Posts Tagged book lists

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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Blasts From the Past: Diverse Historical Fiction

By on November 19, 2025   /   Book Lists, Fiction  

As a kid, I loved reading historical fiction. In my day, most of these stories centered on Europe and a war. I felt transported to other times and places, and was introduced to characters my age confronting challenges of survival. I enjoyed connecting with kids from the past who, with their friends and families, bravely faced difficulties.

Now, we have more novels told by historically underrepresented voices that offer perspectives on a wide variety of events. Rudine Sims Bishop described how books can be mirrors to a readers life, or can build empathy through windows where readers can view lives of others, or may provide sliding doors where readers can step into another world and immerse themselves in a new reality.

Here, I offer six wonderfully written, diverse titles that serve as a portal to another time.

A Sea of Lemon Trees

A Sea Of Lemon Trees by Maria Dolores Aguila, Macmillan, 2025, 273 pp.

This novel in verse is inspired by the true story of Robert Alvarez and the Lemon Grove Incident where one child’s courage to stand up for what is right and the determination of the Mexican community will transport readers to the challenges confronted by Robert in 1931 San Diego. Young Roberto was chosen to speak up about the horribly unfair conditions in the separate school for Mexican immigrants. This is the uplifting story of how his activism brought great changes to the “Americanization” efforts.

 

 

 

 

Zarina Divided

Zarina Divided by Reem Faruqi, Harper Collins, 225, 326 pp.

Zarina’s idyllic life in 1947 Poona, India is abruptly ended when her Muslim family moves to Pakistan during the Great Partition. Lyrical verse paints a realistic picture of Zarina’s hardships, including acts of violence and racism, as she journeys by train and boat to a new home. Just as Zarina begins to settle into her new life, she makes a big mistake. Her family agrees to let her go to boarding school, where a whole new set of challenges confront her. This novel brings a fresh perspective to the religious divide of a country.

 

 

 

Nine Moons

The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Yan Glasser, Harper Collins, 2025, 420 pp.

 

Han Yu and Luli Lee live 1200 years apart, yet they both share a goal: they go to great risks to save their families. In 731 a plague threatens Chang An, China, and Han Yu must trek across the Silk Road to fulfill a promise and find a cure. In 1931, New York’s Chinatown, Luli starts up her own bun business to bring her family’s restaurant back from the brink of foreclosure. Big themes and small details – like buns and birds – connect these two stories. The ties that bind Han Yu and Luli across centuries are an unforgettable surprise.

 

Seabird

Seabird by Michelle Kadarusman, Pajama Press, 2025, 199 pp.

Twelve-year-old Katina brings nineteenth century Indonesia (also known as the Dutch East Indies) to life through her letters to her best friend and her passion for learning. Inspired by the real-life Javanese noble turned activist, Raden Adjeng Kartini, this novel depicts how girls were given little freedom. Noble-born Kartini was confined to her house at twelve until she was to be married. Educated, Kartini turned to her best friend, Letsy, who had returned to Holland for help. Through her skills as a writer, Kartini speaks out, and like a seabird, gets free of her cage, and becomes a celebrated advocate for education.

 

 

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban

How To Say Goodbye in Cuban by Daniel Miyares, Random House, 2025, 223 pp.

Readers get a visual and personal view of Castro’s Revolution in Cuba in this emotionally gripping graphic novel. Based on the experiences of the author’s father, readers see the uncertainty and fears Carlos faced as a child while his family was being threatened for owning land. Major events in Castro’s path to power are explained in a straightforward manner. Miyares does an excellent job describing the differing opinions of Castro that the Cubans held.

 

 

 

Will's Race For Home

Will’s Race For Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Little Brown, 2025, 196pp.

This is a Western like no other. It’s 1889, and Will has persuaded his father to allow him to accompany him on the treacherous trek from Texas to Oklahoma. It’s been several decades since the Emancipation Proclamation, yet his father still does not have the right to own land – unless he takes advantage of the Oklahoma Land Rush. The journey is difficult not only because of the difficult terrain, but also because of the racism, poverty, and violence Will and his father experience along the way. Belle the mule, and frequent illustrations add charm to the story.

 

 

 

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STEM Tuesday– Transportation– Writing Tips and Resources

By on November 18, 2025   /   STEM Tuesday, Transportation  

Planes, trains, and automobiles.

