The Picture Book Buzz - October 2025 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 five fabulous authors from 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.)

Megan Clendenan – Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault (Charlesbridge 10/14/2025) – For many years, I worked as a writer for non-profit groups focusing on social and environmental justice, and now I take that knowledge and interest and write non-fiction books for kids. I love variety and find I’m more productive when I have different types of work in a day, so I’m also working on some fiction projects, but they all have STEAM elements. I work at home full-time in my office. I have a nice window and my two orange cats visit me throughout the day.

[Author of 7 books, including What Do We Eat? How Humans Find, Grow and Share Food (2024), Cities: How Humans Live Together, illustrated by Suharu Ogawa (2023), Fresh Air, Clean Water: Our Right to a Healthy Environment, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (2022), Design Like Nature: Biomimicry for a Healthy Planet, co-written with Kim Ryall Woolcock (2021), and Offbeat (2018).]

Jennifer Swanson – 3 Weeks in the Rain Forest A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon (Charlesbridge 10/14/2025) – – 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 50 books, including - The Lost Forest: An Unexpected Discovery Beneath the Waves (4/2/2024), 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), Astronaut Aquanaut (2018), Environmental Activist Wangari Maathai (2018),and Dr. E’s Super Stellar Solar System: Massive Mountains, Supersize Storms, Alien Atmospheres, and Other Out-of-This-World Space Science (2018).]

Shruthi Rao – When Science Stood Still: How S. Chandrasekhar Predicted the Existence of Black Holes (McElderry/S&S 10/14/2025) – As a child, I loved writing. As an adult, I rediscovered writing when I was on a maternity break from my tech job, a break which I made permanent. I started with writing for adults, and graduated to writing for children. I’m interested in a wide variety of subjects and want to write about everything! I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been able to do this – my list of published books is very diverse. I’m always juggling multiple projects of various kinds – you can find me drafting a nonfiction picture book in the morning, editing a middle-grade fiction in the afternoon, plotting a fantasy chapter book at night. I delight in procrastinating on one project by working on another. My guiding principle while I write is clarity and a smooth flow – be it fiction or nonfiction.

[Author of 17 books, including India in Triangles, illustrated by Meera Iyer (2025), Kadooboo!: A Silly South Indian Folktale, illustrated by Darshika Varma (2024), A Melody in Mysore (Series: Songs of Freedom) (2024), Malhar in the Middle (The Hole Books), illustrated by Lavanya Naidu (2022), Avani and the Pea Plant, illustrated by Debasmita Dasgupta (2022), How We Know What We Know (2021), 20 Indians Who Changed the World (2019), Susie will Not Speak, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu (2018).]

Carla Mooney – Engineering: How the Six Simple Machines Support the World (Nomad Press 10/15/2025) – Hello! I write on a wide-range of nonfiction topics, from science to history to current events. I’ve been writing for more than ten years. I’m actually a former certified public accountant. In that job, I started writing business plans for a lot of science and technology start-up companies. Through that work, I learned to take complicated topics and write about them in a way that non-scientific readers could understand. It’s a skill that has be very useful when writing STEAM books for kids! After I “retired” from accounting, I took a few online writing classes and joined my local SCBWI chapter. I experimented with different types of writing – fiction, magazine articles, newspaper articles, and nonfiction. I discovered that I really love researching and writing nonfiction.

[Author of about 190 books, including Christina Hammock Koch: Artemis Astronaut (2025), Taylor Swift: Queen of Reinvention (2025), Overturned: The Constitutional Right to Abortion (2023), Historic Battles from World War II for Kids: 15 Battles from Europe and the Pacific (2022), Physics of Fun, illustrated by Alexis Cornell (2021), Chemistry of Food, illustrated by Traci Van Wagoner (2021), Inside the Human Body, illustrated by Tom Casteel (2020), The Human Genome: Mapping the Blueprint of Human Life,, illustrated by Tom Casteel (2020), Cutting Edge Careers in Engineering (2020), How Can Gun Violence Be Stopped? (Issues Today) (2020), Big Data: Information in the Digital World with Science Activities for Kids (Build It Yourself), illustrated by Alexis Cornell (2018), and Industrial Design: Why Smartphones Aren't Round and Other Mysteries with Science Activities for Kids (Build It Yourself), illustrated by Tom Casteel (2018).]

