The Picture Book Buzz - May 2026 Interview with STEAM Team Books Members (Part 2)
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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.
Welcome 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.)
Christine Van Zandt - Hot Dog! The History of America’s Favorite Sausage (Odd Dot/Macmillan Press Kids 5/12/2026) – The type of book I write depends on the story. I often try out various ways—fiction/nonfiction, prose/verse—until I land on what feels right for that manuscript. While I love writing lyrically, funny is my favorite; I enjoy making readers laugh.
[Author of The Legendary Life Story of the Cogwheel: How a Deceptively Simple Device Moves the World Forward, illustrated by Karen Crosbie (20206), The Legendary Life Story of the Lever: How a Deceptively Simple Machine Moves the World Forward, illustrated by Leslie Breen (2025), Milkweed for Monarchs, illustrated by Alejandra Barajas (2024), and A Brief History of Underpants, illustrated by Harry Briggs (2021).]
Laura Perdew - The Ocean: Explore a Watery World (Nomad Press 5/15/2026) –
My favorite time of day to write is early morning, before anyone else is up and the house is quiet – that’s when I’m most creative and productive. I usually work at my desk, but I do like to go to coffee shops later in the day (either alone or to meet friends for a “write in”) and to the library. My interest in STEAM books stems from my love of nature and the outdoors – I want to share things about the natural world that amaze me, hoping kids will be as amazed as I am and inspired to take part in conservation.
[Author of dozens of STEAM books for kids including, Wacky Contraptions: Gadgets That Whiz, Whoosh, Whirl, and Twist with Hands-On Engineering Activities, illustrated by Micah Rauch (2025), Conservation Success: Protecting Wild Spaces and Species, illustrated by Lex Cornell (2025), Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity, illustrated by Micah Rauch (2024), Your Sustainable World (2024), Picture Book Science Series – Biome Explorers, illustrated by Lex Cornell (2022), Mammals (Field Guides for Kids) (2021), Picture Book Science Series – Animal Adaptations, illustrated by Katie Mazeika (2020), Crazy Contraptions: Build Rube Goldberg Machines that Swoop, Spin, Stack, and Swivel, illustrated by Micah Rauch (2019), Biodiversity: Explore the Diversity of Life on Earth, illustrated by Tom Casteel (2019), Bringing Back Our Wetlands (2018), and Extinction: What Happened to the Dinosaurs, Mastodons, and Dodo Birds?, illustrated by Tom Casteel (2017).]
Mary Helen Berg – Enough to Share (Tielmour Press 5/26/2026) – I don't know if I have a favorite type of book to write because I write both nonfiction and fiction, sometimes lyrical, sometimes straight narrative. I often write informational fiction that features STEAM elements, or I write stories with SEL themes. I think I'm drawn to writing about STEAM stories because the world is such a complex. beautiful, fascinating place and when I find out about something amazing, I want to share it!
I usually write in the mornings at my desk facing a lagoon. If I wait until later in the day, it just doesn’t happen! The lagoon is connected to a wetland and blue herons, egrets, ducks, geese, cormorants are daily visitors, so there’s always something peaceful, beautiful and inspirational happening right outside the window. How long have I been writing? Forever! I was a professional journalist for years, but in 2021, during the pandemic, I finally decided to pivot to something I had wanted to do for a loooong time– writing children's books.
[Debut Author.]
What has been the most interesting or odd experience (you’re willing to share) of your children’s literature career so far?
Christine Van Zandt – Of the different things we do as authors, school visits are the most interesting experiences for me because I’m face-to-face with dozens of kids. Seeing their reactions and engaging with them is a big part of why I write. And I love their honest comments and questions.
Laura Perdew – Years ago I interviewed an expert, in person, for a book under contract. Prior to the meeting, I had explained that I was writing for children. The interview went well (or so I thought) and we chatted easily in his office for close to an hour. He agreed to review the manuscript before it went to press. His feedback on the manuscript was a complete tirade and denigration of what I’d worked so hard on, mostly focused on how I’d simplified the facts and on the conversational tone I used (mind you, I’d done that to make very complex science accessible to young readers)! Luckily, I have a very supportive editor who reassured me that the book was fantastic and the science was spot on, something a separate content consultant verified. Still, my skin had to grow another layer of thickness! [Yikes!]
