Posts Tagged book clubs

STEM Tuesday– Transportation– Author Interview

By on November 25, 2025   /   STEM Tuesday, Transportation  

 

 

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re interviewing Jennifer Swanson, author of Save the Crash-test Dummies. The book discusses how restoring the balance between the primary predator and prey was instrumental in restoring a U.S. park’s ecosystem.

This book won a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award!!

 

“Attractively designed and engagingly written—sure to appeal to readers with a taste for the scientific and technical.”—Kirkus Reviews

★ “[An] innovative blend of history, technology, and engineering. . . insightful fun. STEM at its best.”—Booklist, Starred Review

 

 

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks so much for joining us today!

 

ST: Tell us a little bit about Save the Crash-test Dummies and the impetus behind writing it?

JS: For an earlier book I was doing, I had to research the self-driving car. At the time, Google was the only one making them. I LOVED the idea of a self-driving car! I mean, I am not a fan of driving. For more than 5 years I spent every afternoon from 3pm to 7pm in the car. That’s the price of  having 3 kids in 3 different sports across town all at the same time. Have a robot drive you? YES! Sign me up! (After all, I had alerady survived 3 teenage drivers).

But I knew I wanted this book to be a trade book, so I had to find the right hook. One night I was walking with my husband and we were talking about an old Crash-test dummy commercial that they had brought back (from the 70’s). I said something like, “Hey, if we have self-driving cars, we won’t need the dummies.” He said, “Yes, that would certainly, save the crash-test dummies life.” OMG! That was it! The hook, the title—everything all in one neat package. Suddenly,  the whole book popped into my head. I sat down to write my book about the history of car safety engineering from the Model T to self-driving cars.  The rest, as they say, is, well history.

 

 

ST: It looks fascinating! Everyone should go buy the book, but can you give us one thing that really surprised you while researching?

JS: It might surprise people to know that engineers were always concerned about safety, but the first group to create seatbelts was an emergency room doctor who saw first-hand the dangers of not having them in your car. He made them for his family.

 

ST: Have you ever been to see an actual crash test in person?

JS: Unfortunately, no. I would love to do so, though! I think it would be cool to see all of the equipment that is hooked up to the dummy. These things may be called “dummies” but they are really smart pieces of equipment, holding thousands of sensors to track every tiny movement and impact. We owe our lives to these “dummies” .

 

ST: Yes, we do. You’ve been very prolific in getting books out. How long does it take you to go from concept to finished product?

JS: Well that all depends on the publisher. I have TONS of ideas. But since I write for middle grade readers, I don’t write the entire manuscript, instead I submit a proposal. Sometimes the proposals are accepted right away. Then I start writing. If that happens, it can be about 3-4 months from idea to first draft. But if it takes longer to sell, it can take a while. In the meantime, though, I’m off and running on my next project and proposal. At any one time I may be working on 4-6 different projects (at various stages of publication) at once. It’s fun, if a bit challenging. But I love my job!

 

ST: What was the first book you wrote?

JS: The first book I ever wrote was in kindergarten. I used to write “books” about my dog, Lucky. I even illustrated them (with stick figures). My first nonfiction book that I wrote was called “Uninvited Guests: Invisible Creatures Lurking Inside Your Home” by Capstone Press. Very cool, but creepy if you don’t like crawly things.

 

ST: Can you tell us about any other books you have out recently and what we might expect to see from you in the future?

JS:  Yes, thanks for asking! My two recent books are:

Atlas Obscura Explorers Guide to Inventing the World

 

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World 

by Dylan Thuras (Author), Jennifer Swanson (Author), Ruby Fresson (Illustrator)

The team behind the bestselling Atlas Obscura presents a kids’ illustrated STEM-oriented exploration of the world’s most interesting technologies, inventions, and scientific discoveries.

 

3 weeks in the rainforest book 3 Weeks in the Rainforest: A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon
by Jennifer Swanson

A women-led team of scientists protect the Amazon rainforest from destruction as readers get a firsthand account of real-life fieldwork in action.  A compelling, nonfiction, photo-illustrated STEM read for 8-12-year-olds who aspire to be future scientists, environmentalists, and conservationists!

 

As for what’s in the future, I have a middle-grade graphic novel about science coming out in 2027. And a book titled, How to Talk to an Alien (Should You Ever Meet One), also in 2027.

 

Thanks so much for having me!

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STEM Tuesday– Zombies (Real and Otherwise)– Book List

By on October 7, 2025   /   STEM Tuesday, Zombies  

Zombies, monsters, and mummies – oh my! These are the stuff of nightmares… or of awesome Halloween costumes! But are they real? Let’s use science to find out.

Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature’s Undead by Rebecca L. Johnson

Zombies are real … but so far, the zombie-makers don’t attack humans. Yet. They do take over the brains and bodies of spiders and ants, flies and snails, and even rats. Not only that, some of these zombies are too small to avoid, until it’s too late. Like the teeny tiny wasps and fungal spores, and the totally invisible viruses. And then there are the brain worms! A must-read for anyone planning to hunt for zombies in their backyard!

Monster Science: Could Monsters Survive (and Thrive!) in the Real World? by Helaine Becker

Monsters aren’t real… are they? For the most part, no – although there ARE zombies among us. This book shows the real science relating to the monsters of myth and legend: genetics and electricity, for Frankenstein’s monster, and hybrids and genetic engineering for possible werewolves. And (as in the case of zombies) sometimes we’re surprised when the real monsters do show up!

Frightlopedia: An encyclopedia of Everything Scary, Creepy, and Spine-Chilling, from Arachnids to Zombies by Julie Winterbottom

An encyclopedia of scary stuff with horrifying hands-on activities. From bird-eating tarantulas to vampire bats and zombies this book will definitely make you shiver. Learn how to make fake blood and send coded messages to aliens. Tucked amongst the science are a handful of ghost stories and mythology and some bits about killer bees, stonefish, and Komodo dragons.

