense of wonder - from towering, jagged mountain peaks to tiny, fragile wildflowers and insects. Even at home I frequently get lost in my research about the natural world. And with the right filters on, news feeds and social media are great sources of information about nature and the environment. All of this sparks ideas.
Sarah Albee – Bounce! was inspired by the many decades of my life spent bouncing basketballs. I played basketball in high school and college, and after college I played semi-professionally abroad, and then met my future husband on the basketball court! Whether consciously or not, to become a good shooter and dribbler a player must learn a bit of physics. (Let’s start with “angle of incidence equals angle of reflection!”)
Wow, thank you all for sharing this with us. Now that we know a little more about all of you, what sparked your interest and caused you to write this book?
Kate Allen Fox – Winter Solstice Wish (10/15/2024) – I’ve wanted to write about the winter solstice since I started writing STEM picture books, but the right approach to the topic never came to me. Then, on the winter solstice in 2022, I went to the beach with my sons. As I ran my fingers through the sand, the metaphor of time slipping like grains of sand came to me. I remembered a celebration some of my friends had hosted a few years prior–a winter solstice beach bonfire–and the manuscript came together very quickly. It’s the most inspired I’ve ever felt with a manuscript.
Laura Perdew – Keystone Species (10/15/2024) – As I did research for another project several years ago, I came across the term “keystone species” for the first time. Because I spend so much time researching and writing about nature and the environment, my first thought was, “How did I not know this?” As it turned out, many of my friends and family members, well-read and educated people, had not heard about keystone species either. Not only that, I discovered that there were very few books on the subject for kids or adults.
Voila! Book idea! The critical role that keystone species play in our world needs to be shared. Not only does knowing about keystone species foster understanding of the natural world, it also informs conservation efforts.
Sarah Albee – Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber (10/22/2024) - I love writing stories that include both history and science, and I’ve always been fascinated by rubber. The history of rubber, however, is harrowing. So many incidents of greed by industrialists and exploitation of indigenous workers, many of which continue to the present day. I didn’t want to gloss over that part of the story, but this IS a book for kids, so I discuss the disturbing details in the back matter, and I focus the main story on the science of rubber–what it looks like at the molecular level, how it’s made, how it behaves. But the takeaway is that the modern world absolutely could not function without this all-important, often-overlooked product.
I love where each of these books started. What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of being a children’s author?
Kate Allen Fox – Perfectionism can be tough for me. I’m a perfectionist in all things (working on it!), but with picture books, it feels even harder. We have so few words to convey such big ideas, and the pressure to get them right can feel enormous. Especially when writing about science, it can feel overwhelming to pick the exact right words to ensure accuracy, metaphor, and emotion. I think the perfectionism has actually gotten a bit harder as my career has progressed. With a few books out–and more on the way–I now know how my best work looks and sounds. When I start over with a new manuscript and have to go through the messy early drafts, I can feel defeated. But the good news is that I always get through it, and there are always more wonderful ideas to lure me back into writing.
Laura Perdew – For me, the most challenging aspect of being a children’s author is the waiting. The industry moves very, very slowly. After submitting a manuscript, it can be months before you hear back from an editor, if at all. During that time, you have to not only be patient but also stay positive and keep writing!
Sarah Albee – I would love to see nonfiction books on a more equal footing with fiction books, in terms of advances, reviews, awards, bookstore events, author panels, and marketing initiatives by publishers. My friend Melissa Stewart has devoted a huge part of her career to helping to bridge that gap and has provided evidence-based statistics that confirm that a sizable percentage of kid readers prefer to read nonfiction more than any other genre. But the revolution is coming!!
I agree with you all. And here's to more nonfiction! Is there anything special you want your readers to know about your book?
Text © Kate Allen Fox, 2024. Image © Elisa Paganellli, 2024.
Kate Allen Fox – Winter Solstice Wish (10/15/2024) – While this book is grounded in science, it’s really about community and hope–how we can be there for each other when things feel hard. 2023 was a difficult year for me, and I’m grateful for the people and communities who helped me through it. Having this book come out in 2024, as I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, feels fitting and meaningful. Elisa Paganelli’s beautiful illustrations create such a hopeful mood to the book, and I hope it can serve as comfort to young readers, in addition to exploring STEM themes.
Text © Laura Perdew, 2024. Image © Micah Rauch, 2024.
Laura Perdew – Keystone Species (10/15/2024) – There are many layers to this book and it is readable, browseable, and hands-on! Each chapter focuses on a different type of keystone species in different habitats around the world. Not only does each chapter discuss the keystone role of the species, but there is also information about the threats these creatures face; each chapter ends on a positive conservation note, highlighting conservation efforts to support the species. There are also sidebars about other keystone species as well as sidebars about scientists and conservationists in the field. Each chapter includes hands-on activities to support and extend the learning too.
