Posts Tagged craft

STEM Tuesday– Entomology– Author Interview

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

Today we’re interviewing Brenna Maloney, author of Buzzkill: A Wild Wander Through the Weird and Threatened World of Bugs. This book is for anyone who’s ever watched an ant crawl across the kitchen counter and wondered, huh, where is that little creature going. And why? Brenna follows her own curiosity and relates her own up-close-and-personal moments with insects in a book that heavy on humor and fun facts.

Andi Diehn: I love the tone of this book! How did you come to choose an informal, conversational voice for this book?

Brenna Maloney: I actually had to fight for this. I had a very specific tone in mind for this book—I wanted it to feel like the reader and I were having a conversation. A lot of nonfiction is written in a way that keeps the writer out of it. Largely because the writer doesn’t want to become part of the story; the writer wants to present facts and sound like a voice of authority. But, I’m no authority. I’m not a scientist. I’m not an entomologist. I didn’t want to appear as if I was claiming any specialized knowledge that the reader can only have access to through me. I’m just a regular person who was curious about how insects are vital to our world. So,  I asked a lot of experts questions and I had a lot of interesting first-hand experiences with insects, and I wanted to share those with readers and let them know that they can try these things, too.

When I wrote the book proposal, I wrote it using that voice—very conversational, a little conspiratorial with the reader, playful and fun and excitable. Because those really were the things I was feeling, and I didn’t want to cover that up.

I had a handful of rejections. A lot of publishers thought I was too weird or that the book wouldn’t sell because readers didn’t want to have a conversation. But there were two publishers who expressed interest. I spoke to each at length about the voice. I said: This is how I want it to sound. And of the two, only one said: Yes, we know. We like it. Be you.

It’s a wonderful and rare blessing when a publisher says that and means it. Luckily, mine did.

AD: I’m fascinated by the discussion of African killer bees – what a story! Why is it important to learn about different species that were created through human intervention?

Brenna: Terrifying, isn’t it? That poor fellow. He was trying so hard to build a better bee. His intentions were good. But Mother Nature has a way of doing her own thing. So, when those bees escaped….

This story is important, though, because it reminds us of how interconnected everything on our planet is with everything else. Nothing happens in a vacuum, and nothing happens without consequences. If you don’t understand these things, you can do more harm than good.

AD: It’s so interesting to read about your personal connections to different insects. Are these stories where you got the idea to create a whole book? 

Brenna: No, actually! Most of these things happened as a result of me wanting to directly experience things I was learning about the insect world for the book. The more research I did, the more I wanted to interact directly with the natural world. To read about something gives you one experience. To connect directly with that thing gives you a different perspective. A personal connection.  And this is something that I hope I passed along to readers. I know insects aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. That’s okay. But readers are probably interested in something. And you can learn a lot about your something if you just seek out information, which is what I did. I wanted to know. So, I made an effort to find out.

AD: A very predictable question: what’s your favorite insect and why?

Brenna: Impossible to pick! There are so many insects that I still don’t know about.

AD: Love your story about making cricket cookies because it shows us that eating insects doesn’t have to be crunchy. Can you talk a bit about this and why you framed it that way?

Brenna: More than anything, I wanted to make what I was learning accessible to other people. Eating bugs sounds gross. And, well, it certainly can be. Or, it can be tasty and even a little thrilling to try something new. I think we grow as people when we step out of our comfort zones and try to expand what we know.

Many people are quick to reject ideas or experiences because they seem too different from the things they know and are comfortable with. But, when you open yourself up—even a little—to something new, you gain so much. If you eat a cricket cookie and you hate it, that’s okay. But you’ve now tasted something that people in other parts of the world rely on as a food source. And because you were “brave” and tried it, you won’t judge it in the same way as you might have before you tasted it. That builds your understanding and your empathy.

AD: OMG – boiling the deer head! How important are insects as decomposers?

Brenna: Well, if you read Chapter Four, you know that insect decomposers are absolutely essential to life on Earth running smoothly.

Things die. All the time. Animals, yes, but plants, too. And what happens to those things when they die? Nature needs to clean up after itself. A good number of insects play the role of decomposer. By breaking things down, valuable substances—like water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium—can be used again. You can start to see why decomposers are critical in the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Without insects, all this dead stuff would pile up and keep piling.

AD: The section on climate change, extinction, and the dangers to various insect species was hard to read, but important. Why include this kind of topic in a kid’s book?

