The Picture Book Buzz - April 2026 Interview with STEAM Team Books Members

Whether you're here to support the STEAM Team authors, curiosity, or because you love nonfiction books, I hope you read to the end because you'll discover some amazing authors and super spectacular books!

Today I have the pleasure to introduce you to three authors from the STEAM Team Books – a group of authors and illustrators who joined together to celebrate and help promote their STEAM books. I hope you enjoy this peek at these delightful books and fascinating creatives.

"STEAM Team Books is a group of authors who have a STEM/STEAM book releasing in 2026. It includes fiction & nonfiction, trade or educational books.” Check out their website for other interviews, activities, and bios.

Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been writing? What is your favorite type of book to write? What drew you to STEAM books? etc.)

Sara Levine – A Visit With the Birds: A Hands-on Nature Book (Sourcebooks 4/7/2026) – I enjoy writing fiction and science-focused picture books for children. Writing STEAM books is a natural fit for me as my background is in veterinary medicine, and I taught college level biology for over a decade. I’m very interested in science and especially in introducing young people to new topics that have not yet been featured in picture books.

I write most weekday mornings in a quiet room I reserve at my local public library. It’s useful for me to work in a separate place from where I live. The rhythm of going to the same place at the same time to write makes my mind ready to go the moment I arrive.

[Author of 14 books, including - Watching and Waiting: What Hatches from Nature’s Nurseries (4/1/2025), Hello Dog/Hello Human, illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman (2025), A Terrible Place for a Nest, illustrated by Erika Meza (2024), Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It, illustrated by Florence Weiser (2023), Sensitive, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini (2023), A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use, illustrated by Kate Slater (2021), Germs Up Close (2021), The Animals Would Not Sleep! illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens (2020), Eye by Eye: Comparing How Animals See, illustrated by T.S Spookytooth (2020), Flower Talk: How Plants Use Color to Communicate, illustrated by Masha D'yans (2019),  Fossil by Fossil: Comparing Dinosaur Bones, illustrated by T.S Spookytooth (2018), Tooth by Tooth: Comparing Fangs, Tusks, and Chompers, illustrated by T.S. Spookytooth (2016), Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons, by T.S Spookytooth (2013) .]

Michelle Schaub – Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass (Sleeping Bear Press 4/15/2026) – I write for toddlers through upper elementary students. I’ve been writing for over twenty-five years, and my first published works were nonfiction articles for children’s magazines like Highlights and Appleseeds. I have a passion for poetry and a fascination with nature and science. I love using wordplay and the sounds and rhythms of language to delight, inspire, and empower kids, especially when it comes to caring for the Earth and its residents.

[Author of 9 books, including A Place For Rain, illustrated by Blanca Gómez (2024), Leafy Landmarks, Travels with Trees, illustrated by Anne Lambelet (2024) Kindness is a Kite String: The Uplifting Power of Empathy, illustrated by Claire LaForte (2021), Dream Big, Little Scientists: A Bedtime Book, illustrated by Alice Potter (2020), Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day At The Farmers' Market, illustrated by Amy Huntington (2020), and Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections, illustrated by Carmen Saldana (2019).]

Karen Jameson – The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents (Chronicle Kids Books 4/21/2026) – I was an elementary school teacher for over 30 years and cultivated a deep love of picture books. I’d also enjoyed writing in my younger days and dreamt of becoming an author ‘someday’. So, when a dear friend introduced me to SCBWI in 2012, I leapt at the chance to combine these two passions and pursue my dream. My first published credits were in children’s magazines – AppleSeeds and ASK. By the time I retired in 2016, I’d won a few SCBWI awards, had some manuscripts at the ready and began to query.

My best writing happens first thing in the morning - fresh from dreams. Coffee in hand, I’m at my most creative and productive, before the obligations of the day begin to seep in. I indulge myself in reading new picture books quite often too, which is how I began to connect with some incredible STEAM titles in recent years. What a great fit for me, as I’m drawn to animals, nature and science themes!