Melissa Stewart – From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom’s Never-ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU (Charlesbridge 10/28/2925) – Many writers know what they want to do from a very young age, but I never considered writing as a career option until a college professor suggested it. Up until then, I didn’t even know writing was a job. No one I knew was a writer, and my school didn’t host author visits. I’ll always be very grateful to that professor for seeing a talent in me and letting me know.

I do most of my writing in a spare bedroom in my house. I start working as soon as I get up, usually around 5:00 a.m. When I get stuck, I stop to eat breakfast and take a shower. Something about the steam and running water frees my mind, and I usually solve the problem. After lunch, I switch my focus to researching, planning school visits, and taking care of business tasks. I stop working at 4:30 p.m., so I can start making dinner.

Rachel Carson once said, “Science gives me something to write about,” and I couldn’t agree more. I enjoy writing at a variety of different levels, from board books to books for adults, but grade 3 is really my sweet spot.

 [Author of more than 200 books, including Meet the Mini-mammals: A Night at the Natural History Museum, illustrated by Brian Lies (Beach Lane/ Simon & Schuster 2025), Thank You, Moon: Celebrating Nature's Nightlight, illustrated by Jessica Lanan (2023), Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-floor Ecosystem, illustrated by Rob Dunlavey (2023), Tree Hole Homes, illustrated by Amy Hevron (2022), Summertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate, illustrated by Sarah Brannen (2021), Ick! Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses (2020). She also co-wrote 5 Kinds of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children’s Books and edited the anthology Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing.]  

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

Megan Clendenan – Nature! Often my best ideas come when I’m outside on my local trails running or biking. I always bring my phone so I can frantically type out my thoughts before I get home and potentially forget. J I’m also inspired to write by reading! I read a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction and many of my ideas have been sparked by reading. It’s pretty awesome that reading is a part of my job description.

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.

Shruthi Rao –  People! I’m rather an introvert but I love people and the complexities of their lives and thoughts and decisions. And I love to hear their stories. Invariably, something out of their story catches my attention, and sends me off into a rabbit hole, and I emerge from it with a book idea! In fact, When Science Stood Still is from just such a journey.

Carla Mooney – When I’m feeling stuck in my writing, I like to take a walk, either outside or on my treadmill. Something about the repetitive motion seems to help me see my project more clearly. I’m also very curious about the world around me, which is one of the main reasons I enjoy researching new topics and learning something I didn’t know before.

Melissa Stewart – The natural world. When I’m stuck on a manuscript, spending time in nature rejuvenates my mind and my spirit. And so many of my book ideas have come from experiences I’ve had or questions I’ve asked while exploring fields and forests near my home as well as new-to-me habitats around the world.

I’m lucky to have taken many amazing trips throughout my career, to places like East Africa, the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, the American Southwest, Botanical Beach on Vancouver Island, and more. I record my experiences in nature journals, and then I can refer back to these notes later as I write books. Recollecting my raw experiences in the field brings a richness, a vibrancy to my text, which makes it more engaging.

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

Megan Clendenan – Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault (10/14/2025) – I first learned about the Svalbard Global Seed Bank from a podcast. I was astounded that someone built a vault in a mountain to protect our seeds! Even though I have grown many vegetables since I was a child, I never gave much thought to the security of seeds or the importance of crop biodiversity. I set out to learn as much as I could about the topic, and then I reached out to request an interview with Dr. Cary Fowler, one of the people who was deeply influential in creating the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. He kindly agreed to meet with me, and I learned more about how and why the seed vault was developed and constructed. I chose to focus the story on the construction of the vault because I thought the excitement of a construction project would be a great entry point into the subject for picture book readers.

