Celebrate Science

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2012-02-03T03:34:00.011-05:00

1. People aren’t the only animals with opposable thumbs. Chimps, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans have them, too. They’re our closest relatives in the animal world.

2. Most of the monkeys in Africa and Asia have opposable thumbs and big toes. Monkeys in Central and South America have only opposable big toes, so their hands can’t grip, grab, or grasp like yours.

3. Which body part takes the most brain power to control? It’s not your heart or your lungs. It’s your thumbs.

4. As your hands push, pull, pinch, and poke, nearly 35,000 sensors in your skin collect information about the outside world. Each one is at the tip of a long, stringy nerve that carries messages to your brain.

5. When you talk to people, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on their hands. When people keep their hands open, with the palms up, they feel friendly and are probably telling the truth. If people hide their hands or have their palms down, they could be lying. Or they might be feeling angry or worried. And if you see a clenched fist . . . RUN!

Looking for more Gross and Goofy Body facts? Check out my book Give Me a Hand: The Secrets of Hands, Feet, Arms, and Legs. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: Let’s Get Real!

2012-02-01T03:18:00.003-05:00

In recent years, I’ve read a plethora of articles and blog posts about the name “nonfiction.” Although I’ve never been too upset that the books I write are identified as “not something else (fiction)”, it’s got lots of folks all hot and bothered. And let’s face it, keeping the differences between the two similar sounding names--fiction and nonfiction--can be confusing to young kids who are just beginning to read.

To solve the problem, some librarians are now using the term “information” book. But not everyone likes that name either. Some people think it sounds, well, not all the interesting and exciting. They say nonfiction has much more to offer than just information.

Other suggestions include true books (as opposed to fake books, I guess) and real books and fact books. But none of these has really stuck.

Recently, Marc Aronson, who has long been advocating a name change, proposed “reality book.” Of all the ideas I’ve heard, this one seems the most appealing to me. I like the obvious connection to the currently uber-popular reality TV phenomenon, and I like that it avoids the problems of simply calling nonfiction “real” books or “true” books.

What do you think?

Cool Clouds: Looking Forward to Cloudy Days

2012-01-30T05:09:00.007-05:00

Remember those long, lazy summer days from your childhood? Remember lying on the ground, looking up at shape-shifting clouds, and looking for recognizable outlines? A frog. A fish. A unicorn.

It’s been a long time since I’ve done that. But it wasn’t too long ago that I marveled at the fluffy cumulus clouds standing out against a pure blue summer sky as I drove along a wide, open highway.

We’re most likely to notice clouds in summer. And we’re most likely to appreciate the scattered cumulus variety. But take a look at this wintery stratus sheet. It’s lovely too. Really beautiful.

February is supposedly the cloudiest month here in New England. Most years I dread it. I’m glad it’s just 28 days. But this year is leap year, and I’m looking forward to every, single cloudy day—even that extra one.

Friday Fun: Crazy for Cactus

2012-01-27T17:28:00.039-05:00

While I was in California earlier this month, I went crazy with my camera’s macro lens. What was the special occasion?

Cactus. It was the first time I’d ever seen cactus plants growing in their natural setting.

I was amazed by the diversity of cactus species I encountered, so I thought I’d share some of my photos with you today.

Hope you like them.

Behind the Books: A New Year, A New Direction

2012-01-25T04:01:00.000-05:00

I didn’t make any New Year’s resolutions a month ago. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking a lot about my goals for 2012 and beyond.

Each January, I make a list of goals for the year. Some I accomplish, and some I don’t. I design the list that way on purpose. There are always a few over-the-top, pie-in-the-sky ideas that I just want to put out there in the Universe.

This year I’ve been looking back as well as forward. December 2011 marked my twentieth anniversary as a professional writer. I still remember how excited I was to see that first check—even if it was only $4.00.

This year, 2012, marks the fifteenth anniversary of my first book acceptance. In 2012, I have twenty-one new books coming out. That’s the most titles I’ve ever published in a single year. And one of them will be my 150^th book. I’m not sure which one because some of the release dates are still in flux.

But going forward, I think things are going to change for me. The future I've currently mapped out for myself includes publishing fewer books, and in some cases, different kinds of books.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has put so much emphasis on math and language arts that science instruction is now limited in many elementary schools and nonexistent in some. I’m deeply concerned about this shift. In recent years, I’ve worked hard to develop activities that integrate science and language arts with the hope that teachers can sneak a little more science into their lesson plans.

Teachers responded so enthusiastically that I began thinking about a pie-in-the-sky idea--writing a book for teachers that includes some of my ideas. And now, thanks to Stenhouse Publishing, I've achieved that over-the-top goal.

