The Picture Book Buzz - August 2025 Interview with STEAM Team Books Members (Part 2)

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 four 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 2025. It includes fiction & nonfiction, trade or educational books.” Check out their website for other interviews, activities, and bios.

Hello Everyone,

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.)

Jennifer Swanson - The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World (Workman Kids 8/12/2025) – I have been writing almost all of my life. I started creating books when I was in kindergarten. Throughout my life, I’ve kept journals. Mostly observations of things that have happened to me in my life and things I’ve found interesting. I started writing professionally about 12 years ago.

 I typically write on my laptop or my desktop in my office. I feel most at home writing and researching there as that is where I’ve written almost all of my books. My writing day consists of getting up, having breakfast, and being in my office by around 8:30am. I work pretty much all day consistently until 5pm. I may stop to exercise or walk my dogs, but that is how I work for most of the week.

My favorite type of books to write are the ones about engineering and technology. I love learning! I have loved science my whole life. After all, I started a science club in my garage when I was 7 years old. My goal when I’m writing is to find a unique and exciting way to present my topic. Something that is natural, but unusual, like my book Save the Crash-test Dummies, which is the story of car safety engineering told through the lens of a crash-test dummy.

[Author of dozens of STEM books for kids, including - The Lost Forest: An Unexpected Discovery Beneath the Waves (2024), Lego Amazing Earth: Fantastic Building Ideas and Facts About Our Planet (2023), Space Care: A Kid's Guide to Surviving Space (2023), Footprints Across the Planet (2022), Outdoor School: Rock, Fossil, & Shell Hunting (2021), Everything You Need to Ace Chemistry in One Big Fat Notebook (2020), Beastly Bionics: Rad Robots, Brilliant Biomimicry, and Incredible Inventions Inspired by Nature (6/2020), Spies, Lies, and Disguise: The Daring Tricks and Deeds That Won World War II (2019), Save the Crash Test Dummies! (2019), Absolute Expert: Dolphins (2018), Pearl Harbor (American Girl: Real Stories From My Time)​ (2018), Building With Poop (Power of Poop) (2018), and Astronaut Aquanaut (2018.]

Jessica Stremer – Trapped in the Tar Pit: How Paleontologists Unearthed a City’s Prehistoric Past (Beach Lane Books 8/26/2025) – I’ve been writing books for kids since 2019, although the desire to write had existed well before I first put pen to paper. Once I got started writing it didn’t take long to hone in on the types of stories I wanted to tell – nonfiction narratives about lesser-known topics or events that inspire kids to look at the world differently.

[Author of Wonderfully Wild: Rewilding a School and Community, illustrated by Josée Masse (2025), Plight of the Pelican: How Science Saved A Species, illustrated by Gordy Wright (2025), Fire Escape: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires (Books for a Better Earth) illustrated by Michael Garland (2024),  Lights Out: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds, illustrated by Bonnie Pang (2024) and Great Carrier Reef, illustrated by Gordy Wright (2023).]

Karen Jameson – Bear Loves His Home (Yosemite Conservancy 8/26/2025) – A dear friend introduced me to SCBWI in 2012 and I’ve been writing ever since. 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 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 8 books, including 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).]

Deirdre Laide – Shipwreck (Tilbury House 8/26/2025) - Growing up, I kept a hidden stash of diaries filled with poetry and stories.  As a teacher of young children and a mom, I’ve become especially interested in picture books. STEAM picture books lend themselves to so much discussion and exploration in the classroom across all subject areas. I love expressing nonfiction facts and narrative stories through lyrical language.  I write in the morning on my days off and you’ll often find me knee-deep in research for a new manuscript or revising a draft late into the evening.

[Debut Author] 

What helps you to be inspired? (perhaps a certain place, music, activity, etc.)

Jennifer Swanson - Curiosity! I am such a very curious person. I have lots of questions about how the world works, and how things are made. I will look at something, like a robot, a spacecraft, or even a submersible and just have to know how it was designed, engineered, and what makes it move the way it does. I think like a 10-year-old kid so then I ask questions like they would. That’s what inspires me to learn more and also write for kids that age.

Jessica Stremer – I find inspiration all around me, especially when spending time outside. I like listening to podcasts and reading, of course. Sometimes just a word or two will pique my curiosity and lead me down the research rabbit hole. Traveling and visiting new places also sparks my creativity.