Mary Helen Berg – It’s not odd, but has been surprising to me, that the learning curve in this industry never seems to really end. That’s not a bad thing, but maybe unusual compared to other industries? First, I tried to learn all I could about writing a good picture book. But as we all know, writing a good book isn’t enough. If you're writing a nonfiction or STEAM picture book, you need to become a mini expert in your subject matter and then be able to share that information through an engaging structure or story. You need to learn everything you can about agents, publishers, and the business side of the industry. You need to learn how to build a writing community, and how to connect with the larger writing community and that means learning how to use social media. If you are unrepresented, you need to learn a little about contracts. If you're lucky to get a contract, then you need to learn about marketing your book. It can be daunting, and it’s all been quite a challenge and an amazing education.
Thanks for sharing these amazing experiences! Now that we know a little more about all of you, what sparked your interest and caused you to write or illustrate this book?
Christine Van Zandt - Hot Dog! The History of America's Favorite Sausage (5/12/2026) – Sausages are part of my history. I’m the first person in my family born in the US. My parents longed for the foods they knew from Germany, so we trekked to San Francisco weekly to pick up breads, cheeses, and meats including many kinds of sausages.
The history of things interests me. Hot dogs are such a beloved America food, yet sausages span time and cultures. I was fascinated by the path hot dogs took to become what we know today. And this book gets kids to take a deep dive into a favorite food.
Once I was hot on the trail of hot dogs, having the book narrated by a dachshund felt right since these German dogs look like sausages and have ties to how the hot dog evolved. The funny persona of Frank de Wienerdog was a doggone perfect pairing.
Laura Perdew - The Ocean: Explore a Watery World (Nomad Press 5/15/2026) – My interest in writing this book was selfish – I love the ocean! Plus, through my research for other books I discovered that there was so much I hadn’t known about the ocean and that kids probably didn’t know either…there are waterfalls in the ocean! The polar oceans are the drivers of global ocean currents! The largest migration on the planet – billions of animals – happens in the ocean, as species in the twilight zone migrate upward at dusk to feed in the safety of darkness! I wanted to spread the word about ocean biodiversity and how vital the ocean is to the health of our planet, with the hope of inspiring conservation.
Mary Helen Berg – Enough to Share (5/26/2026) – The idea for Enough to Share came from a National Geographic article. There was this amazing photo of a wolf pup swimming, and a fascinating article about sea wolves in British Columbia. I had never heard of these animals. Wolves that swim? What? As I researched, I learned about spirit bears, another animal I’d never heard of, and the place the wolves and bears lived: the Great Bear Rainforest, a stunning place I’d never heard of. It seemed like I’d found the characters and setting for a picture book! I wanted everyone to know about them and to be aware of the challenges these animals and the rainforest were facing. And since sharing is such an important concept to children, I thought they would engage with the idea that we all need to share the earth’s finite resources.
I love the different sources of inspiration and your goals in creating these books. Is there anything special you want your readers to know about your book?
Text © Christine Van Zandt, 2026. Image © Steven Salerno, 2026.
Christine Van Zandt - Hot Dog! The History of America's Favorite Sausage (5/12/2026) – It has a hidden picture under the cover and one scene unfolds into a looong wiener dog!
Text © Laura Perdew, 2026. Image © Micah Rauch, 2026.
Laura Perdew - The Ocean: Explore a Watery World (Nomad Press 5/15/2026) – Writing this book was a passion project for me, and I hope that kids will read it and be as amazed as I am about the biodiversity in the ocean and the huge role that the ocean plays on Earth, yet also understand that though it is mighty, it is fragile and it needs everyone’s help. In addition, I want kids to know that even though they are young, they can still play important roles in ocean conservation.
Text © Mary Helen Berg, 2026. Image © Sue Todd, 2026.
Mary Helen Berg – Enough to Share (5/26/2026) – Enough to Share features real animals who sound like they are from a fairy tale, but they are real, and like so much of the natural world, they need our help to survive. The spirit bear and seawolf live in the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, and I think many readers will be introduced to them for the first time with this book. I'd also like to mention that this book began as fiction, and the animals were anthropomorphized before I did a complete rewrite as a nonfiction book. I also must give a shoutout to Sue Todd’s stunning art which is a perfect match for the text, and will definitely invite kids to pick up the book! Finally, a portion of proceeds from every book help fund reforestation.