I’ll be spending most of 2012 writing a pair of books that present a new way of teaching elementary science. And there are likely be more similar booksinthe future.

The two books, one for grades K-2 and one for grades 3-5, I'm working on now will support the new Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and the new Framework for K-12 Science Education. And most importantly from my point of view, they will immerse students in high-quality children’s literature.

The children’s books I select will be deftly integrated into inquiry-based lessons that include a range of engaging, minds-on activities and will appeal to students at various points on the multiple intelligences spectrum. In many cases, the lessons will get students outdoors, experiencing the wide world and all its wonders. Can you tell how excited I am?

Although it will be hard to put my children’s writing on hold, I’m really looking forward to this new opportunity. 2012 is going to be a landmark year.

Cool Clouds: A Snowy Sky

2012-01-23T04:24:00.005-05:00

We haven’t seen much of clouds like these so far this winter. I may not love shoveling, but I was more than happy to see this sky full of gray stratus clouds on Saturday morning. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2012-01-20T03:30:00.011-05:00

1. Your body has more than 200 bones. During a simple stroll down the street, you use at least one hundred bones.

2. Bones are five times stronger than steel, but they don’t weigh as much as you might think. Your skeleton makes up only about 16 percent of your body’s total weight.

3. Without the three itty-bitty bones inside each ear, you couldn’t hear a thing. On of them, the stapes, is the smallest bone in your body.

4. The mandible, or lower jaw, is the strongest bone in your body.

5. During the day, gravity pushes down on your body, and the bones in your spine smoosh together. But as you sleep lying down, the spaces between the bones in your spine increase. So by morning, you’re about 0.5 inches (1.2 centimeters) taller.

Looking for more Gross and Goofy Body facts? Check out my book Moving and Grooving: The Secrets of Muscles and Bones. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Sunny Santa Barbara

2012-01-18T05:08:00.050-05:00

Earlier this month, I was on the faculty of an SCBWI writer’s retreat held at a mission-turned-retreat center in Santa Barbara, BA.

I enjoyed getting to know fellow faculty member Kathi Appelt, organizer Alexis O’Neil, and many of the writers who attended the retreat, which featured an all-day critique session, three 30 minute presentations, and two First Pages panels.

Wow! I’m exhausted just writing about it.

Even though we’ve had a mild winter in New England, I felt incredible lucky to spend a few wonderful days in the presence of the California sun.

Here’s a photo of the retreat center at the back of the mission’s property.

Here’s the view from my room.

And after all the attendees left, this is the area I looked out across as I snuck in a few hours of writing on the terrace outside the dining center. What an inspiration!

Friday Fun: A Perfect Pair

2012-01-13T09:17:00.029-05:00

Now that the heart of winter is here, it’s just the right time to share perhaps the most obvious fiction-nonfiction pairing I’ve ever come across. My book Under the Snow and Kate Messner’s new title Over and Under the Snow are indeed a perfect pair.

In Over and Under the Snow an adult and child cross-country ski through a winter forest wonderland, they discuss and imagine what’s happening under the feet. Messner’s spare, poetic text is enriched by and Christopher Silas Neal’s woodcut-like illustrations rendered in a lovely gray/brown/ice-blue palette.

Using clear, simple language and beautiful watercolors in muted tones, Under the Snow offers young readers a lyrical look at the surprising ways animals living in fields, forests, ponds, and wetlands spend the chilly winter months. Some fish and insects rest, but others stay active. Voles spend their days burrowing through the snow. Red-spotted newts dodge and dart, whiz and whirl just below the ice.

Discussion Questions
• What do the two books have in common. [They are both about how animals survive in winter.]
• How are they different? [One is fiction and focuses on a winter forests. The other is nonfiction and looks at life in four different habitats.]
• Discuss what makes one book fiction and one nonfiction.
• Ask students to review what they have learned about animals’ winter behavior from these two books.

Related Activities
Materials: Notebooks in plastic bags, pencils, black construction paper, magnifying glasses
If you live in a place where it snows, take the students out while snow is falling. Have the students catch snowflakes on black construction paper and look at them with a magnifying glass. Ask the students to make detailed drawings of the snowflakes in a notebook. When the class goes back inside, have students share their drawings with one another. Ask the students how the snowflakes are similar? How are they different? Make a list of their responses.

Materials: Notebooks or drawing paper, pencils, a digital camera, field guide to animal tracks
If you live in a place where it snows, ask students to look for animal footprints after a new snow. Suggest that they draw or photograph the prints and bring them to school. Using the book Big Tracks, Little Tracks: Following Animal Prints by Millicent Selsam (HarperCollins, 1998) or a field guide to animal tracks, try to identify the creatures that made the footprints.

