Posts Tagged librarians

STEM Tuesday– Chemistry– In the Classroom

By on February 10, 2026   /   Chemistry, STEM Tuesday  

Cover of How Do Molecules Stay Together?How Do Molecules Stay Together?
by Madeline J. Hayes, illustrated by Srimalie Bassani

How Do Molecules Stay Together? is a picture book that introduces readers to some basic chemistry concepts. This could be a good read-aloud as an introduction to chemistry, although I suspect older students may find the call-and-response phrases a little too childish for their liking.

 

Marie Curie for Kids
by Amy M. O’Quinn

This is a book that’s great for readers who love history and activities. Follow Marie Curie’s life from a bright, young girl in occupied Poland through her Nobel prize winning discoveries. This book is packed from activities that explore a wide range of topics, including geography, culture, and science. I read this book in its e-book version, which had some formatting issues that occasionally made it challenging to absorb. This could be an opportunity to explore those areas with an activity. (See below)

The Radium Girls
by Kate Moore

What happens when people are exposed to light waves emitted from radioactive material? That’s what this book covers, by telling the stories of a group of women who worked with radium. This is not an easy read emotionally, but it tells a very important story. It’s referenced in Marie Curie for Kids, and would be a great follow-on book for that one.

 

Bonus Books:

Werewolf, dressed as an astronaut, standing on a scale. Scale reads: "Matter Meter: 100% Werewolf"Werewolves and States of Matter
by Janet Slingerland, illustrated by Angel Mosquito

For readers who love graphic novels and/or werewolves, this book provides a great introduction to chemistry. It explores the concept of matter, what states it can exist in, and how matter transforms from one state to another.

 

Cartoon character appears to create molecular structure out of sand with the help of another character with a bucket.Explore Atoms and Molecules! (with 25 Great Projects)
by Janet Slingerland, illustrated by Matt Aucoin

If you’re looking for activities that help explore atoms and molecules, be sure to check out this book. It covers lots of different chemistry topics, including atomic structure, the periodic table, and chemical reactions. There’s even a section that introduces readers to Lewis dot diagrams, a great way to visualize how atoms combine.

 

As always, there are lots of different things that can be done with these books. Be sure to check out the activities provided in the books. Some of the books also have educator materials or informative websites associated with them. Here are links to some of them:

There is a website dedicated to The Radium Girls. There is an educator guide linked on this page of the site: https://www.theradiumgirls.com/the-radium-girls-young-readers

The Atoms and Molecules page of my website has some links of interest: http://janetsbooks.com/atoms-and-molecules

There is a classroom guide and a free downloadable activity on the Nomad Press site: https://nomadpress.net/nomadpress-books/explore-atoms-molecules

Some of this month’s books are older, and the web links provided in them no longer work. However, since the authors thought they were worthy of inclusion, exploring them might be a good exercise. If a link no longer works, can you find the same information on another reliable website or page?

Here are some other ideas for activities.

Create a Timeline

As mentioned in the book descriptions, I had some difficulties with the book formatting in Marie Curie for Kids. This was particularly true for the timeline provided in the book. In order to better visualize the timeline, create one of your own. This could be done on a single sheet of paper, or it could be constructed so it wraps around an entire room. This can also be an opportunity to explore the use of technology in presenting a timeline, whether it’s created with a graphic tool like Canva, a slideshow like PowerPoint, or whatever your favorite tool is.

Students can choose what should be placed on the timeline, based on the books they’ve read. Including pictures or illustrations of the events helps everyone visualize the events better. This provides lots of opportunities to practice research skills. This is also an opportunity for students to work together to create it.

Here are some ideas of things that could be included on the timeline:

  • Major life events for the people involved in the science (the Curies, Mendeleev, Bohr, etc.).
  • Important discoveries, including elements, atomic structure, effects of elements, etc.
  • Key dates related to products using chemicals.
  • Major world events like the World Wars.

Get Messy!

Chemistry can be one of the messiest of the scientific disciplines. The books on this month’s book list include lots of experiments that explore chemical reactions. Here are a few popular experiments:

Elephant Toothpaste:

Erupting Soda:

Making slime:

Get Thoughtful

Scientific discoveries often have unintended consequences. The stories of the Curies and the Radium Girls are perfect examples of this. Here is an article from the Society of Physics Studies and the American Institute of Physics that addresses this topic:  https://students.aip.org/radiations/discoveries-unintended-consequences-and-the-values-of-science. After reading it, have some discussions about the topic. Does the scientific process help to address this?

This opens up the topic of the scientific process. This website from UC Berkeley has lots of information on this topic: https://undsci.berkeley.edu/understanding-science-101/how-science-works

Explore (Largely Unsung) Scientists

Marie Curie was the first women to achieve many accomplishments. There are other groups of people who have historically faced huge obstacles to achieving things like college degrees and scientific discoveries. Often, discoveries made by women and minorities were attributed to others.

