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STEM Tuesday
  • Cover shows deer and other animals running and flying against a background of red and yellow with silhouettes of trees.
    STEM Tuesday– Natural Disasters– In the Classroom
    May 13, 2025 by
      While this month’s theme is natural disasters, I focused on just one: wildfires. The books I read all had a lot of overlap. They were: Fire Escape: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires by Jessica Stremer, illustrated by Michael Garland Of the books I read this month, Fire Escape covers the most material and has the highest word count. Topics include how plants and animals survive wildfires, how animals are treated after being injured in a fire, how goats act as a fire prevention tool, and much more. I suspect everyone will find at least one topic that interests them in this book. The numerous Fire Fact! factoids provide lots of interesting tidbits for trivia-minded readers.   They Hold the Line: Wildfires, Wildlands, and the Firefighters Who Brave Them by Dan Paley, illustrated by Molly Mendoza They Hold the Line packs a lot of information in a relatively low word count. It’s a great book for visual learners. I...
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  • STEM Tuesday-- Natural Disasters-- Book List
    STEM Tuesday– Natural Disasters– Book List
    May 6, 2025 by
      Natural disasters are a source of concern and curiosity. The titles below get to the heart of the science, providing great information for kids who want to dig deeper into the subject. From volcanoes to hurricanes, tornadoes to floods – these books will give readers answers, and helpful advice on how to prepare for such an event.     The Science of Natural Disasters: When Nature and Humans Collide by Diane C. Taylor A great introduction to the science of natural disasters like wildfires, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, and their effects on humans. Kids can work with investigative activities, brainstorm solutions, and even learn about different careers related to studying, managing and finding solutions to natural disasters.       Science Comics: Wild Weather: Storms, Meteorology and Climate written by MK Reed, illustrated by Jonathan Hill Using a graphic novel format and a fictitious weatherman, this book introduces readers to...
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  • Find Awesome STEM books, classroom activities, writing tips, and MORE
    Find Awesome STEM books, classroom activities, writing tips, and MORE
    April 29, 2025 by
    Looking for STEM books and activities to use in your classroom or homeschool? Our STEM Tuesday post has that all and MORE. STEM Tuesday shines the light on books about this amazing and critical topic. With all that is going on in the news lately, it is more important than ever to introduce young readers to the FUN and exciting STEM books that are out there. STEM books ENGAGE. EXCITE. and INSPIRE young and old readers alike. ] Image by Freepik.com   They encourage students to ask questions, have discussions, engage in problem-solving, and interact across boundaries of knowledge. They invite readers to notice the science all around them! If you’ve always wondered where to find out about the great new middle grade  titles in STEM , look no further.  You have FOUND your spot! It’s Searchable! With over 50 different topics, you’ll find just the right book, activity, or writing tip you need! https://fromthemixedupfiles.com/stem-tuesday/  ...
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  • STEM Tuesday-- Naturalists-- Author Interview: Danna Staaf
    STEM Tuesday– Naturalists– Author Interview: Danna Staaf
    April 22, 2025 by
    Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math! Today we’re featuring Danna Staaf, a marine biologist and author of several science books. Her book The Lady and the Octopus: How Jeanne Villepreux-Power Invented Aquariums and Revolutionized Marine Biology garnered these reviews: Notable Award Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year, 2023 Booklist Top 10 History for Youth, 2023 Booklist Top 10 Science and Technology Books for Youth, 2023 Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) Choices, 2023 Booklist Top 10 Biographies & Memoirs for Youth, 2023 School Library Journal Best Book of 2022   Andi Diehn: I love your sidebar in the first few pages about historic accuracy and doing our best with what we know until we can add to that knowledge. Why include this? Danna Staaf: Honesty really is the best policy, especially when talking to children....
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Photo of Karen Latchana Kenney

Karen Latchana Kenney

Biography

Karen Latchana Kenney loves to write books about animals, and looks for them wherever she goes—from leafcutter ants trailing through the Amazon rain forest in Guyana, where she was born, to puffins in cliff-side burrows on the Irish island of Skellig Michael. She especially enjoys creating books about nature, biodiversity, conservation, and groundbreaking scientific discoveries—but also writes about civil rights, astronomy, historical moments, and many other topics. Her award-winning and star-reviewed books have been named a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, a 2015 Book of Note from the TriState Review Committee, a 2011 Editor’s Choice for School Library Connection, and Junior Library Guild selections. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and son, and bikes, hikes, and gazes at the night sky in northern Minnesota any moment she can.