Jennifer Swanson – 3 Weeks in the Rain Forest A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon (10/14/2025) – A few years ago, I was in Chicago visiting my daughter. She was doing a summer internship at her college. We decided to visit The Field Museum, and that is where I first saw the exhibit about the Rapid Inventory Project. We sat down to watch the short video about the project and I was hooked. The vivid images, the amazing conservation efforts, and the team of awesome scientists made the Amazon come alive. As I walked through the rest of the very informative and descriptive exhibit I was enthralled to learn how these scientists would count every single animal they saw, collect samples, and literally take an inventory of the biological creatures of that area. But I think the coolest part was that the social scientists made great effort to include the local communities and Indigenous Peoples in their reports. The people who live in that area should have a lot of say in how it would be set up as protected lands.

Shruthi Rao – When Science Stood Still: How S. Chandrasekhar Predicted the Existence of Black Holes (10/14/2025) – In 2014, I read a biography of S Chandrasekhar by Kameshwar C Wali. The book is as much about Chandrashekhar and his life, as it is an account of several worlds, and the intricacies of how they work. I was left with a knowledge and understanding (and a curiosity!) about people, establishments, and societies. 

And most of all, I was impressed with this young man and his stunning idea, who was ridiculed by the greatest minds of the day, and yet he retained the quiet confidence that he was right. I was astounded by how he was able to set aside his abject disappointment and move on with his life and work with equanimity. I wanted to stand on rooftops and yell out to people the story of this man. Instead, I sat down and wrote this book.

Carla Mooney – Engineering: How the Six Simple Machines Support the World (10/15/2025) – I found the idea of six simple machines serving as the basis for so many objects and tools in our modern world to be fascinating. Diving deeper into the topic and learning more about the how and why of each simple machine was a lot of fun for me. We don’t often take the time to think about why everyday tools work, such as a pair of scissors or a ramp, so writing this book allowed me to slow down and appreciate the simple machines in my life.

Melissa Stewart – From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom’s Never-ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU (10/28/2925) – During a school visit in 2016, I mentioned that the atoms inside us today could have been inside a dinosaur that lived 150 million years ago on the other side of the world. A hand shot up. It belonged to a curious third grader brimming with questions.

Where had the atom come from?

How did it end up in us?

Where else had it been along the way?

I didn’t know the answers that day, but I was curious too. So, I started researching.

It's just so cool how many different ways these books were inspired. What makes you passionate about being a children’s author?

Megan Clendenan – I enjoy writing for children because I love how full of wonder and curiosity they are, with great questions and an openness to learning about the world. I love the writing process, but I also love sharing my books with readers and hearing their thoughts! That’s a huge highlight for me as an author. I hope my books spark questions, discussion, and curiosity about the world, and about how we can work together to find sustainable and equitable solutions for the future.

Jennifer Swanson – My goal with as a STEM author is to help kids, of all ages, to be engage, be excited and inspired by science. I want them to see that science is natural, normal, and a part of their everyday life. It is not something that you only find in books or movies or videos. Science is all around them all the time. I want them to be curious and get out in science. Explore it! Question it! and maybe even become a scientist or engineer to improve or invent it!

Shruthi Rao –  Children and their sense of wonder, and curiosity, and their immense capability for love and understanding – what’s not to love about their beautiful minds? And to think I have this terrific responsibility (and indeed, power) to be able to nurture those minds – it is such an incredible honor.

It makes me want to do the best by them.

Carla Mooney – I have always loved books. Some of my favorite childhood memories are discovering books on the shelves of the Squirrel Hill Library or the mall bookstore. To be able to write for children and teens is a dream come true.

Melissa Stewart – Everything. I love researching. And writing. And sharing books with kids. I can’t imagine a better job for me.

Is there anything special you want your readers to know about your book?

Text © Megan Clendenan, 2025. Image © Brittany Cicchese, 2025.

Megan Clendenan – Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault (10/14/2025) – Just in Case is a hopeful story about the power of cooperation! The seed vault brings together many countries and many voices, and serves as a positive example of people working together for the greater good. I hope that this inspires a sense of hope, even in the face of climate change and ongoing conflicts worldwide. There’s also lots of fun details about the construction of the vault itself, including how they got diggers and excavators to a tiny Arctic island. Finally, I’d also like readers to see they can take action. They can choose to plant a seed, to try a new food, or to learn more about food security.

Text © Jennifer Swanson, 2025.