[Author of 9 books, including Who Nests Here? Twenty-Four Extraordinary Animal Homes, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki (2026), Bear Loves His Home, illustrated by Ishaa Lobo (2025), Wake Up, Woodlands, illustrated by Marc Boutavant (2024), A Llama is not an Alpaca; And Other Mistaken Animal Identities, illustrated by Lorna Scobie (2023), Time to Shine: Celebrating the World’s Iridescent Animals, illustrated by Dave Murray (2022), Where the Wee Ones Go: A Bedtime Wish for Endangered Animals, illustrated by Zosienka (2022), Farm Lullaby, illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan (2021), Woodland Dreams, illustrated by Marc Boutavant (2020), and Moon Babies, illustrated by Amy Hevron (2019).]

Thanks for sharing about yourselves. What has been the most interesting or odd experience (you’re willing to share) of your children’s literature career so far?

Sara Levine – The questions children ask during school visits are always interesting and inspiring, and sometimes heartbreaking and often funny. Here’s the list of questions asked, which I wrote down after a visit (during which I read Bone by Bone: Comparing Animals Skeletons, had my other books on view, used a turtle puppet, and shared human and animal bones. Note: the bones are real 😊.

Why do you write books? If you couldn’t write books, what job would you do? Does writing ever make you mad? Are the bones real? Why don’t the teeth fall out? Where is the nose? Are the bones real? What’s your favorite bone? What’s a bone you don’t like? I have a dog. It’s my birthday. It was my birthday last week. Are the bones real? What happened to the people whose bones it is? Is the skeleton a boy or a girl? Where does the soul go? How old were you when you were in first grade and how old are you now? I like your books. I like your books too. Are the bones real? My dog eats poop! Actually, if you took all the blood vessels out of the body and lined them up they’d be long enough to travel more than two times around the world! When did you write your first book? What’s your favorite book you wrote? How many books have you written? I lost a tooth today! I lost a tooth. I did too. My brother lost a tooth yesterday. It’s my sister’s birthday today. Can we see Turtle again? Is Turtle real? Are the bones real?

Michelle Schaub – The strangest (and coolest) experience I’ve had as a children’s author so far was giving a radio interview from the cab of a giant John Deere tractor. It was after my first book, Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmer’s Market was selected as the Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom Book of the Year. The wheels of the tractor were taller than I was! I sat in the cab in the middle of Midwestern farmland and read some farmers’ market poems to the cows and the corn (and the radio listeners.)

Karen Jameson – As an author, it’s an absolute thrill seeing my book illustrations for the first time. Imagine having custom art created for your words. It’s the best kind of surprise! Typically, the author and illustrator don’t communicate at all during the collaboration. By the time I get my first peek at illustrations, my curiosity has reached a fevered pitch.

I’ve been tremendously lucky to have some incredible illustrators collaborate on my books and have been bowled over time and time again by their brilliance. With The Secrets of the Jellies, I was awestruck by Marie Hermansson’s ability to capture the wonder, motion and magnificence of a jellyfish exhibit. I swooned over the art which so perfectly captured the immersive aquarium experience I was imagining.

Now that we know a little more about all of you, what sparked your interest and caused you to write this book?

Sara Levine – A Visit With the Birds: A Hands-on Nature Book (4/7/2026) – I’ve had a lot of experience teaching biology to both children and college students, and one thing I’ve learned from this is that having a hands-on, one-on-one interaction with an animal creates a bond. And developing a personal connection is the best way to foster empathy, interest and care for other animals and the natural world. Cities are teeming with animals who are interested in engaging and interacting with humans, in part because they are so used to living among us. I wrote this book to foster connection between children to the common birds and other wildlife found in urban parks. There are many interesting, beautiful, funny and intriguing birds to be found in this habitat—house sparrows, pigeons, starlings and others. This book is in part a love letter to these birds, and in part a guide for adults to help children notice, engage with, and fall for the animals who share their part of the earth.

Michelle Schaub – Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass (4/15/2026) – I first learned about seagrass meadow from a United Nations Environment Program post that popped up on my Google feed titled “Seagrass-Secret Weapon in the Fight Against Global Heating.” Of course, I was intrigued. When I clicked on the link, I learned some amazing things about seagrass meadows, an ecosystem that I had never heard about before. For example, seagrass meadows can hold 30 times more carbon than land forests! When I discovered that there weren’t any picture books about seagrass meadows, I decided I had to write one to let young readers know how important seagrass is, both for the thousands of marine creatures that rely on the meadows for food and shelter, and for humans too!