Explore some of the underrepresented people who have made great discoveries related to chemistry.

Each student could explore a different scientist and incorporate it into the timeline from above.

February is Black History Month. Here are a few lists of scientists to explore (there is some overlap between the lists):

March is Women’s History Month. Here are some lists of women scientists to explore:

Woman with short brown hair and glasses, smiling.Janet Slingerland has written over 2 dozen books for young readers, including Werewolves and States of Matter and Explore Atoms and Molecules! (with 25 Great Projects). To find out more about Janet and her books, check out her website: http://janetsbooks.com

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STEM Tuesday– Chemistry– Book List

By on February 3, 2026   /   Chemistry, STEM Tuesday  

 

Chemistry is everywhere! It helps us understand how the world works. Explore many aspects of chemistry with biographies, a cookbook, a graphic novel, a study guide, amazing true tales, and several fascinating informational texts!

Cover of the book Who Was George Washington Carver?

Who Was George Washington Carver? by Jim Gigliotti

This book introduces Carver, a famous American agricultural scientist, educator, and scientist. Born into slavery in 1864, Carver became the first Black student at Iowa State Agricultural College and then its first Black professor. His research with plants which focused largely on peanuts, revolutionized Southern agriculture.

Cover of the book Maria Orosa Freedom Fighter, Scientist and Inventor from the Philippines

Maria Orosa Freedom Fighter: Scientist and Inventor from the Philippines by Norma Olizon-Chikiamco

This book shares the inspiring biography of a remarkable woman who studied chemistry and pharmaceutical science and created super-nutritious foods to save the lives of many people in the Philippines during a time of crisis.

Cover of the book The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Elements The Powers, Uses, and Histories of Every Atom in the Universe

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Elements: The Powers, Uses, and Histories of Every Atom in the Universe by Lisa Congdon

Learn about all 118 elements in this book for children age 10 and up. The book includes images that take the reader on a periodic table journey. Along the way it also includes infographics and information about scientists.

Cover of the book Science Comics The Periodic Table of Elements Understanding the Building Blocks of Everything

Science Comics: The Periodic Table of Elements: Understanding the Building Blocks of Everything by Jon Chad

Mel, an anxious chemistry student, dreams of the land of the elements in this graphic novel. Readers learn about the elements and periodic table as Mel and Hydrogen battle against their evil nemesis Elemancer. The book’s imaginative and interesting story are likely to appeal to older elementary and middle school students and provide a fresh approach to understanding the periodic table.   

Cover of the book Chemistry for Curious Kids

Chemistry for Curious Kids: An Illustrated Introduction to Atoms, Elements, Chemical Reactions, and More! by Lynn Huggins-Cooper

This book provides clear, easy to follow explanations that support understanding of the states of matter, chemical building blocks, the periodic table, and scientific tools. Illustrations, questions, and thoughtful arrangement of key ideas make complex chemistry content accessible.  Other titles in this STEM series focus on biology and science and math.

 

Cover of the book The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists

The Complete Cookbook for Young Scientists: Good Science Makes Great Food: 70+ Recipes, Experiments, & Activities (Young Chefs Series) America’s Test Kitchen

This book explains everyday cooking phenomena and helps children understand the “why” in food preparation. It’s full of hands-on experiments that explain how chemical interactions transform food. It will encourage young chefs to ask questions, observe, measure with precision, collect data, analyze, and answer the food science questions they find intriguing.

Cover of the book The Radium Girls

The Radium Girls: Young Readers’ Edition: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark by Kate Moore

This book is the true and shocking story of hundreds of girls who worked in factories, painting watch dials with radium. With each new dial, they licked the paintbrush to create the finest possible tip. At first the fact that they glowed was a marvel but the novelty turned controversial and horrifying as radium poisoning overtook them. Their heroic courage and resolve led to advances in laboratory regulations and research.

Cover of the book Our World in Pictures The Elements Book

The Elements Book: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Periodic Table (DK Our World in Pictures)

With remarkable pictures and text, this book offers a fascinating tour of the elements, substances that cannot be broken up into smaller ingredients. It looks at the unique and sometimes surprising properties of the elements and explains where they come from, what they can do, and how they can be used.

Everything You Need to Ace Chemistry in One Big Fat Notebook by Jennifer Swanson

This book uses diagrams, graphics, mnemonic devices, and compelling characters to delve into atoms. elements, compounds, mixtures, the Periodic Table, chemical reactions, chemical calculations, and so much more. It’s a great companion for students studying for a chemistry exam.

Cover of How Do Molecules Stay Together?

How Do Molecules Stay Together?: A Book About Chemistry by Madeline J. Hayes

This book uses a question-and-answer format to explain a variety of chemistry concepts: atoms, elements, compounds, states of matter, and chemical reactions. It includes a simple and effective explanation of condensation, evaporation, freezing, and melting. The book is part of the How Do Series.