Jennifer Swanson – 3 Weeks in the Rain Forest A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon (10/14/2025) – I would love for them to understand that there are ways to help their own environments. That this book is not just about the Amazon, but could be about your own backyard or local park. Take a biological inventory of the plants and animals around where you live. Find out which ones might be indigenous to your area and which ones are not. Learn how you can help to keep your environment healthy and long-lasting.

Text © Shruthi Rao, 2025. Image © Srinidhi Srinivasan, 2025.

Shruthi Rao – When Science Stood Still: How S. Chandrasekhar Predicted the Existence of Black Holes (10/14/2025) – While this book is about perseverance, what it also is about the art of knowing when to let go. Chandra could have ruined his mental health and career trying for decades to get others to see that he was right. Instead, he chose to write about his discovery, and then step away from it to work on other things. And then he waited for the world to catch up with him and see he was right. I think this is a valuable skill/attitude that children should learn.

Text © Carla Mooney, 2025. Image © Lex Cornell, 2025.

Carla Mooney – Engineering: How the Six Simple Machines Support the World (10/15/2025) – The format of this book includes activities and projects at the end of each chapter. I think these are a great way to bring simple machines to life in a hands-on way! Plus, I had a lot of fun creating and doing these activities myself!

Text © Melissa Stewart, 2025. Image © Marta Alvarez Miguens, 2025.

Melissa Stewart – From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom’s Never-ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU (10/28/2925) – Physical science topics like atoms and molecules and the carbon cycle can seem intimidating, so in this book, I’ve worked hard to make it fun and relevant to kids’ everyday lives.

It’s exciting to imagine all the places a carbon atom that’s in our body might have been over billions of years—a volcano, a pumpkin, a seashell, a maple tree, and even toilet paper. I hope young readers come away from this book with an appreciation for the magic and mystery of the world around us.  

These are all such great books with stunning photographs and awesome 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?

Megan Clendenan – Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault (10/14/2025) – When I wrote Just in Case, the most challenging part was crafting the words to explain why it’s important to save seeds. There was a lot of complex science about climate change, seed varieties, and farming practices to parse out in only a few pages. I wanted the story to be exciting and fascinating for readers, and set the stage for the importance of building the seed safe. That was a big challenge! I wrote those few pages many, many times before I landed on a version I felt worked.

Jennifer Swanson – 3 Weeks in the Rain Forest A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon (10/14/2025) – The most difficult part of writing this book was that I was not able to visit Chicago to talk to the scientists in person because I was writing this during the pandemic. I think if I would have been able to talk to several of them at once, as a team, the research might have been a bit easier. Also, because of the pandemic, this book’s publishing date was postponed more than once. Unfortunately, that means that some of the scientists that I featured are no longer working for the Field Museum. It’s totally fine that this happened, I just wish that I could visit with them now and talk to them about their book.

Shruthi Rao – When Science Stood Still: How S. Chandrasekhar Predicted the Existence of Black Holes (10/14/2025) – The hardest part was definitely distilling the very difficult science of astrophysics into simple words, while retaining accuracy. And to do that, I had to understand the science of stars thoroughly, with no room for mistake.

I also had to choose how much detail to put in. Too much detail, and it would have become too heavy and wordy. Too little detail, and there wouldn’t be any context at all. Striking the right balance was incredibly hard.

It is a well-known fact that World War II accelerated the progress of science and technology. The science of stars was one of those fields that progressed in leaps and bounds. How would I bring this up without glorifying the War? I had to use language carefully to convey what I wanted to say.

Carla Mooney – Engineering: How the Six Simple Machines Support the World (10/15/2025) – Would you believe me if I told you that I hated physics in high school?  I remember the class being so dull and falling asleep during ancient black and white movies (that used a film projector!) Over the years, however, I’ve come to realize that my teenage self was a little too quick to judge. Now I know that physics can actually be pretty interesting!

Melissa Stewart – From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom’s Never-ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU (10/28/2925) – There was SO MUCH research I didn’t get to include! When I began working on this book, I thought I was going to trace the path of the star of the story—a carbon atom—through every single object and creature it has been part of over billions of years. But there just isn’t room for that in a 32-page picture book. In the end, I had to choose key moments to highlight and collapse time.