Text © Sarah Albee, 2024. Image © Eileen Ryan Ewen, 2024.
Sarah Albee – Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber (10/22/2024) - The illustrator, Eileen Ryan Ewen, had an extremely daunting task illustrating this book! It covers a sweeping arc of both history and geography, across multiple cultures from ancient times to the present, as well as some pretty technical scientific visuals. She did a phenomenal job.
These books are terrific examples of the variety and depth that can be found in nonfiction picture 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?
Kate Allen Fox – Winter Solstice Wish (10/15/2024) – A fun part of the research was learning about different ways the solstice has been celebrated. I love thinking about how people around the world (and throughout time) are connected through our celebrations. When we mark the solstice, we’re connecting with something very ancient and universal, which is pretty neat.
Laura Perdew – Keystone Species (10/15/2024) – Keystone Species is a comprehensive book that required a lot of research in many different areas. While I love learning about nature and the environment, there were many days when the tasks were daunting. And, of course, there is always research that doesn’t make it into the book, but that’s part of the process. You have to do a lot of digging to get your head around a subject and be able to properly and accurately present the subject to kid readers.
Sarah Albee – Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber (10/22/2024) - A big challenge was honoring and crediting the people who discovered natural rubber and its usefulness, yet who didn’t leave behind a written record, and also trying not to center Europeans who, as so often happens, have historically received all the credit for inventing and/or discovering something that most of us take for granted.
Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
Kate Allen Fox – Thanks for asking! Next fall, I have a picture book coming out from Capstone called Scratching the Surface: Exploring Earth’s Layers. It will be illustrated by Erin Brown and explore themes of scientific discovery and wonderment, in addition to the geologic facts of Earth’s interior. I have a couple of other unannounced projects for 2026, which I wish I could share more about, but alas…
Laura Perdew – Those who know me know that I always have something percolating, whether it’s a project under contract or just ideas I’m playing with. The idea-machine is always working! So right now, I have a STEM chapter book series going out on submission (fingers crossed!); I’ve been noodling on a PB about insects; and I am currently working on a second book about building Rube Goldberg contraptions, using rubber bands and springs, magnets, gears and belts, motors and electricity, water, and chemical reactions. I also have a nonfiction trade picture book under contract, but it hasn’t been announced yet!
Sarah Albee – I have a book coming out next spring called Zero! The Number That Almost Wasn’t, which is about the history of zero, the number. It’s illustrated by Chris Hsu, and also published by Charlesbridge.
Fingers crossed for all of you and your projects! How do you deal with, or celebrate, rejections?
Kate Allen Fox – Rejection isn’t fun, but it rarely bothers me anymore. I think having a lot of projects and ideas helps because I know there will be other opportunities. I’ve also picked up a couple of hobbies– running and improv theatre–which help me feel like I’m making progress in other areas of my life, even when publishing isn’t going my way.
Laura Perdew – Unfortunately, rejections are part of the industry, and you have to develop a thick skin. I try not to take it personally. Sometimes that’s easy. Other times, if a project I’m especially excited about is rejected multiple times, it’s harder. However, that can also be the catalyst to step back, reassess a manuscript, and perhaps revise.
Sarah Albee – Rejection is hard, and it never seems to get any easier. The one thing I have gotten better at is moving on more quickly. Start that next project!
Awesome advice, thank you. Last question, is there a plant or flower you love growing, or wish you could grow, in your yard or garden?
Kate Allen Fox – I’ve always wished to be the kind of person who keeps a well-tended garden, but I’ve accepted that it’s not really my thing. I’m lucky enough to have a feral herb garden with rosemary, mint, and dill (all of which I cook with) and some citrus trees in my backyard. I also have a beautiful hibiscus plant, which is my favorite flower! So, while I can’t take credit for any of the plants, which were left by the previous owner, I’m very grateful for them.
Laura Perdew – I am currently letting my yard go wild, so I suppose the answer is that I want the native plants and flowers to grow and thrive. Next year we’ll plant more native grasses, sunflowers, globe mallow, low-growing thyme, and more.
Sarah Albee – I love making fried zucchini blossoms. (My mother was Italian, so it’s in my DNA.) No one in my family particularly likes zucchini, but the blossoms? chef’s kiss And now that I live in NYC, I’ve discovered they sell them at the farmer’s markets!
NOW, let me take a moment to introduce you to these amazing STEAM books!