Animal Zombies! And Other Bloodsucking Beasts, Creepy Creatures, and Real-Life Monsters by Chana Stiefel

Full of eye-catching, vividly detailed, photographs which delve into the living dead, bloodsuckers, creeps from the deep, animal aliens, and animal monsters. Each chapter also profiles a “Mad Scientist” offering insights into how they got started, their research, and interesting or unique things to know about their field. It also includes a look at pop culture and myths surrounding zombies, vampires, kraken, aliens, and werewolves.

Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control by Mindy Weisberger

This is for older readers or those looking for additional information on insect zombification. Using an engaging conversational voice, pop culture references, vivid descriptions, and a dose of the macabre, the book explores the horror and science of zombie ants, flies, beetles, cicadas, spiders, roaches, and ladybugs from around the world. And shines a light on the responsible fungi, viruses, wasps, flies, and worms.

MUMMIES TELL NO LIES…

Secrets of the Dead : Mummies and Other Human Remains From Around the World by Matt Ralphs

In most environments, when someone dies their flesh decays, leaving only bones. But not mummies. With mummified remains, we can learn about the person and their culture, the foods they ate, diseases they suffered from. This book brings nearly 20 mummies to life – so to speak.

Mysterious Mummies by Ron Knapp

Some mummies are the result of mindful preservation: the drying and wrapping of bodies as a way to honor the dead. Other mummies resulted from accidental freezing, being tossed into a bog, or burial by volcanic ash. Dive into the mysteries behind these mummies.

MONSTERS OF THE DEEP

Catching Cryptids: The Scientific Search for Mysterious Creatures by Kim Long

The Loch Ness monster. Kracken. Giant turtles. What some people call monsters, others call cryptids: an animal whose existence is not yet substantiated by science. The emergence of DNA technology, SONAR, bioacoustics and more has allowed cryptozoologists of every stripe to seek – and sometimes discover – the species behind the monster myth.

What Do We Know About The Kraken? by Ben Hubbard

Before orcas battered yachts, the kraken terrorized sailors. This book fills in the details of how seafarers and scientists hunted for, and studied the giant squid they thought to be the kraken of mythology. But in the vast and still unexplored depths of the ocean, nothing can be certain…

Here There Be Monsters: The Legendary Kraken and the Giant Squid by HP Newquist

This book is divided into three parts. The first section celebrates tales of the sea serpents – the monsters at the edges of the maps. In part two, we follow the scientists who start to find bits of giant squid, and begin wondering: is this a kraken? The final section focuses on the search for the giant squid, and the research on cephalopods.

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

Sue Heavenrich is an award-winning author, blogger, and bug-watcher. A long line of ants marching across the kitchen counter inspired her first article for kids. When not writing, she’s either in the garden or tromping through the woods. Her books for middle-grade readers include Funky Fungi: 30 Activities for Exploring Molds, Mushrooms, Lichens, and More and Diet for a Changing Climate. Visit her at www.sueheavenrich.com

Maria Marshall is a children’s author, blogger, and poet who is passionate about making nature and reading fun for children. She is a judge for the Cybils Awards and the #50PreciousWords. Four of her poems are published in The Best of Today’s Little Ditty 2017, 2016, and 2014-2015 anthologies. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she bird watches, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. Visit her at www.mariacmarshall.com.

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STEM Tuesday– National Parks– Writing Tips & Resources

By on September 16, 2025   /   National Parks, STEM Tuesday  

 

I was delighted to see this month’s topic is National Parks. I was fortunate to have taught drawing workshops at two national parks in the early 2000s. Both were offered by the Park Service free to everyone and I had received a grant to cover expenses for supplies from the university where I taught. The park rangers were helpful and interesting and both times, I was able to take advantage of the natural environment as the centerpiece of curriculum.

One was in the southwest. Since it was July, it was too hot to work outside but we had the natural history museum at our disposal. After instruction and strategies, the participants spread out and were treated to an array of plants and animals as models. The other was in the Appalachians, and we had vistas of mountains and fields. Everyone went away with drawings of their National Park experience.

The National Park Service website currently has an extensive section on Education & Training. It has topics such as Teaching with Historic Places, Museum Collections, Archeology, Land Preservation, and Youth Training Programs. Some books are available through the website as of the date of this article. You may find some that would be valuable resources to supplement the great list of books recommended for September’s STE(A)M Tuesday.

Asian Reflection on The American Landscape
Book

Under the Archeology section you can find it divided into headings for Teachers, which includes links to lesson plans, activities and professional development. The KIDS heading includes activities for use within the parks and online activities. Some of the materials have been translated into Spanish.

If you don’t have the option of traveling to a National Park, many of the activities can be adapted to local sites. Many towns and smaller communities (as well as large, of course) have historical centers or societies, state and local parks and historic sites, interesting geological features – even urban areas provide environmental and historical opportunities. The NPS webpage also has a list of about a hundred related sites of interest. Making a journal is always a good way for students (and adults!) to document discoveries and experiences.

There is a special section that provides information on “Telling All Americans’ Stories.”

Books, pamphlets, and links are available to previously completed stories and activities.

In the past, I planned student activities where they could explore their own culture. But be sensitive. Some students have painful histories or don’t even know. I always gave the option – use your own history, someone you know and can interview, or pick a culture you admire and would like to find out about. That erases any stigma that may come with tricky family situations but allows a dive into personal history.

This website is a treasure. As of this writing, the materials were still available, and I hope that continues.

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Margo Lemieux is a retired university professor and is currently amusing herself by writing, doing art, and playing bluegrass music. Oh, and reading!

 

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