Bikes, scooters, and motorcycles.

Boats, snowmobiles, and skateboards.

Modes of transportation. Ways to get from one place to another.

Luis Alvaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If we know where we’re going and have a semi-reliable means of transportation, then odds are we will arrive at the intended destination. If we don’t know the way, we can use some form of a map to guide our travels. 

(Note: I still laugh forty-some years later at how, through the magic of those high school career aptitude tests, it was revealed that the perfect profession for me was as a cartographer. Of course, I had to consult the dictionary to find out what a cartographer actually was. After some consideration and with no clue how to become a cartographer, that plan was quickly scrapped. In hindsight, I question that decision.) 

 

Yan Irvan Ardi Ristanto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Reading is a mode of transportation. Reading takes the reader places. When I read one of my favorite authors, Rick Bass, his words bring me to the Yaak Valley of Montana or the Hill Country of Texas. When I read books from this month’s STEM Tuesday Transportation Book List, I’m transported underground with Big Bertha digging tunnels for roadways, discovering what makes various types of working boats work, and sitting alongside crash test dummies as they make our vehicles safer to operate. 

As writers, it’s our job to create the mode of transportation to take the reader where we want them to go, whether it’s for entertainment purposes, informational purposes, or both. But how do we do that?

We do it by having a plan. The writer of any stripe needs to have an idea of where the destination lies to create the way there. As a sign in my local elementary school reads, “Begin with the end in mind.” Know where you want to go and then plan the way to get there. 

Writers need a reliable tool to navigate their story, so they must develop a carographer skill set.

They need a map. They need an outline.

Yes, the DREADED outline.

Just like me in my school kid days, I hear your collective groan. I understand. The thought of the classic structured outline, with its headings and subpoints, often throws creators into full retreat. The utter stodginess of it all!

With apologies to my 5th-grade English teacher, Sister Verene, OSB, I do not employ the classic outline structure she drilled into her students. In fact, I spent many a frustrating day as a writer, knocking my head against the wall, thinking that was the only way to outline. 

 

Luis Alvaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

I finally reached out to others and paid attention to craft tips from writers, and discovered that a working outline is simply a form that helps get the ideas down. 

Writers, embrace the outline! Find an outlining methodology that works for your brain and make it yours. Scribbles on scrap paper. Notes on your phone or computer. Even the classic outline format of headings and subpoints. Whatever gets the job done and transports the ideas in your head to the desired destination. 

When ideas become concrete on paper, and not just inside your head, they become real. They have a life. They can grow, be revised, and reach their final destination by following the outline map created. Ideas become complete stories that take the reader places. Therein lies the magic.

And that’s transportation at its finest!

Hop on, writers and readers! We’re going places.

 

Motacilla, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Mike Hays has worked hard from a young age to be a well-rounded individual. A well-rounded, equal-opportunity sports enthusiast, that is. If they keep a score, he’ll either watch it, play it, or coach it. A molecular microbiologist by day, middle-grade author, sports coach, and general good citizen by night, he blogs about sports/life/training-related topics at www.coachhays.com and writer stuff at www.mikehaysbooks.com. Two of his science essays, The Science of Jurassic Park and Zombie Microbiology 101,  are included in the Putting the Science in Fiction collection from Writer’s Digest Books. He can be found roaming Bluesky under the guise of @mikehays64.bsky.social and @MikeHays64 on Instagram.

 

The O.O.L.F Files

This month on the Out Of Left Field (O.O.L.F.) Files, we take a deep dive into getting from one place to another with an exploration of transportation.

20 Scientific Benefits of Reading Books for Cognitive Development

“Books transport readers to different worlds, stimulating imagination and fostering creative thinking.”

Each page turned is a gateway to an uncharted territory of ideas and visuals. While reading, your brain creates vivid images based on descriptions, which ignites your imagination and sparks creativity. This process can help you develop innovative solutions to problems by encouraging you to think outside the box.

How to Write an Outline via WikiHow

Outlining via the George Mason University Writing Center

University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies K-12 Lesson Plans

As the son of a civil engineer who specialized in bridges and highways, I can appreciate classroom projects like The Great Dinkytown Bridge Challenge. It reminds me of playing with my dad and building structures out of things we had around the house. 

MetroDreamin’ Transportation System Design app

MetroDreamin’ allows you to design and visualize the transportation system that you wish your city had.

 

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