These are all such amazing books! 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?
Christine Van Zandt - Hot Dog! The History of America's Favorite Sausage (5/12/2026) – While there’s a lot of information about this topic, some is in dispute such as who really put the hot dog in the bun first. We included language to demonstrate that there can be uncertainty and, sometimes, people had similar ideas but, due to the slower method of news spreading, there’s no proving who should be credited as the inventor.
Laura Perdew - The Ocean: Explore a Watery World (Nomad Press 5/15/2026) – As you know, the ocean is enormous and the study of different aspects of the ocean spans many, many scientific fields. For me then, the challenge was digesting all the information I collected and being able to communicate it to readers ages 9-12 in a way that was both understandable and engaging.
Mary Helen Berg – Enough to Share (5/26/2026) – I really wanted to capture the rich and unique environment of the Great Bear Rainforest in order to emphasize what could be lost if it isn’t protected. But it is a really remote place and very challenging to get to, so I wasn’t able to see it in person while writing the book. In order to get a sense of the environment in addition to reading about the rainforest, I watched as many videos as I could find that captured the wildlife, marine life, weather, and topography of the region. I think this helped give me a more accurate idea of the sights and sounds of The Great Bear Rainforest, even though I still have not been able to visit. I still hope to! Maybe next year! In terms of research, there was absolutely research and history that I couldn’t incorporate into the book, but I think it all informed the direction of the story, and some did make it into the backmatter.
Nonfiction can definitely present challenges from veracity of sources to complicated science, but you all did a great job with these books. Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?
Christine Van Zandt – A funny manuscript of mine has set sail and is making waves with some editors.
Laura Perdew – I just finished a project on keystone plants and fungi (Keystone Plants and Fungi: Discover the Organisms Vital to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity, Nomad Press, 2026); it is a follow up to Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity (Nomad Press, 2024). During my research for that book, I learned that some plants and fungi are keystone species too, so I pitched the idea to publisher. Keystone Plants and Fungi will be the very first book on the market about this topic! Side note: I also interviewed an expert for this one by phone, and he agreed to review the manuscript – his feedback was positive and supportive!
Mary Helen Berg – I have another nonfiction picture book scheduled to be announced soon, and I am very excited to see the art for that project. It’s nonfiction but written as a poem. And I'm always writing and pitching new ideas!
Intriguing. We will have to keep our eyes open for these books. Good luck with your projects. Last question, who is your STEAM hero or heroine, living or dead (scientist, naturalist, author, teacher, etc.)? Why?
Christine Van Zandt – There are so many amazing people! Johannes Gutenberg comes to mind from having researched the invention of the printing press for my Lever book. As a writer, I can appreciate how making books available to the masses changed history.
Laura Perdew – As I’ve mentioned on this blog before, I don’t have favorites (no favorite color, movie, book…). And related to this question, there are so many people working in STEAM fields, as well as citizen scientists, making contributions to science and to our environment, I could never pick just one person. Through my research I’ve discovered many, many people working tirelessly for one cause or another, making amazing contributions, not because it’s their profession, but because they care. All of these people are an inspiration and a reminder that one person can make a difference.
Mary Helen Berg – I know she’s often mentioned, but one inspirational hero would absolutely be Jane Goodall. She is of course, a legend as a naturalist and primatologist, but I feel that all of her work stemmed from a foundational respect for the earth and its creatures, and that is a lesson that resounds and can be shared with any age group. I also am inspired by the part of her story where she began basically as a disrespected secretary, and lived to be a groundbreaking, world-renowned expert. Amazing.
NOW, let me take a moment to introduce you to these amazing STEAM books!
Hot Dog! The History of America's Favorite Sausage by Christine Van Zandt, illustrated by Steven Salerno (Odd Dot/Macmillan Press 5/12/2026) – Told through the voice of Frank de Weinerdog (a knowledgeable and punny Dachshund), this colorful and creative picture book examines the creation, early versions, and U.S. topping variations of the popular hot dog. Lively and engaging text melds humor and history in a delicious look at all things hot dog. A "Major Moments in History" timeline and "Curly Snake Dogs" recipe join math & science facts and an author's note to offer additional information on the traditional and fun food staple.