Thank you for sharing this with us. You definitely all succeeded in overcoming each of these challenges. Are there any upcoming projects that you are working on now that you can share a tidbit with us?

Megan Clendenan – I have two upcoming middle-grade non-fiction books in the works! I can’t share more details at this point, but they will release in 2027 and then 2028.

Jennifer Swanson – At the moment, I am knee-deep in researching everything about Aliens! It’s such a COOL topic . One my say that I’m out-of-this-world excited to be writing about it. My book, How to Talk to an Alien, Should you Ever Meet One is slated to be out in 2027 from Harper Collins. The book focuses on aliens, astrobiology, and linguistics. It’s going to be a guide for kids to discover and develop their own “language” to talk to aliens – or as a metaphor perhaps for how we can learn to talk to others here on our planet.

Shruthi Rao –  I’m going out on sub with a middle-grade novel-in-verse that I am very excited about.

Carla Mooney – I’m very excited about a book on the carbon cycle that is scheduled for release in 2026. It was really fun to dive into the cycle and examine how each part is interconnected with the others. I can’t wait to share it!

Melissa Stewart – YES! I’m very excited to have a new book with illustrator Sarah S. Brannen coming out in March 2026. Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal is a feast for the eyes, and it features lyrical, info-packed poems that compare two common North American butterflies.

Many people think that all butterflies live like monarchs, but many don’t. Mourning cloaks are a perfect example.

They live in forests, not fields.

They eat tree sap, not flower nectar.

And they hibernate through the winter rather than migrating to a warmer place.

Here’s a sneak peek at the opening spread:

 Text © Melissa Stewart, 2025. Image © Sarah S. Brannen, 2025.

Sarah raised butterflies and drew them from life, making the book both stunningly beautiful and completely accurate.

How exciting and intriguing, best of luck with them. We will have to keep our eyes open for these books. And thanks Melissa for the sneak preview! Last question, what animal or natural feature (place) do you want to learn more about? Why?

Megan Clendenan – I would love to learn more about the ocean ecosystem. The oceans are so important for the health of our planet!

Jennifer Swanson – I absolutely want to visit Australia! I’ve had several FB friends go there recently. I excitedly followed their trips through their amazing photos and adventures. Going to Australia and seeing a koala bear (or holding one) is definitely on my bucket list!

Shruthi Rao –  How much time do you have? :)

If I had to choose one, it would be mountains, I think. I’m currently fascinated by them.

Carla Mooney – That’s a tough one – there’s so much out there that I’d like to explore and

learn about!  Lately, I’ve been interested in learning more about South America and, in particular, Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains. I’m trying to convince my husband that we need to take a trip there!

Melissa Stewart – Oh wow, my list is so, so, SO long. The world is bursting with all kinds of wonderful features and critters. I’m going to say the jerboa. It’s my favorite animal in my recent book Meet the Mini-mammals: A Night at the Natural History Museum, and kids really love it too.

Every time I share the book during school visits, when I turn to the double-page spread with the jumping jerboa, I hear a chorus of voices: “Awww! It’s so cute!”

And I couldn’t agree more. The itty-bitty desert-dwellers really are uber-adorable.

NOW, let me take a moment to introduce you to these amazing STEAM books!

 Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault by Megan Clendenan, illustrated by Brittany Cicchese (Charlesbridge 10/14/2025) - Combining a lovely lyrical main text with ingeniously incorporated sidebars of factual information, this magnificent picture book explores the ecological and societal need to preserve seeds against disasters, climate change, and war. Stunning illustrations offset the beautiful and stark Arctic's blue, purple, and silver shades with the warm primary colors of the earth and warmer climates where the seeds come from. It provides a fascinating look at the creation and maintenance of the Svalbard Vault, as well as the measures that scientists and citizens are undertaking to collect, catalogue, and maintain a backup of the world's seeds. Back matter describes the continuing challenges of protecting the seeds, additional information on the Svalbard seed bank (including deposits and necessary withdrawals), and includes a call to action to plant and preserve our own seeds.

Synopsis: Psst . . . Guess what? 800 miles from the North Pole, buried deep in a mountain, the Svalbard Seed Vault holds priceless treasure. Seeds!