Karen Jameson – Nature is, and continues to be, my greatest inspiration. I’m especially drawn to the solitude, sights, sounds and wonders of gardens, trails, forests, and beaches. These are the places I feel most at home.

Deirdre Laide – The children I teach inspire me to create work that resonates with young minds. As a family, we adore spending time exploring the outdoors. My three girls are always sparking my curiosity by asking a million questions. I’m deeply passionate about nature, conservation and also the lesser-known elements of history. Living by the wild Atlantic on the southwest coast of Ireland, my heart is always drawn towards the sea.

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

Jennifer Swanson - The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World (8/12/2025) –  This is the second book in the Atlas Obscura kids book series. The book is the idea of Dylan Thuras, a founder of the hugely popular international travel company, Atlas Obscura. They were on the lookout for a coauthor, and I was recommended by one of my former editors. I had to do a “tryout”, ie. write a few paragraphs about two different inventions. It was very specific to word count, voice, tone, explanations, etc. Thankfully, I was selected. I had a BLAST working on this book with Dylan. He is fantastic to work with, and we created an awesome book together. I hope everyone has as much fun with it as I did writing it.

Jessica Stremer – Trapped in the Tar Pit: How Paleontologists Unearthed a City’s Prehistoric Past (8/12/2025) – I first learned about La Brea when visiting Los Angeles years ago. I remember coming home and telling anyone who would listen all about entrapment events and the types of fossils found in the tar pits. The entire site was fascinating to me, and the fact that this massive fossil deposit is right in the middle of a huge city where anyone can go and see an ongoing dig, and not in a remote location, was also exciting. A few years later, I took my kids to La Brea and they were equally mesmerized. After research confirmed there weren’t any traditionally published children’s books on this topic, I knew I had to write about the tar pits and the unique entrapments events that occurred there.

Karen Jameson – Bear Loves His Home (8/26/2025) – I SO loved the bear that Marc Boutavant created for my picture book, Woodland Dreams, and began imagining what that sweet bear might be dreaming about. What was his story? What made him excited about being a bear? Of course, that led me down the research rabbit hole- uh...bear lair – and to becoming obsessed with all things bear!

Around that same time, I began noticing some beautiful titles being published by Yosemite Conservancy (YC). I was tremendously impressed with Terry Pierce & Nadja Sarell’s board book, Eat Up, Bear, and Francine Rockey & Kendra Binney’s picture book, To Find Treasure In The Mountains. Being a huge fan of wildlife, the National Parks Service (NPS), and Yosemite, I pinned an NPS greeting card on my vision board and set my sights on publishing with them.

Deirdre Laide – Shipwreck (8/26/2025) - A few years ago, I lived in Dubai and completed a certified diving course. Our group went to the dive site of a sunken shipwreck. I found it haunting. The image lingered in my mind.  As a sea swimmer, I took part in a swim event around the lighthouse off the coastline by my home. As I swam above the kelp forest, the vivid memory of the shipwreck ignited again in my mind. I started researching the book that very evening. 

Wow! I love all the different ways that you were each inspired to write these great books. What makes you passionate about being a children’s author?

Jennifer Swanson - I am so passionate about sharing science with every person I meet. I guess that makes me sort of a geek, but I wear that badge proudly. To me, it’s important that people understand that science is all around them all the time. It is my  hope that kids that read my books discover their own curiosity, become inspired to learn more, and maybe even to follow their own dreams to become a STEM advocate, scientist, engineer, or just a life-long learner.

Jessica Stremer – At some point, learning and experiencing new things starts to feel like something we have to do instead of something we want to or enjoy doing. I’m passionate about creating books for kids (and adults) that encourage that sense of discovery and wonder. I love finding niche topics and presenting them in a way that makes kids want to read and learn more about our natural world.

Karen Jameson – So many things! The magic of a read-aloud, the breathless anticipation of a page turn, the cozy cuddle-up time with a little one, and the “one-more-chapter” groan when you close the book. It’s essentially the human connection of everyone caught up in that same magical moment at the exact same time. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of creating that enchantment?

Deirdre Laide – As I read, research, and write, I create a bank of phrases and words in my notebook and fill it with pages of beautiful sounding language to weave through my book.  I love bringing facts to life through a narrative story or nonfiction picture book.