Karen Jameson – The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents (4/21/2026) – I love going to aquariums and was at a loss when they were suddenly shuttered during the pandemic. Months later, a friend started posting videos from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s live Jelly Cam and it was a lifeline. I was hooked. Watching those videos boosted my spirits, bringing calm and beauty during a difficult time. I became obsessed with everything jellyfish wanting to know as much as I could about these mesmerizing creatures.

One day, I had an “aha” moment! If people couldn’t go to the aquarium to see the jellies, perhaps the aquarium could come to them. That’s the premise of The Secrets of the Jellies – a jellyfish exhibit within a book.  

It's always so fascinating to see how our interests and chance encounters can lead to phenomenal STEM books! Is there anything special you want your readers to know about your book?

Text © Sara Levine, 2026. Image © Ashley Barron, 2026.

Sara Levine – A Visit With the Birds: A Hands-on Nature Book (4/7/2026) – The illustrations are just gorgeous! In my previous experience as an author, I’ve been consulted about the choice of an illustrator, asked to share my opinion about a list of artists gathered by the editors at the publishing house. And I’ve been very lucky in my matches for my books. But this time, I was actually asked for suggestions upfront, and I suggested that Ashley Barron be considered. The editors at Source Books said yes, and Ashley said yes, and I could not be more pleased.

Text © Michelle Schaub, 2026. Image © Khoa Le, 2026.

Michelle Schaub – Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass (4/15/2026) – The illustrations for Meadows of the Sea are simply wondrous! Khoa Le, in addition to being an amazing illustrator, is also a free diver, so she was able to get up close and personal with seagrass meadows and their inhabitants, and this really shows in the illustrations. The art seems to pulse on each page as if the seagrss is actually dancing in an ocean current. 

  Text © Karen Jameson, 2026. Image © Marie Hermansson, 2026.

Karen Jameson – The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents (4/21/2026) – The simple answer is…Welcome to the aquarium! That’s exactly what I want readers to know when they enter these pages. People of all ages, cultures, economic backgrounds, interests and abilities are welcome here. They all belong.

The opening endpaper serves as the entrance - a friendly docent, jelly tanks, blue whale models hanging from the ceiling, and a gorgeous panoramic view of the bay.  From that first moment, we “travel” through the exhibit enthralled by all we see. A shared experience, yet each person reveling in their own way. Closing endpapers feature more intriguing jelly tanks, a gift shop and a sign that says “‘Sea’ You Soon!” A very sincere hope that all will come back and explore these wonders again.

Each of these illustrations are amazing and it's fun to learn tidbits about the illustrators as well. What was the hardest, or most challenging, part of writing or researching your book? Was there a bit of your research you didn’t get to include?

Sara Levine – A Visit With the Birds: A Hands-on Nature Book (4/7/2026) – The text for the interior of this book came fairly easily because I used questions I often ask when teaching children about birds outside. The back matter took some research and editing to get the right amount of information about each species covered. There are so many exciting facts to share, I had to pare it down to what would fit and best hook the interest of young readers.

Michelle Schaub – Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass (4/15/2026) – The most challenging part was making sure that both the text and illustrations were accurate regarding the marine creatures depicted. Seagrass meadows exist around every continent except Antarctica. The illustrator, Khoa Le, and I wanted to make sure that each spread featured a seagrass meadow from a specific region. As you can imagine, the creatures that thrive in the seagrass meadows in the Pacific Northwest are quite different from the creatures that thrive in the meadows of the Caribbean. We had to make sure we didn’t show a sea otter and a yellow stingray in the same scene, since they’d never be in the same habitat in the wild. This required many back-and-forth emails and a lot of fact checking! 

Karen Jameson – The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents (4/21/2026) – The most challenging thing was adding in the “Meet the Jellies Extravaganza!” section, spotlighting 22 true jellies and their amazing talents. A ton of research went into this, as I had to find something distinct and interesting about each one. Plus, the information had to be verified by multiple sources.

Though it caused many sleepless nights, it was so worth it. It’s one of my favorite features of the book!

Thank you all so much for sharing a glimpse into the detailed research required to ensure the books provide kids and their adult readers accurate and fascinating books. Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

Sara Levine – Yes, I have three books coming out in the next two years:

Talking to Worms, illustrated by Duc Huy An, with STEAMWORKS of Charlesbridge Press is about siblings who dig up worms to keep as pets and have to figure out how to communicate with them in order to give them optimal care. Spoiler alert: they use the scientific process to do this.

