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STEM Tuesday– Cephalopods — Book List

By on June 3, 2025   /   Cephalopods/Mollusks, STEM Tuesday  

 

Octopuses, squids, cuttlefish, and chambered nautiluses all belong to a special group of mollusks called “cephalopods,” which literally means “head-footed.” These sea creatures have long captivated scientists, inspiring some surprising inventions and discoveries throughout history. This month’s book list celebrates the wild and wonderful world of these incredible animals!

 

The Lady and the Octopus: How Jeanne Villepreux-Power Invented Aquariums and Revolutionized Marine Biology by Danna Staaf

Version 1.0.0This biography of Jeanne Villepreux-Power dives deeply into both the historical context that shaped Jeanne and the scientific questions that captivated her. Jeanne’s passion for observing animals in their natural habitat, at odds with the conventions of her time, led to her invention of the glass aquarium, which she used to make many important discoveries about marine life. Jeanne’s contagious enthusiasm for cephalopods jumps off the page in this multifaceted portrait of a scientific pioneer, written by marine biologist Danna Staaf.

 

 

 

Obsessive about Octopuses by Owen Davey

Filled with incredible illustrations and fascinating factoids, Owen Davey introduces readers to the “weird and wonderful” world of octopuses. This browsable book features some of the lesser known species, like the wonderpus octopus and the flapjack octopus, and even gives out awards to the most sociable, most nimble, and most fashionable octopuses in the ocean.

 

 

 

Ink! 100 FUN Facts about Octopuses, Squid, and More by Stephanie Warren Drimmer

You can’t go wrong with National Geographic. This very visual book introduces readers to a variety of squids including cuttlefish that camouflage themselves and octopuses that outsmart their predators. The text is written by experts with first hand experience and includes many fun facts. It’s both educational and entertaining.

 

 

 

The Octopus Scientists written by Sy Montgomery, with photographs by Keith Ellenbogen

This book whisks young readers off to Moorea, Tahiti where they take front seat with scientists who devote their lives studying octopuses and their superpower abilities. The pictures are remarkable and engaging, and the writing is equally captivating.

 

 

 

 

Search for a Giant Squid written by Amy Seto Forrester, illustrated by Andy Chou Musser

This enthralling choose-your-own-adventure book places readers right inside a submersible to search for the elusive giant squid. Readers will learn about both ocean life and submarine technology as they make decisions about where to explore and how to overcome the obstacles they encounter along the way. And if they don’t find the giant squid on their first try, they can always start over for a whole new adventure!

 

 

 

Amazing Octopus: Creature from another World written by Michael Stavaric, illustrated by Michele Ganswer

This book takes a unique approach. It explores and views octopuses as otherworldly, almost as aliens. The text and original, black and white illustrations really capture the magic and mystery of these creatures. It introduces this topic by first talking about the evolution of all sea creatures, to provide context.

 

 

 

 

What Do We Know About the Kraken? by Ben Hubbard

This book explores the kraken, a legendary sea monster of enormous size, a mix between a squid and octopus. It’s part of the “What do we  Know ABout” series that takes a look at popular monsters from folklore. The kraken was spoken and written about for centuries, and readers can find out what sea creatures may have inspired these myths.

 

 

 

The Incredible Octopus: Meet the Eight-Armed Wonder of the Sea by Erin Spencer

This book combines fantastic photographs with in-depth facts about octopuses. It shows what life is like for these magical creatures, how their suction cups work, how they use their nine brains, what they eat, and what adaptation skills they have. It also features real stories about octopuses that escaped from their tanks.

 

 

 

Giant Squid: Searching for a Sea Monster by Mary M. Cerullo and Clyde F. E. Roper

Part science textbook, part detective story, this Smithsonian book recounts biologist Clyde Roper’s search for a real-life sea monster. Readers will enjoy unearthing clues about the giant squid as they follow along with Roper’s ocean adventures. Cerullo’s text is full of facts and accompanied by a variety of eye-catching images, including both black-and-white illustrations and up-close photographs.

 

 

 

Octopus Ocean: Geniuses of the Deep by Mark Leiren-Young

This recently released book is part of the Orca Wild series, which provides in-depth looks at fascinating creatures from across the planet. Leiren-Young shares his own octopus encounters as he uncovers what makes these animals so unique. This playful book covers octopus history, physiology, habitats, habits, and threats to their survival.