Thank you all for sharing this bit about yourself and dreams for the future. Is there anything special you want your readers to know about your book?

Text © Atlas Obscura, Inc

Jennifer Swanson - The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World (8/12/2025) – This book is more than just an invention book. It is designed to take the reader on an amazing journey around the planet and across time through the history of inventions. It connects inventions in a way that most people don’t think about. For example, in order for you to have a telescope, you first need to invent a lens, before that, you need to invent glass, before that, you’d need a kiln, and then of course, fire to start the whole thing. Readers will find themselves trying to guess how many inventions it would take to lead to the most recent one. It’s a STEM-tastic trip through time!

Text © Jessica Stremer, 2025. Image © Alexander Vidal, 2025.

Jessica Stremer – Trapped in the Tar Pit: How Paleontologists Unearthed a City’s Prehistoric Past (8/12/2025) – We were in the middle of moving overseas when I decided to write about La Brea, but between bouncing around the country saying goodbye to family and friends, I didn’t have the bandwidth or space to write. I think the story had been subconsciously forming because when we finally got to our hotel in Japan and I had a few quiet moments to write (full transparency - I distracted the kids with tv!) the words poured out of me. I’m eternally grateful to my editor at Beach Lane Books for believing in this topic and for the illustrator, Alexander Vidal, for bringing the animals of La Brea back to life.

Text © Karen Jameson, 2025. Image © Ishaa Lobo, 2025.

Karen Jameson – Bear Loves His Home (8/26/2025) – Readers should know that they themselves play an important role in being stewards to North American black bears and other wildlife, as well as the lands they inhabit. There are actions that we can all take to make sure that these precious animals survive and thrive in their natural home. Readers can find out more in the backmatter section titled, “What Can I Do to Help Bears?” This message is particularly timely in light of the current threat to national parks.

Text © Deirdre Laide, 2025. Image © Carlos Velez, 2025.

Deirdre Laide – Shipwreck (8/26/2025) – My book takes readers on a deep dive below the surface to explore famous and infamous shipwrecks along with the intrepid scientists, divers, and treasure hunters who found the ships' final resting places. My lyrical story illuminates the tragedies that brought these ships down as well as the scientific techniques, dedicated scientists, and lucky breaks that ultimately led to their discoveries. I hope the children (and adults) who read Shipwreck  feel like they have embarked on a sensory-rich explorative experience.

All such great books with gorgeous illustrations. 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?

Jennifer Swanson - The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World (8/12/2025) – Some of the inventions were so obscure, that it was difficult to find accurate information about them. That took a lot of digging and double-checking of facts. Then, because this is an Atlas Obscura book, and they are about travel, we had to determine where each invention was housed. Sometimes it wasn’t always where the invention was originally designed and created. It was challenging, but Dylan and I worked very well together as a team.

Jessica Stremer – Trapped in the Tar Pit: How Paleontologists Unearthed a City’s Prehistoric Past (8/12/2025) – There was a lot of supporting information that I had initially included as text boxes, but after Alexander started illustrating we realized he could capture a lot in the art, so many of those facts were moved to the back matter. He and I both wanted to showcase as many animals as possible and I think Alexander did an amazing job!

Karen Jameson – Bear Loves His Home (8/26/2025) – As with any nonfiction research, the challenge (and frustration) comes in trying to verify facts when credible sources reveal conflicting information. That means additional digging to unearth the truth. It might be a sign that certain facts are only true under particular circumstances or that new research has come to light. Regardless of the cause, it can bring a project to a grinding halt. I was lucky with Bear, as I had the ongoing support and expert knowledge of the entire bear team at Yosemite, as well as the NPS, weighing in throughout the editing process. An awesome experience!

Deirdre Laide – Shipwreck (8/26/2025) - Yes, there are so many compelling shipwrecks with amazing stories and  it was a very difficult task to whittle it down to 12. My original drafts had many more that I simply could not include. In the end, I chose shipwrecks I felt children would most connect with due to their magnificence, the magnitude of their disastrous demise or the interesting facts surrounding their discovery. As I worked on the manuscript with my editor Sarah, I asked if we could include another and then another. Some were just too irresistible and enticing to omit.