Winter Solstice Wish by Kate Allen Fox, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli (Beaming Books 10/15/2024) – Gorgeously creative, magical illustrations wrap around gentle lyrical text to define the winter solstice and portray the celebration and connectedness of families and a diverse community. As they enjoy the camaraderie and music, and their hopes and wishes around a beach bonfire. An amazing spread follows the light as it is passed through different celebrations, from country to country around the globe. An author's note explores winter and summer solstice science and traditions. It's a fabulous book offering hope, connectedness, and belonging.
Synopsis: On the shortest day of the year, people reach out for light--and one another--in this luminous, lyrical winter solstice story.
Today we stretch the daylight as much as we can, trying to make it last.
On the shortest day of the year, when daylight slips by like sand through one's fingers, people savor the light. As night falls, a community gathers on a beach and builds a bonfire of hope. Winter Solstice Wish is an ode to the winter solstice, human connectedness, and the hope of renewal.
Inspired by winter solstice bonfires built on a San Diego beach near the author's home, Winter Solstice Wish combines scientific concepts with the intangible longing for connection and togetherness that people all over the world reach for on the shortest day. Backmatter includes information about global winter solstice celebrations and a brief scientific explanation of what's happening on a solstice.
Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids by Laura Perdew, illustrated by Micah Rauch (Nomad Press 10/15/2024) – After diving into the definition and science surrounding "keystone species," this book explores the roles that sharks, grey wolves, beavers, alligators, bees, flying foxes, wildebeest, bison, and coral have in maintaining the ecosystem and threats they each face. It's full of fascinating sidebars featuring scientist and species spotlights, scientific methods, "words to know," and QR codes to maps, primary sources, museum links, and videos. As well as activities for each chapter, such as creating a "species map," sensory experiment, or interviewing an alligator. This is a spectacular middle grade book for doing a deep dive on keystone species, a focused look at one specific species, or finding lots of fun, browseable information and activities.
Synopsis: A hands-on project book about the keystone species keeping habitats healthy!
Who's keeping the ecosystem healthy?
In any ecosystem, every species has a role to play. From towering trees and ginormous whales to the smallest microorganisms, plants, fungi, and insects, each species is important to the overall health of the ecosystem. But some of those species play such vital roles that without them, the ecosystem might collapse. These are called keystone species.
In Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids, readers ages 9 to 12 are introduced to several different types of keystone species from around the world as they discover the crucial roles these animals play in their ecosystems. Meet the predators, herbivores, ecosystem engineers, mutualists, and foundational species that all play a keystone role in regulating an ecosystem. Investigate how these ecosystems function, learn about threats to wolves, sharks, beavers, alligators, flying foxes, bees, wildebeests, bison, and coral, and dive into what happens when these species disappear. Throughout the book, find stories about science-based conservation practices that inspire kids to do their part in protecting their own environments.
Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber by Sarah Albee, illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen (Charlesbridge 10/22/2024) - A wonderfully entertaining and engaging look at the invention/discovery of rubber. Succinct, child-friendly text and lively, humorous illustrations track this discovery for thousands of years from the rainforests in Mexico and Central America (where they made balls for games and waterproof cloaks), to its import by Spanish explorers to Europe (where it was made into erasers, boots, balloons, and coats). It even includes a science race between an American tinkerer and a British chemist and all the amazing inventions that followed. Great interjections of science include why rubber bounces, is stretchy, reacts to heat and cold, and how it can be molded into shapes. A detailed timeline and a note on the "Deeply Disturbing Details about Rubber," offers a deeper context and thought-provoking questions.
Synopsis: Ever wondered what makes rubber bounce? Or why it's stretchy? And WHY is rubber so . . . rubbery?! Learn the facinating science and history behind this ubiquitous material!
With sidebars, graphics, fun facts, and more, the history of rubber reveals plenty of fascinating secrets and surprises. Elementary school readers will discover that early balls didn't bounce; that people in the rainforest made waterproof gear from rubber thousands of years before Europeans got into the act; and that sneakers, bicycles, and cars created demand for more and more rubber!
Back matter includes a time line and a bit about the complicated implications of harvesting rubber.
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:
Kate Allen Fox – Winter Solstice Wish (Beaming Books 10/15/2024) –
Website: https://kateallenfox.com/home
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kateallenfox
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateallenfox/
Laura Perdew – Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids (Nomad Press 10/15/2024) –
Website: https://lauraperdew.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lmperdew
Sarah Albee – Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber (Charlesbridge 10/22/2024) -
Website: www.sarahalbeebooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.albee
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahalbee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjalbee/
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