 

 

 

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This month’s STEM Tuesday book list was prepared by:

Author Lydia Lukidis

Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 60+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere (Capstone, 2025), DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), and DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner for the Canada and North America division, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, a Cybils Award nominee, and winner of the Dogwood Readers Award. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.  Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program. For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.

 

 

author Callie Dean

 

Callie Dean is a researcher, writer, and musician living in Shreveport, LA. Her first picture book, Marvelous Mistakes: Accidents That Made History, will be published in 2026. For more information, please visit https://calliebdean.com.

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June New Releases!

By on June 2, 2025   /   Articles, Book Lists, New Releases  
It’s finally summery out, perfect for lounging with a good book! And this month, there are many new middle grade reads to check out. Here are few to spend some time reading out on the patio or the beach. Hope you enjoy these wonderful new releases!

Encounter at Owl Rock bookcover

Encounter at Owl Rock  by Rucker Moses

A pulse-pounding middle grade sci-fi adventure following two brothers and their best friend on an epic quest to thwart an alien invasion in their Atlanta suburb. Twins Cypress and Oakley Young, and their best friend Jaz are making a movie at an abandoned theme park when Oak mysteriously vanishes into Owl Rock. Cy and Jaz’s search leads them to Orion Industries, a company excavating the park with a suspiciously keen interest in Oak’s whereabouts. Their quest quickly turns into a thrilling mission to save Oak and the world too. It uses an alien invasion to explore the real experiences of urban communities while celebrating Black boyhood.

Leah vs. Art bookcover

 

Leah vs. Art by Joy McCullough and Veeda Bybee 

Leah’s ambitious extracurricular plans cause trouble in this second book in the Team Awkward middle grade series that’s The Baby-Sitters Club meets Dork Diaries. How organized, driven Leah was born into her family, she’ll never know. They’re as different as can be. For example, while she’s trying to finish unpacking boxes from their move and get to bed at a decent time, her parents are listening to indie rock records and eating ice cream sundaes. Sometimes it feels like she’s the only responsible one in the house! So when her parents sign her up for art club—to “loosen her up” and “get her creative juices flowing”—Leah decides to ditch in favor of Quiz Bowl, which meets at the same time. But as she secretly attends Quiz Bowl and lies to her parents, her competitive spirit begins to take over, threatening her scheme and her friendships.

The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun bookcoverThe Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Esme Sun absolutely does not care about winning shiny trophies or finally receiving some of the praise her mother bestows so lavishly on her three older, brilliant sisters. But, actually… it would be nice to be good at something. So when Esme discovers on the first day of summer, opening day at the community pool, that her growth spurt over the winter has made her a really fast swimmer, she wonders if she just might have found that thing.After Esme has an uncomfortable encounter at the pool with a new girl, Kaya, Esme worries she may have hurt Kaya’s feelings. Then, embarrassed by Esme’s awkwardness, her friend Tegan, the cool girl at school who seems to do everything perfectly, makes Esme promise that from now on, she’ll be chill, not act so babyish and intense about things–especially not swim team.But when their swim competitions begin, and Esme starts winning, she finds that she actually cares a lot. In fact, she wants to break the pool’s freestyle record. That doesn’t mesh so well with her promise to Tegan. And as Esme tries to navigate swimming and her friendships, she searches for a way to apologize and make things right with Kaya.Esme’s mom’s focus on winning confuses her, though, and she begins to wonder: Is winning really as important as she thinks, even if it means being unkind to your friends and teammates? Or is there another way to compete, to be a good sport and a good friend?

 

 

 

 

Chess Club: The Winning Move bookcover

Chess Club: The Winning Move by Rebecca Donnelly 

Chess is Halima Kasim’s favorite thing in the world. But with no local chess club in her small town, she has no one to practice with offline. Yearning for worthy opponents IRL, she recruits newbies: her next-door BFF Jem (a dedicated friend reeling from the recent loss of her grandfather), Jem’s long-lost friend Parker (eager to escape the shadow of his sport-star siblings), and Daniel (itching for answers after discovering a mysterious note left for him inside a book). Together the team forms their own chess club, navigating not just the board but the highs and lows of middle school social life. Along the way they’ll learn that it takes more than practice to be great—it’s teamwork, confidence, and the power of friendship. And never forget . . . chess is a game full of surprises.