Cover of the book the Disappearing Spoon

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean

This book is full of fun and fascinating chemistry stories. Anecdotes of adventure, conflict, drama, and obsessions reveal how elements influenced our world. First published in 2011, this book continues to bring the history of chemistry alive.

Cover of the book Marie Curie for Kids

Marie Curie for Kids: Her Life and Scientific Discoveries, with 21 Activities and Experiments by Amy M. O’Quinn

Learn about Marie Curie in this engaging book. Many are familiar with Curie’s brilliance in chemistry and physics as the first woman to win a Nobel Prize through boiling mercury off to reveal pure radium metal. Alongside Curie’s brilliance in atomic physic discoveries, the reader learns about Curie’s role as a mother, her scientific partnership with her husband, inclination to forget sleeping and eating, refusal to monetize her scientific discoveries, and her health concerns. Twenty-one hands-on activities and experiments further the text, along with a list of resources and interesting sidebars.

 

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

New Realeases Nov 2025

Bev Schellenberg is an author (A Prince Among Dragons; A Princess Among Dragons), as well as a writer of creative nonfiction, poetry, and picture books. She’s an advocate of STEM who was a science fair national winner and high school robotics club sponsor, and passionate about young people discovering, following the passion inside them and flourishing. She’s taught grades kindergarten to grade 12 and is currently an academic advisor, careers teacher, and armchair futurist. Learn more about Bev at BevSchellenberg.com.

 

 


Carolyn Pfister is a STEM Content Developer, writer/illustrator, and coordinator of the California Early Math Project. She is interested in encouraging family and community STEM opportunities and maintaining 

children’s early love and success with math and science. Carolyn writes a monthly Substack on behalf of the California Early Math Project – https://carolynpfister.substack.com/. Learn more about Carolyn at Carolynpfister.com

 

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The Literary Community Supports Minneapolis 

By on February 1, 2026   /   Oh MG News  
Middle Grade Authors

 

As we watch chilling news footage of ICE agents in Minneapolis, we are both horrified by the brutality and heartened by the thousands of individuals braving extreme temperatures to raise a unified voice in an effort to protect their neighbors and reclaim their city. 

Among those affected by the chaos, we find independent bookstores struggling to maintain sales, school librarians trying to nurture and protect their students, and members of the publishing industry stepping up to lend a hand. The broader literary community can help Minneapolis by staying informed and offering support.

 

Support Minneapolis Booksellers

According to a January 16 Publishers Weekly article, most bookstores admit that the presence of ICE agents in their neighborhoods has had a negative impact on business. However, they have remained open “as people come in looking for information, resources, and whistles” or for a quiet space to rest and gather their thoughts.

Some booksellers are going a step further. A January 28 Publishers Weekly article introduces Greg Ketter, owner of DreamHaven Books and Comics. When a local news station aired footage of Ketter, age 70, marching through tear gas and cursing at ICE agents near the site of Alex Petti’s death, the video went viral. DreamHaven’s website crashed from all the attention it received, and the store’s sales have increased tenfold over a typical January. 

Looking to order a book from an indie bookstore? You might consider supporting the booksellers on the front lines and ordering from a Minneapolis bookstore. To help you get started, here’s a list of local bookstores in the Twin Cities.

 

Support Minneapolis Librarians

Schools in Minneapolis are feeling the stress. According to a January 20 School Library Journal article, entire school communities are actively supporting frightened students and families. School librarians are facilitating online learning and curating lists of books to help students process difficult emotions and understand pertinent history.

The Information and Technology Educators of Minnesota, a division of the Minnesota Library Association, sent an email out to librarians and advocates. They thanked librarians for the work they are doing. And for those of us living outside the area, they shared ways to “support affected families and communities, including donating to a local food pantry, assisting an organization that is sending kids free books, patronizing MSP BIPOC-owned and immigrant-owned businesses, and calling legislators.”

 

The Literary Community’s Efforts to Support Minneapolis 

You may have heard about the recent Publishing for Minnesota Auction. The auction ran from January 29 to January 30 and included consultations with agents and authors, AMA sessions, portfolio reviews, critiques, autographed books, author visits, and more. According to the site, proceeds will “support organizations providing legal aid, emergency assistance, food, and community resources to those in urgent need.”

But what if you missed the window for this auction? Are there still more ways to help? Absolutely. For those wanting to lend help, PEN America has put together an article about the many ways the literary community is stepping up to support Minneapolis. They also mention ways you can lend your support, “whether through donations, buying books, or reading about their experiences.”

While the effects of this present crisis are unimaginably stressful for the people of Minneapolis, it is reassuring to know that as protesters speak out against the assault on their neighbors, booksellers, schools, and librarians are actively caring for their communities. Let’s support them in any way we can.

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