How We Fly, illustrated by Diana Mayo, with Penguin is a lyrical and scientific exploration of how flight works in birds, insects and machines.

The third book hasn’t been announced yet. But I can say it’s a poetry book with an editor I adore.

Michelle Schaub – I’m super excited about another one of my nonfiction lyrical picture books that’s coming out this May. It’s a Steam Team book too! A Pathway for Pollinators, illustrated by Blanca Goméz,  is a companion to my 2024 book A Place for Rain. The same Earth-conscious classroom is back, this time to rally the community to create pollinator corridors to give butterflies, bees, and other pollinators the foraging space they need.

Karen Jameson – The Secrets of the Squid, the follow up to The Secrets of the Jellies, is in the works at the moment. It takes us out of the aquarium and follows a research ship into the open ocean to study these fascinating creatures. Incredible Jellies artist, Marie Hermansson, returns to illustrate this companion title. Looking forward to sharing a cover reveal in the coming months! Splashing onto shelves in Spring 2027.

These all sound intriguing. I can't wait to see them. Last question, who is your STEAM hero or heroine, living or dead (scientist, naturalist, author, teacher, etc.)? Why?

Sara Levine – Jane Goodall. For so many reasons, but here’s one: because she showed the world that good science and empathy are compatible. 

Michelle Schaub – I have two STEAM heroes, Amélie Berger and Sophia Hoffman, the expert reviewers for Meadows of the Sea. Both Amélie and Sophia are coastal ecologists who work with the University of Virginia’s Coastal Research Center. They are real life seagrass heroes working to help this vital ecosystem thrive.

Karen Jameson – One award-winning author and naturalist that truly stands out to me is Sy Montgomery. I didn’t really know much about her until I heard her keynote at the Charlotte Huck Festival one year. Wow! Beyond impressive. She is intelligent, adventurous, and extremely passionate about animals and their welfare. I love her book, How to be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals – a book I’ve recommended to others over and over.

Thank you for sharing with us these amazing STEAM heroines! NOW, let me take a moment to introduce you to these amazing STEAM books! 

A Visit With the Birds: A Hands-on Nature Book by Sara Levine, illustrated by Ashley Barron (Sourcebooks 4/7/2026) – Following a child and their caregiver on a bird spotting adventure in the park, readers are encouraged to listen for the onomatopoeia of their calls, join in the hunt for the birds on the pages, and explore different movements. The fun cut paper illustrations and succinct text encourage young readers to go outside and see what birds they will find around their yard, park, and/or community. The back matter includes a fun spot-illustrated roll call of twelve birds found in the book and additional books to explore more about birds. A wonderfully interactive STEM book to get readers excited about birds.

Synopsis: Discover the wonder of the natural world through play, observation, and imagination in this interactive picture book!

Join a curious child on a walk through the park, where readers are invited to listen for bird songs, spot colorful feathers, count birds, and even pretend to fly. With engaging and hands-on prompts woven into the story, this book transforms a simple outing into an unforgettable learning adventure.

Featuring stunning cut-paper collage artwork and a warm, inclusive story, A Visit with the Birds encourages young readers to slow down, observe nature, and connect with the nature around them, no matter where they are. Along the way, children will learn about common birds―like pigeons, robins, chickadees, and blue jays―while building early science and observation skills.

Throughout the story, readers are invited to:

Listen for bird calls and identify sounds

Look closely to spot and count different animals

Explore colors and patterns in nature

Move and play by acting like birds

Develop curiosity about the natural world

With additional educational back matter introducing real bird species and fun facts, this book is ideal for budding birdwatchers and nature lovers alike.

Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass by Michelle Schaub, illustrated by Khoa Le (Sleeping Bear Press 4/15/2026) – An absolutely stunning introduction to the ancient plants found along every continent except Antarctica. Using a combination of succinct lyrical text and more in-depth side bars, the book explores the climate benefits (trapping carbon & releasing oxygen, filtering pollution, and reducing erosion) and the provision of food and shelter for an amazingly diverse number of ocean creatures. As well as their need for protection from human activities and a call to action for readers to be seagrass heroes. An illustrated "Medley of Marine Life," featuring twelve of the sea creatures reliant upon these sea meadows, and a unique photo illustrated glossary add to this engaging and urgent plea for the preservation of these unique marine biomes. It's a spectacular STEM book on a unique ecosystem.