Perfect for 5-8-year-old future conservationalists, this is a fascinating glimpse into a unique conservation collection, highlighting the importance of natural resources and protecting planet Earth.

On the Arctic island of Spitsbergen in Norway, polar bears roam and there are no gardens, forests, or fields. But buried deep underground, the Svalbard Seed Bank protects more than 580 million seeds with plenty of room for more.

How and why was the vault built? What's it like inside? How does the vault protect the seeds? Learn about the rescue of the greatest treasure on earth--seeds for our food.

An inside look into the storage and history of one of our most important natural resources and how this collection can save our future.

3 Weeks in the Rain Forest A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon by Jennifer Swanson (Charlesbridge 10/14/2025) -With a vivid, engaging narration, Jennifer Swanson transports the reader into the Andes-Amazon region of Colombia, to join the "Rapid Inventory-30" survey team as they set up the campsites and each team (herpetology, bird, mammal, and fish) explores, catalogues, and collects samples day and night for three weeks. Making discoveries and having a few close calls (a venomous snake in the latrine). As well as highlighting the community building work of the social team as it surveys and connects the community members and indigenous peoples in a shared goal to protect the area. Stunning photos of the expedition, the team and community members, and the species encountered add to the realistic account of the threats and hopes for this special area. It's a wonderful peek at an area rarely seen by outsiders and a call for everyone to help protect this place and the environments all around them.

Synopsis: A women-led team of scientists protect the Amazon rainforest from destruction as readers get a firsthand account of real-life fieldwork in action.

A compelling, nonfiction, photo-illustrated STEM read for 8-12-year-olds who aspire to be future scientists, environmentalists, and conservationists!

Over 22 years, a team of scientists from the Field Museum in Chicago has helped conserve 28.9 million acres of the Amazon rainforest. Follow the team as they race to gather data over three precious weeks in the field.

During rapid inventory, information is gathered in two ways:

Biologists trek through mud and rain and count every animal and plant they see, recording everything that flies, swims, crawls, slithers, or walks. They then look at key plant and animal groups to assess the health of the ecosystem.

Social scientists visit villages, speaking with local people about their desires and goals for the land, as each community has developed its own way of taking care of its environment.

The team then makes a compelling, evidence-based case for conservation.

Developed in partnership with the Field Museum, this action-packed book focuses on Rapid Inventory 30, which is conducted in Colombia with the help of local and Indigenous scientists and community members.

When Science Stood Still: How S. Chandrasekhar Predicted the Existence of Black Holes by Shruthi Rao, illustrated by Srinidhi Srinivasan (McElderry/S&S 10/14/2025) - Gorgeously illustrated, this thought-provoking biography of a young Indian scientist who, as a young man, discovered the fate of some stars - death and disappearance (or black holes) - in 1931. Though ridiculed by British scientists, he never gave up on his theory, but he opted to focus on teaching and other aspects of theoretical astrophysics, "while the science of stars stood still." While he was recognized with multiple awards for other discoveries and theories, it took forty years for science and scientists to catch up to him. This is a wonderful tribute to S. Chandrasekhar and an important reminder to care for ourselves.

Synopsis: Discover the remarkable true story about the man who discovered the science of black holes and persisted in his theories against the disbelief of the scientific community in this nonfiction picture book perfect for fans of Counting the Stars and What Miss Mitchell Saw.

When scientists get things right, science leaps forward. When they get things wrong, they learn from their mistakes, and science continues to advance. But sometimes, even when scientists get it right, nobody pays attention. Then, for a while, science stands still.

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was a brilliant scientist with eyes fixed toward the stars. As a young man, he developed the theory that would eventually lead to the discovery of black holes. But when he presented his findings to the world’s leading Western scientists, they scoffed at his ideas. Chandra knew he was right. But would anyone listen?

Learn the true story of a relentless scientist and his cosmic discovery that had to wait for science to change its mind.