 

 

 

AJ Torres and the Treasure of Captain Grayshark bookcover

AJ Torres and the Treasure of Captain Grayshark by José Pablo Iriarte 

When AJ and Jayden discover a gold coin washed up on the shore of Miami after a hurricane, they think it might be the answer to all of their problems.They suspect the dingy old coin may be part of the long lost treasure of Captain Grayshark, whose loot was valued in the millions. That much money could help the Torres’s sinking family business and more importantly, allow Jayden to stay in Miami with his mom, instead of moving miles away from his best friend. The boys set out on a quest, along with resident ghost expert, Andrea Wade, to unearth the pirate’s treasure on a nearby haunted island. But the pursuit of treasure might prove more perilous than they could ever imagine—with treacherous waters and a crew of angry ghost pirates waiting for them on Scream Island . . . A slightly scary, laugh-out loud adventure about searching for gold, but finding much more along the way.

 

 

 

 

Chef's Secret (Front Desk #6) bookcover

Chef’s Secret (Front Desk #6) by Kelly Yang 

Jason Yao has a secret . . . actually, lots of secrets! For one thing, it’s hard being a professional chef, helping to run a motel, and being a regular kid! And now that Mia Tang is officially his girlfriend, Jason’s life has reached a whole new level of exciting–and terrifying! After all, Mia is amazing, and Jason is . . . just Jason. But he’s determined to be the best boyfriend ever, and he knows exactly what he needs to do:

  1. Plan the perfect first date. Thanks to his dad’s new scheme to bring fancier guests to the motel, Jason is working harder than ever–and earning even bigger tips, which means he can treat Mia to the dinner of her dreams!
  2. Be less cringe, especially around other guys. And try to make some guy friends his own age! Maybe then he can finally move on from those bullies who tormented him in fourth grade.
  3. Don’t let Mia know the real him. Mia can never find out the darkest secrets that Jason is keeping–no one can!

Jason knows he’s got his work cut out for him, but hey, if he can date a girl like Mia Tang, anything’s possible, right?

 

The Incorruptibles bookcover

The Incorruptibles by Lauren Magaziner 

Fiora Barrowling lives in a world where sorcerers rule over humans. After surviving an encounter with The Radiance—the very worst of the sorcerers—she’s whisked away to the incredible Incorruptibles (“Inc”) Academy, a school for resistance fighters in training. But most of the other students think Fiora hasn’t earned her place there, and when things start to go wrong and it seems the sorcerers have a spy in the academy, all eyes are on Fiora. With all odds stacked against her, can Fiora prove that she belongs?

 

 

 

 

Bison bookcover

Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers by Frances Backhouse 

Bison are North America’s largest land animals. Some 170,000 wood bison once roamed northern regions, while at least 30 million plains bison trekked across the rest of the continent. Almost driven to extinction in the 1800s by decades of slaughter and hunting, this ecological and cultural keystone species supports biodiversity and strengthens the ecosystems around it. Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers celebrates the traditions and teachings of Indigenous Peoples and looks at how bison lovers of all backgrounds came together to save these iconic animals. Learn about the places where bison are regaining a hoof-hold and meet some of the young people who are welcoming bison back home.

 

 

 

Mysteries of the Human Body bookcover

Mysteries of the Human Body: Weird and Wonderful Anatomy Explained by Neon Squid and Azmain Chowdhury 

  • You know your heart is always beating, your intestines digest your food, and even that your brain is still awake when you’re asleep—that’s no mystery. But why do we get “brain freeze” if we eat ice cream too quickly? And why on earth do we get butterflies in our stomach when we’re nervous? And is it true we can squirt milk from our eyes?! This book focuses on the bizarre things all of our bodies do—including things we don’t understand (looking at you, appendix). Dr. Azmain also asks the burning medical questions we’ve all been wondering about:
    Why does cilantro taste like soap to some people?
    How long can we stay awake for?
    Can our hearts actually break after a romantic break-up? (Asking for a friend).Filled with gross, surprising, and downright terrifying facts, it’s bloated with cool science to impress your friends.

 

Karen Latchana Kenney is a children’s author and editor who loves creating all kinds of STEM books and classroom content. Find her at https://www.karenlatchanakenney.com/.

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Editor Spotlight: Tara Weikum

By on May 30, 2025   /   Articles, Editor / Agent Spotlight  

Tara Weikum has worked in publishing for decades.  Starting as editorial assistant with ALA Booklist Magazine in 1996, she then spent three years  as an associate editor with Disney Publishing. In 2000, she moved to HarperCollins where she’s been ever since. Beginning as an editor, she became editorial director in 2009, and vice president, editorial director in 2013. In 2024, she was promoted to vice president, publisher of HarperCollins’ new Storytide imprint. From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors borrowed Tara for a quick chat to learn more about her career, influences, and Storytide in general.

headshot of Tara Weikum, vice president and publisher, HarperCollins' Storytide imprint

 

MUF: Thanks for agreeing to speak with us, Tara. Congratulations on launching this new endeavor. First off, what can you tell us about the Storytide imprint? What’s its focus or specialty?