Synopsis: Beneath ocean waves there exists a fascinating and vital ecosystem. Underwater meadows, teaming with vibrant life, sway and ripple in the currents. Welcome to the wonders of seagrass.

These underwater flowering plants evolved from land plants millions of years ago. Often called "the lungs of the sea," seagrass meadows are found on every continent except Antarctica. Within this ecosystem is an abundance of marine life, including many species of fish, mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates. And beyond providing shelter and food for these inhabitants and visitors, seagrass plays an important role in the health of our planet. Seagrass lessens the effects of climate change and even helps filter out plastics and pollutants awash in the ocean. But this important ecosystem is under threat from many human activities. It's time to pay attention to this vital space on Earth.

Through lyrical text and ethereal artwork, the wonders of the awe-inspiring world of seagrass comes to life for young readers. Back matter includes information about the diverse species making their homes in seagrass, along with a glossary of terms.

Be sure to check out the book's Educator's Guide.

The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents by Karen Jameson, illustrated by Marie Hermansson (Chronicle Kids Books 4/21/2026) – The stunning cover opens to eye-catching end pages of an aquarium and successive pairs of ingeniously placed and spaced rhyming couplets which use the features of the ocean and characteristics of the jellyfish to obtain maximum impact and understanding of these succinct (but STEM packed) verses. The wonderful rhythm, gorgeous life-like illustrations, and additional intermittent scientific information create a terrific book for readers of all ages, encouraging an appreciation of, and perhaps further inquiry into, these varied and remarkable jellyfish. In addition to twelve jellyfish cameos which accompany additional "Jellyfish Facts" and a page of "Jellyfish Secrets," the back matter offers a roll call of twenty-two jellyfish. This is a wonderful nonfiction exploring amazing facets of jellyfish.

Synopsis: Soak up a sea of secrets and fun facts about jellyfish in this information-rich picture book!

A spectacular world of weird and wonderful jellyfish awaits in The Secrets of the Jellies. Engaging rhyming text will amaze young readers with awe-inspiring information about these beguiling sea creatures. Filled with facts and energetic undersea artwork, this aquarium-exhibit-in-a-book helps us learn all about jelly anatomy, behavior, habitats, and ecosystems as we get to know the moon jelly, lion’s mane jellyfish, fried-egg jellyfish, flame jellyfish, and so many more. Dive in and be dazzled!

STAND-OUT READ ALOUD: Rhyming text paired with eye-popping jelly facts makes this a delightful read-aloud for a wide range of young readers.

CELEBRATES INCREDIBLE ANIMALS: Kids are ceaselessly curious about animals and the natural world, and jellies are some of the most mysterious creatures in the sea. This playful nonfiction picture book showcases jellyfish as the marvelous creatures they are while providing an inspiring, educational springboard beyond the book's pages.

TERRIFIC TEACHING TOOL: With an engaging narrative and highly visual format, this book is a welcome resource for librarians and primary school educators.

GO-TO GIFT FOR OCEAN LOVERS: This beautifully illustrated sea-themed book makes a gorgeous gift for any special occasion in an ocean lover's life. Perfect for:

Ocean lovers and jellyfish fans

Parents, grandparents, and caregivers looking for a book about animals to share with kids

Teachers, educators, and librarians seeking beautiful nonfiction books with STEM content

Anyone seeking a distinctive gift for an animal- or nature-loving child

Thank you all for giving us a little peek into yourselves and your new books. Wishing you all enormous success with your upcoming projects.

Sara Levine – A Visit With the Birds: A Hands-on Nature Book (Sourcebooks 4/7/2026) –

Website: https://www.saralevinebooks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saralevinebooks/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saralevinebooks/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/saraclevinebooks.bsky.social

Michelle Schaub – Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass (Sleeping Bear Press 4/15/2026) –

Website: http://www.michelleschaub.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.b.schaub

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Schaubwrites

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MichelleBSchaub/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/schaubwrites.bsky.social

Karen Jameson – The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents (Chronicle Kids Books 4/21/2026) –

Website: https://karenljameson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayljameson/ 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/karenjameson15.bsky.social