Synopsis: Explore the sizzling history of America’s favorite ballpark snack! Join Frank De Wienerdog, your outrageously funny guide, in HOT DOG!―a laugh-out-loud nonfiction adventure that tracks the hot dog’s journey from the streets of New York to grills nationwide. This vibrant picture book is perfect for "young foodies," curious readers ages 6-9, and anyone who loves a side of humor with their history.
The Ocean: Explore a Watery World by Laura Perdew, illustrated by Micah Rauch (Nomad Press 5/15/2026) –
This in-depth look at all things ocean, from currents and zones to deep secrets and conservation, effectively uses stunning photos, graphics, maps, and three panel comics of a father and teen on an ocean trip to keep the reader engaged. Sidebars offer biographies, "Tech Talk," scientific explanations, species spotlights, and essential questions boxes. There are also "Words to Know," QR codes offering videos (such as a dive through the ocean layers), fascinating facts, and experiments & activities with discussion questions. A very interesting, interactive, and informative middle grade book on oceans.
Synopsis: A fascinating exploration of the different parts of the ocean and the creatures that live there!
The mighty ocean covers 70 percent of the planet, supports well over 100,000 marine species, regulates climate, feeds billions of people, and plays a key role in the carbon cycle. Yet the ocean is also fragile and needs our help.
In The Ocean: Explore a Watery World with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids, young marine biologists learn the ocean’s history and the key roles it plays on Earth, including its part in the carbon cycle and in regulating weather and climate. Explore the polar oceans, intertidal zones, the shallow ocean, and the open ocean, and discover the incredible biodiversity adapted to living there. Find out how people use and rely on the ocean and how humans are making a giant impact on this massive body of water.
Each chapter examines different aspect of our oceans and our scientific understanding, including past and current ocean conservation efforts around the world. Sidebars about technology, species spotlights, and short biographies about ocean explorers and scientists provide insight into the marine-human relationship, while hands-on activities and critical thinking exercises invite all kinds of learners to gain a deeper understanding of Earth’s oceans. A compelling narrative style, fun facts, glossary words defined on the page, and links to primary source combine to take readers on an investigative journey of the ocean.
Additional materials include a glossary, a list of media for further learning, a selected bibliography, and index. All books are leveled for Guided Reading level and Lexile and align with Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. Be sure to check out the Educator's Guide.
Enough to Share by Mary Helen Berg, illustrated by Sue Todd (Tielmour Press 5/26/2026) – Introducing young readers to the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, Canada and the unusual Spirit Bear (a subspecies of the American black bear) and Sea Wolf (an ocean swimming, seafood eating wolf) who live there, this book utilizes a fun, rhyming refrain "ONCE THERE WAS MORE _____ TO SHARE. WILL THERE BE ENOUGH FOR SEA WOLF AND SPIRIT BEAR?" to highlight the changes that humans have brought to the forest, fish supply, and freshness of the water. Using the familiar concept of sharing as a framework, the book's question lingers after the book closes. It also highlights groups of people and their continuing efforts to protect the whole area. Sidebars expand on the succinct text and "More to Know" and "How To Help" back matter sections offer additional information and a call to action. This is a wonderful ode to these special animals and their forest.
Synopsis: ENOUGH TO SHARE introduces readers to rare animals and shows how they live in a place full of beauty, danger, and change.
Thank you all for giving us a little peek into yourself and your new books. Wishing you all enormous success with you upcoming projects.
Christine Van Zandt - Hot Dog! The History of America's Favorite Sausage (Odd Dot/Macmillan Press 5/12/2026) –
Website: https://christinevanzandt.com/
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/christinevz
Laura Perdew - The Ocean: Explore a Watery World (Nomad Press 5/15/2026) –
Website: https://lauraperdew.com/
Mary Helen Berg – Enough to Share (Tielmour Press 5/26/2026) –
Website: https://maryhelenberg.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.h.berg.39/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryhelenberg/
X (Twitter): https://bsky.app/profile/maryhelenberg.bsky.social