It sounds like they were all challenging in their own right, but tons of fun to create, too. Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

Jennifer Swanson - My newest book, 3 Weeks in the Rainforest: A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon comes out this October. I’m so very excited for this book! It’s been a long time in the making. This book tells the story of a group of scientists who work with the Field Museum in Chicago and Indigenous Peoples and scientists from the Amazon to help determine scientific reasons why an area of the Amazon should be recommended to be protected. It’s written in such a way that the reader will feel like they are on their own trip to the rainforest!

Jessica Stremer – I have a picture book publishing in 2026 about unique ways to upcycle/recycle. It’s sparse and lyrical with the illustrations doing most of the heavy narrative lifting. I can’t wait for everyone to see what illustrator Nicole Wong has created!

Karen Jameson – I’m currently working on The Secrets Of The Squid, the second picture book in my THE SECRETS OF series with Chronicle Kids. The research for this book was mesmerizing to say the least. These deep-sea creatures are both riveting and complex. Prepare to be amazed when their secrets are revealed in Spring ’27!  The incredible Marie Hermannson will illustrate and I can’t wait to see the first sketches.

Deirdre Laide – My agent Tracy Marchini at Bookends Literary Agency is busy sharing my new manuscripts with editors. My fingers are crossed for good news. I recently finished my middle grade novel about a feisty young conservationist who fights for nature in her locality through creative means and by harnessing the power of community.

Looks amazing Jennifer! The other projects sound intriguing and I wish you all the best with them. Last question, what animal or natural feature (place) do you want to learn more about? Why?

Jennifer Swanson - There are so many animals that I think are cool. My favorite is a koala bear. I got close to one at the San Diego Zoo, but one day I’d love to go to Australia and hold one. As for places to visit, again SO many! If I have to pick one, I really want to visit Egypt and go into one of the pyramids. I’ve been so enamored of them since I was a kid.

Jessica Stremer – How can I pick just one! There are a few historical events I’d like to explore further, and always so much to learn about the ocean. It’s hard to say what I’ll tackle next!

Karen Jameson – Oh my goodness, that’s like opening up Pandora’s box! Ha! My family - especially the grandkids – love to surprise me with cool or gross animal facts to jumpstart future projects.  So, we’ll see if they can sway me, or if the next topic naturally presents itself.

Deirdre Laide – Lately, I’ve been really drawn to exploring Irish mythology and Neolithic monuments built in ancient times. I’m at the read/research stage but who knows where it will take me. That’s the exciting thing about writing, there are never-ending possibilities.

I can’t always ask easy questions! You all have great interests and possibilities. NOW, let me take a moment to introduce our readers to these amazing STEAM books!

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World by Jennifer Swanson, co-author Dylan Thuras, illustrated by Ruby Fresson (Workman Kids 8/12/2025) - Exploring the interconnectedness of a giant "web of invention reaching back tens of thousands of years," this book tracks the 'genealogy' of 50 inventions and discoveries from all around the globe. I love the tongue-in-cheek, cartoon illustrated "packing list" which includes a lead lined apron, time machine, laser safety glasses, and of course "fox treats." With "Know Before You Go" travel hints and each location pinpointed on a globe, the book carries readers through time from the discovery of fire to lenses, stone carvings to printing presses, and steam engines to Japan's floating maglev trains. An even to a museum of brains. It's fun to discover the path of inventions and technology and imagine where the science could lead next.  

Synopsis:

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.

Following up on the New York Times bestselling Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid, with more than 200,000 copies in print, here is a globe-spanning history of invention like no other. This illustrated and STEM-oriented exploration of the planet’s 50 most interesting inventions and scientific discoveries sends middle-grade readers on an unforgettable trip around the planet and across time.

Each spread focuses on a world-changing technology and how it led to or influenced the tech or discovery on the next page. Starting with the very first invention, fire, readers will spelunk the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa for evidence of humankind’s earliest control of flames, then learn how fire is necessary to create another essential tech: glass, including the modern-day glass bridge in Zhangjiajie, China, that offers a crystal-clear (and terrifying!) view of the chasm 1,300 feet below.

As you gaze at comets through telescopes, create unbreakable codes, zap space garbage with lasers, and break supersonic records in the world’s fastest car, gorgeously illustrated scenes will transport readers across continents and centuries into a world of wonder and discovery.