TW: The Storytide imprint publishes powerful and distinctive stories with commercial, bestselling potential as well as literary merit, across all genres. Our focus is on middle-grade and teen fiction.

MUF: What has your career path been like so far? How did you get into publishing in general, and editing in specific? What was your educational background?

TW: Like many in publishing, I was an English major. I grew up in the Midwest and after college I attended the Rice University Publishing Program, which is no longer around. That immersive experience was what convinced me to take the leap and move to New York, after a year of working at the American Library Association in Chicago, to look for opportunities in publishing.

MUF: What sort of duties and responsibilities do you fulfill in your current position?

TW: Editors wear many different hats. I currently oversee the Storytide imprint and team of editors. We are focused on shaping the imprint identity with the books and authors we publish.  I manage budgets, acquire new projects, edit manuscripts, write copy, review design and marketing materials—the list goes on!

MUF: Did you always know you wanted to work with this aspect of the field?  Did you ever dream of being an author?

TW: I’ve always dreamed of working with books in some capacity. I never aspired to be a writer myself but I devoured everything I could get my hands on when I was growing up, and I was always the person that friends asked for advice about their English assignments and personal writing. I grew up on a farm in a rural area so bookstores and even libraries were hard to come by. My childhood reading appetites were fed with a wide-ranging variety of books I could scrounge up from friends and relatives by authors such as VC Andrews, Shel Silverstein, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Danielle Steel; series like Harlequin Romance; and classics like the Trixie Belden and Bobbsey Twins books, supplemented by books that were assigned at school and birthday gifts. The adage of “reading widely” was true for me by necessity and I believe it helped inform my ability to love all kinds of books across genres.

MUF: What books have inspired you along the way, whether growing up or as an adult? What books do you wholeheartedly recommend at any given opportunity?

TW: Books by authors such as Jandy Nelson, Franny Billingsley, Jacqueline Woodson, Alison Bechdel, and Casey McQuiston are some favorites over the years. Kate Atkinson’s Life after Life and Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow are two adult novels that were wonderfully devastating. And of course from my own list of middle-grade I’ll hand any of Katherine Applegate’s incredible novels to any child or adult, as well as Thanhha Lai’s award-winning verse novel Inside Out & Back Again.

MUF: What do you look for in books and submissions? What catches your attention and calls to you?

TW: If a premise feels fresh and offers a unique twist on an idea, and the writing is engaging and compelling, I’m often open to considering manuscripts. Since I’m drawn to a variety of genres I like to consider a range of subjects.

MUF: Do you have a favorite age range or genre to work with?

TW: I’m drawn to contemporary realistic novels; romance; magical realism; and light fantasy across middle-grade and teen.

MUF: What sort of tips, tricks, and advice do you have for aspiring writers, editors, or even agents?

TW: Reading widely in the area in which you’d like to write or work is definitely the top piece of advice. As a writer, what will help you see how and where your future books might sit alongside current books, or how they can be set apart in an intriguing way. And as an editor or an agent it’s important to be knowledgeable about the market. And for aspiring writers in search of an agent, research who represents your favorite writers as a first step to finding a good fit for your own work. For future editors and agents, internships will provide incomparable insight into the ways in which all manner of publishing works, and can help guide you to find out where you’d like to work.

MUF: Do you have any interesting hobbies or interests? How do you unwind and relax?

TW: I work remotely and live in Hawaii, so everything water-related is a favorite of mine, from snorkeling to swimming to stand-up paddleboard. I also volunteer regularly at the local humane society and take shelter dogs on hikes and to the beach.

MUF: Do you have any upcoming Storytide releases you’d like to plug? Any juicy announcements?

TW: Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner is a raucously funny and romantic teen novel publishing in early June; The Haunting of Bellington Cottage by Laura Parnum is a gently spooky middle-grade novel coming in July; No Sam! And the Meow of Deception, Drew Daywalt’s sequel to the NYT bestseller They Call Me No Sam, is coming in September; and Thorn Season by debut author Kiera Azar is a sharp and sexy romantasy also publishing in September, in both hardcover and a gorgeously spec’d out deluxe limited edition.

Cover of Inside Out & Back Again Cover for No Sam and the Meow of Deception Cover for The Haunting of Bellington Cottage

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