Engineering: How the Six Simple Machines Support the World by Carla Mooney, illustrated by Lex Cornell (Nomad Press 10/15/2025) - Using a conversational voice, this is an interesting evaluation of the historical and modern uses of six simple machines (inclined planes, levers, pulleys, screws, wedges, and wheels and levers) and the mathematics and science behind them. Photos and mini bios combine with sidebars containing "key questions," QR codes, and a unique take on vocabulary (Vocab Lab) - leading the kids through activities to decipher the larger words. It also provides an explanation of the scientific method, engineering design, and "Inquire & Investigate" hands-on experiments for each machine and culminates by putting them all together to make a Rube Goldberg machine. It's a great resource for exploring and comparing historic and modern engineering, anyone interested in engineering and how things work, and a fun source for projects using these machines.

Synopsis: How do we build skyscrapers? How did ancient people construct pyramids? Why are gears an essential part of motors?

In Engineering: How the Six Simple Machines Support the World, young engineers learn how mechanical, structural, civil, and other types of engineering are based on the six simple machines that humans have been using for thousands of years. The screw, pulley, wedge, wheel and axle, inclined plane, and lever are used to build roads, skyscrapers, bridges, engines, and even other tools. They are the building blocks on which more complicated machines are based. Without these six simple machines, the world would look far different and be much more work to navigate!

Dive deep into the history of simple machines, from ancient times to present day, and learn the physics behind how they increase efficiency and productivity through mechanical advantage. Hands-on STEM activities encourage use of the engineering design process as kids brainstorm and build practical prototypes and explore how we might employ simple machines in the future.

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.

From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom’s Never-ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Marta Alvarez Miguens (Charlesbridge 10/28/2925) – Written as a humorous and conversational address to the reader, the book follows a charming carbon atom with big eyes and arms as it -BAM - smashes deep into Earth's mantle, erupts from a volcano, and is turned into glucose by the leaf of a prehistoric plant. Fun illustrations zoom in on the leaf, trace the atom's progress through a dinosaur who ate the leaf, and then show the atom as a part of a clam shell, toilet paper, and finally maple syrup on a pile of pancakes eaten by a child. Until, with a deep breath, the child BURPS out it. Extensive back matter delves into questions on carbon and atoms, deftly explains and illustrates the carbon cycle, discusses fossil fuels and climate change, and includes author's and illustrator's notes on creating the book. It's a really entertaining introduction to molecules and the carbon cycle.

Synopsis: Follow a carbon atom on its incredible adventure over billions of years. It’s been part of many things—from early volcanic gases, to plants that dinosaurs devoured, to your breakfast burp!

By award-winning children’s author Melissa Stewart, this epic nonfiction picture book for 5-8-year-olds is a perfect blend of science and history that STEM-seekers will eat up!

Long ago, the young Earth crashed into a smaller body called Theia. Matter blasted through space, and the carbon atom was trapped deep inside Earth until a volcano erupted, thrusting tons of ash and gases—including the carbon atom—high into the sky.

Over millions of years, the carbon atom has been part of all kinds of things, including plants and dinosaurs, eggshells and seashells, a lump of coal, and even a sheet of toilet paper! Not long ago, it became part of a towering maple tree and then a drop of maple syrup. Just imagine that the syrup ended up on YOUR pancakes and then inside your body. And when you let out a deep breath, the carbon left your lungs, met up with a blast of gas from your stomach, and . . . BURP!

You never know where a carbon atom will go next. . . . Get ready to take off on a wild ride, From BAM! to BURP!

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:

Megan Clendenan – Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Vault (Charlesbridge 10/14/2025) –

Website: https://www.meganclendenan.com/

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

Jennifer Swanson – 3 Weeks in the Rain Forest A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon (Charlesbridge 10/14/2025) - 

Website: https://jenniferswansonbooks.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenSwanBooks

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

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

Shruthi Rao – When Science Stood Still: How S. Chandrasekhar Predicted the Existence of Black Holes (McElderry/S&S 10/14/2025) – 

Website: https://www.shruthi-rao.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/shrurao

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shruthi.rao.writes

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

Carla Mooney – Engineering: How the Six Simple Machines Support the World (Nomad Press 10/15/2025) –

Website: https://www.carlamooney.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlawrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moonwriter25/

Melissa Stewart – From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom’s Never-ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU (Charlesbridge 10/28/2925) –

Website: https://www.melissa-stewart.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.stewart.33865

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

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