Brenna: Ah. Well. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I didn’t write this book for kids. Not really. A lot of kids already understand the perils our planet is facing and already acknowledge and value the importance of balanced ecosystems. I really wanted to reach adults because adults are the ones whose behaviors need to change the most. One industry expert I talked to said: “No adult will ever buy this book.” He said that adults don’t like to be told what to do, and they would never listen to my advice. I think that fella is wrong. I think most people—adults and young people—want to do good things. They want to help solve problems. But they may not always know how. So, I thought if I could get them to understand how important (but at-risk) insects are and then if I could offer some ideas of how we can change our behaviors to help insects, it would be a winning combination. But I couldn’t get anyone to believe in the project for adults. Everyone said a book like that would only sell to children. I still don’t really understand that. But book publishing is kind of a weird industry.

There’s some hard stuff in this book. You can’t shy away from talking about things because they are hard. Or because they aren’t as entertaining. I believe that people are smart, and they can handle difficult, complex information. My hope was that readers would either finish this book knowing more than when they started OR that they’d have enough of an interest in insects and our planet to pursue more knowledge from other resources.

AD: I’m so glad you included citizen science opportunities in the back matter! How does citizen science benefit both the world at large AND the people doing the science?

Brenna: We all live here, right? It’s our only planet. So, we have to take care of it. I think people do care, and most people would like to help, if only they knew what to do. I tried to write as many examples of engagement that I could think of—really simple things and more involved things—so that everyone who reads the book, if they are so inclined, could try to do something. We have some amazing scientists and researchers who are studying our planet in as many ways as they can. But it’s a big job. Having data really helps. Our observations as regular citizens can contribute to their data-driven work.

I also tend to believe that little things matter. If each of us does one small thing, then together those small things add up to a bigger thing. You only need to look at bees to see that this is true. A bee is a tiny thing. During her time on this mortal coil, a worker bee will produce about one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey—barely enough for you to taste. The smallest of things. She’s one bee. Yet she and her sister bees work together. To produce one pound of honey, those bees will visit two million flowers. One trip at a time.

That’s our path too. You, me, and anyone else we can get to help us. Each of us has to Be the Bee. We have to work steady and work hard and contribute in whatever ways we can to help Mother Earth until she feels more in balance. If we do enough small things, it starts to add up. I know small things matter—just ask the bee.

YAY for New STEM/STEAM Books!

Looking for a new great read? Check out these new releases from some of our STEM Tuesday team!

That’s right, they don’t just write great articles about STEM, this team is also amazing authors in their own right.

Polar Bears book by Christine Taylor-Butler

 

Save The…Polar Bears
by Chelsea Clinton (Author) Christine Taylor-Butler (Author)

A collaboration that Christine Taylor-Butler wrote with Chelsea Clinton. It’s all about polar bears from birth through adulthood, why they’re endangered and what kids can do to help save them. Plus! NASA announced a 20th population of polar bears no one knew existed. They don’t depend on sea ice to survive.

 

 

Funky Fungi

 

Funky Fungi: 30 Activities for Exploring Molds, Mushrooms, Lichens, and More by Alisha Gabriel and Sue Heavenrich

FUNKY FUNGI: 30 Activities for Exploring Molds, Mushrooms, Lichens, and More (with Alisha Gabriel) was awarded the 2023 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in the Children’s Science Activity Book category.

 

The Fire of Stars

The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of 
by Kirsten W. Larson (Author), Katherine Roy (Illustrator)

A poetic picture book celebrating the life and scientific discoveries of the groundbreaking astronomer Cecilia Payne!
Astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne was the first person to discover what burns at the heart of stars. But she didn’t start out as the groundbreaking scientist she would eventually become. She started out as a girl full of curiosity, hoping one day to unlock the mysteries of the universe.

 

 

The Pie that Molly Grew

 

The Pie That Molly Grew
by Sue Heavenrich (Author) Chamisa Kellogg (Illustrator)

Using “The House That Jack Built” rhyme scheme and beginning with the planting of a single seed, the journey of bringing a pumpkin to harvest comes to life. At the end, Molly’s pumpkin is turned into a delicious pie for one and all to share in a celebration of gratitude. All from the seed that Molly sowed.

 

 

Spacecare

Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space
Jennifer Swanson (Author)

Have you ever wondered how astronauts stay healthy in space? What if an astronaut gets sick on the space station? Does snot run in space? This fascinating photo-illustrated look at space and medicine explores how scientists and physicians study astronauts in space, how they help keep them safe, and what we’ve learned about the human body through space exploration. Questions from real kids and answers form from astronauts, along with photos from NASA, combine for an out-of-this-world exploration of health.