Trapped in the Tar Pit: How Paleontologists Unearthed a City’s Prehistoric Past by Jessica Stremer, illustrated by Alexander Vidal (Beach Lane Books 8/26/2025) -  Who knew that tapir, giant sloths, and llamas lived in what is now Los Angles. Wonderful, age-appropriate text helps young readers understand what created the tar pits and how any animal (including today's squirrel) could get stuck in the tar. The book does a great job of showing how people have used the tar in their lives and how scientists first discovered the fossilized treasure trove that the tar pits offer - mammoths, saber-toothed cats, western camels, big bears, and so much more. Intriguing information on the tar pits in the back matter is followed by a fun line-drawn species list of the animals that have been found in the La Brea tar pits. This is an engaging and exciting way to learn about the Le Brea tar pits, fossils, and science.

Synopsis:

Dig down, down, down into the history of an ancient tar pit in this fascinating nonfiction picture book about one of the most exciting fossil discoveries of the modern day!

Thousands of years ago, ancient animals roamed the Earth, unaware there was a lot of sticky tar hidden deep beneath their feet…until one day, an earthquake caused it to seep up to the surface. When unsuspecting animals stepped into the tar, they got stuck!

Centuries later, in the early 1900s, people started exploring the tar pit and found more bones the deeper they dug. Eventually, scientists realized the bones weren’t just any old bones but perfectly preserved fossils of ancient animals, just waiting to be dug up and puzzled back together!

Uncover this true story of a miraculous scientific discovery in the most unexpected of places.

Bear Loves His Home by Karen Jameson, illustrated by Ishaa Lobo (Yosemite Conservancy 8/26/2025) – The rhyming text, follows a baby bear as he explores his forest home, watching and being watched by other animals. With momma bear always close by baby bear rolls down hills, climbs trees, and discovers berries in this sweet look at a bear's home. The back matter provides information on black bears, specifically tied to each spread, a black bear's life-cycle and their tracks, and ways people can help bears. This is an entertaining way to introduce young readers to black bears and national parks.

Synopsis:

Come along with Bear as he roams his wilderness home, doing what a wild bear should.

This lush, poetic look at the real-life habits of a black bear cub in his first autumn shows his growing independence, the mother-cub bond, and the glorious wonders of nature, all wrapped in a warm bear hug of a picture book.

Bear loves his home, his wilderness home,

the warm amber fields and the beauty of home,

as he steps out at sunset to forage and roam . . .

What do bears love to do? Eat! Bear has learned how to find tasty, natural foods from his mama, who can be spotted by readers on every gorgeous page, keeping a close eye on her little one.

Shipwreck by Deirdre Laide, illustrated by Carlos Velez (Tilbury House Publishers 8/26/2025) – This book takes the reader on a dive to explore and hunt for 12 of the most amazing and famous shipwrecks. Whether they are deep in the sea or washed up on shore, this gorgeously illustrated book explores what was unique about each ship (scientific exploration vessel, a war-time hospital, or a passenger liner), happened to them and where they are now. Sidebars and in-depth back matter explore the related STEM aspects of geography, science and technology, anthropology and marine archeology. It's a lot of fun for all ages.

Synopsis:

Dive below the surface and explore famous and infamous shipwrecks along with the intrepid scientists, divers, and treasure hunters who found the ships' final resting places. From the Titanic to Shackleton's Endurance, this lyrical story illuminates the tragedies that brought these ships down as well as the scientific techniques, dedicated scientists, and lucky breaks that ultimately led to their discoveries. Sidebars filled with facts and robust backmatter make this book perfect for curious, adventurous readers.

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

To learn more about these writers, or to contact them:

Jennifer Swanson - The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World (Workman Kids 8/12/2025)

Website: https://jenniferswansonbooks.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenSwanBooks

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jennifer-Swanson-Books-254158324961/

Jessica Stremer – Trapped in the Tar Pit: How Paleontologists Unearthed a City’s Prehistoric Past (Beach Lane Books 8/26/2025) –

Website: https://www.jessicastremer.com/about

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/JStremer

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

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

Karen Jameson – Bear Loves His Home (Yosemite Conservancy 8/26/2025) –

Website: https://karenljameson.com/

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

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

Deirdre Laide – Shipwreck (Tilbury House Publishers 8/26/2025) –

Website: https://deirdrelaide.com/

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

Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/deirdre_laide

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