 

So, head to the library and check these awesome books out OR go to your favorite local bookstore and get a copy!

GO STEM/STEAM books!!

 

 

 

STEM Tuesday– Entomology– Writing Tips & Resources

 

 

 

Little and Literary

When most people see a book about Onthophagus acumiantus, they might give it a pass. A book about a cheetah, a chipmunk, a chimpanzee, sure, but a beetle? And, written by a scientist? Dry, dense, info dump. No thanks.

But that bias was is old-fashioned. Come on people, this is 2023. The fact-filled books of today offer so much more.

Beetle Battles: One Scientists Journey of Adventure and Discovery by entomologist Doug Emlen could change a few minds. Let’s take a look at how this 170-page about a beetle the size of a pencil eraser could change minds about what a science book can be.

There’s nothing at all wrong about an insect book that sticks to the data—one that presents quantitative data for those who are looking—but what about those readers who aren’t quite so into numbers and charts? How can they enjoy science?

Let’s have story! Literary language! And a “So what?” that has implications about the next world war!

A Look at Language

Emlen starts his story:

Prologue: A Horrible, Hot Night

The South American country of Ecuador straddles the Andes mountain chain like a Band-Aid stretched over a knuckle. The capital city of Quito sits high on the knuckle (9,300 feet elevation), and a braided chain of bus routes threads north-south along the rugged mountain backbone, weaving in between towering volcanic peaks and a string of little cities connecting Quito with Columbian to the north and Peru to the south. The country plunges downward on either side of this backbone, steep mountainsides covered with cloud forest dropping to the scorching Pacific coast to the west, and into the sweltering Amazon basin to the east.

Can you picture it? We are not yet even in a scene—this is just the prologue—but already, I know that this writer is going to paint this story in such a way that I can feel it. I re-read the paragraph, seeking out how he did that. To me, the things that drew me in were:

  • Verbs: straddles, stretched, sits, threads, weaving, connecting, plunges, covered, dropping. I thought I’d just pick out the vivid ones, but discovered every single one was.
  • Descriptors: horrible, high, braided, rugged, towering, steep, scorching, sweltering. Not a weak one in the bunch. Bonus: all that alliteration! Someone was having fun with their writing.
  • Nouns: chain, Band-Aid, knuckle, backbone, peaks, string, cloud forest, basin. Writing it out this way, I noticed how many of those nouns create layered analogies. Not a simple one-and-done simile, but a Band-Aid (analogy anyone can relate to) over a knuckle and the city Emlen wants us to focus on is high on that knuckle. What other layered analogies can you find?

A Look at Structure

Emlen gives us 24 short chapters organized into 6 parts. The narrative, in the main text, is supported by lengthy, expository insets. These insets are not ancillary, they significant enough to each have a place in the table of contents. In addition, Emlen give us 4 journal entries—what a cool way to experience research right alongside the expert!

A Look at Approach

Emlen turns “science book” stereotype on its head by writing in first person. Sure, there are middle grade books on science topics that follow the story of a scientist (see the brilliant works of Sy Montgomery, Mary Kay Carson, Patricia Newman and many more), but this is first person. This is “I was going to solve a mystery.” “I had that one lingering problem . . . “ “I realized with a thrill. . .  This is scientific process where we are inside the mind of the scientist.

And this first person approach also gave the opportunity to turn the “scientist” stereotype on its head. Emlen intentional shows us his emotions throughout. Yes this book is about a beetle, about weapons and evolution and the human arms race, but the story is how one person followed a creature, stumbled through a long line of questions, and then tumbled onto a stage in front of the big wigs of the FBI, DOD and CIA.  His message: if we want to overcome the number one threat to our country’s security we better start looking at the horns of itty bitty beetles.

Dry, dense info dump? Nope. Today, there’s nonfiction to lure in every kind of reader out there!

Heather L. Montgomery writes about itty bitty bugs too. She’s had a ton of fun writing first person narrative middle grade books about poop and roadkill among other unsettling topics. Be on the look out for Sick! The Twists and Turns Behind Animal Germs due out February 2024! www.HeatherLMontgomery.com 


The O.O.L.F Files

Curious about inset/sidebar/call out terminology? Check out https://thebookcouple.com/2018/01/01/additional-typographical-features-of-a-book/ .