Behind the Books: Real Revision

2012-01-11T03:38:00.035-05:00

Tanya Lee Stone. Susan Goodman. Loree Griffin Burns. Jim Murphy. You know these folks. They’re some of the biggest names in nonfiction for kids.

They’re also four of the thirty or so authors featured in Real Revision by award-winning children’s book author Kate Messner. The book is such a gem that you’ll definitely want your very own copy.

Real Revision is published by Stenhouse Publisher, which caters to educators, so this book is written specifically for teachers. That makes it great for all you educators out there. But I know plenty of writers also read this blog. This book is a MUST READ for you, too.

Some chapters focus on fiction-specific revision strategies, but the lion share of the book is useful to nonfiction writers as well. Here are few of my favorite quotations from nonfiction writers.

Kelly Fineman on why she takes time away from a manuscript between writing the rough draft and delving into the revisions:

“It could be as little as half an hour or as long as a year, but I need to have established some sort of distance from it in order to read it at least somewhat objectively and not like a doting author.”

Loree Griffin Burns on the importance of reading widely and carefully considering the structure of nonfiction writing:

“I pay close attention to the structure of the books I am reading all the time, and I compare and contrast them to the structure I’m working with. This is always helpful to me because it gives me confidence . . .or in some cases, helps me see why my own structure is not working.”

Susan Goodman on striking the right balance between sharing information and engaging readers while writing Life on the Ice:

“. . . I was trying to fit in so many facts that I had lost sight of what my book was all about—the excitement on exploration . . . So I sat down at my computer with an imaginary nine-year-old kid beside me. And I simply told that kid an adventure story—one where scientists were the explorers.”

Jim Murphy on finding the proper voice and storytelling technique for his Newbery Honor book The Great Fire.

“I read newspapers and personal recollections of the Chicago fire until I had absorbed the pace and language of the era. . . . I didn’t try to duplicate voices from the past, but I knew I had a faint echo of them in my style.”

Tanya Lee Stone on the importance of sensory details:

“. . . if I interview someone, I will note very specific things about the way they speak, move, dress, smell, etc. These details come in handy when writing a scene that needs to capture the real essence of a person.”

And these great bits or advice are just the tip of the iceberg. Trust me. This is a book you won’t want to miss.

Cool Clouds: Building a Community

2012-01-09T04:51:00.009-05:00

It’s another cloudy day, but I’m not complaining. Photos like this one are making an impact. People have started noticing my weekly chronicling of the sky outside my office window, and they ‘ve kept it in mind as they go about their business.

A few weeks ago, fellow children’s author Leslie Bulion came across the poem “Weatherman.” She knew I’d appreciate it and sent it may way:

My father was a skywatcher,
cloud-noter, wind-gauger,

trained since birth
to check the weather first thing
and last. In those last

dim years when all else had left
mind and memory, he’d still stare
keenly out the car window

as I drove him to neurologist
or podiatrist, and exclaim with joy and

satisfaction: Look at those clouds!
And I knew right then that watching the sky

was a good way to conduct a life--
that reading the outlines of clouds,

lifting a finger to the pulse of
breeze coming your way,

is what can hold you close,
clasp you tight to the thrum.

--Wendy Ingersoll

Thanks, Leslie. What other special treats have people be sending me? Stay tuned to find out.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2012-01-06T03:00:00.003-05:00

1. Your skin loses about fifty thousand dead cells every minute. That adds up to about three million cells every hour. No wonder dead skin is the main ingredient in household dust!

2. More than 11 miles (17.7 kilometers) of blood vessels crisscross your skin—and it’s a good thing, too. Your skin needs a never-ending flood of blood to live and grow.

3. Inside your skin 2 million sweat glands are constantly cranking out a fresh supply of sweat. Most days your sweat glands produce enough sweat to fill a 1-liter soda bottle. On really hot days you churn out ten times as much. That’s a lot of sweat!

4. More than 5 million short, thin strands grow on your arms and your legs and even on your back. Only three places don’t have hair—your lips, the palms of your hands, and the bottoms of your feet.

5. Your hair grows about 0.5 inches (1.2 centimeters) a month. At that rate it doesn’t take long to grow a new eyelash or an eyebrow hair. The hairs in your scalp can keep on growing for seven years or more.

Looking for more Gross and Goofy Body facts? Check out my book The Skin You’re In: The Secrets of Skin. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: Are Picture Books Too Short?

2012-01-04T05:54:00.019-05:00

One of the great things about the holiday slowdown is that it gave me extra time to catch up on other bloggers’ recent posts. One of the most interesting posts I came across was written by J.L. Bell over at Oz and Ends. It was a discussion of an article Anita Silver recently wrote for School Library Journal.

In it she notes that (1) picture book sales are in a slump compared to the 1990s and early years of the twenty-first century; (2) classic picture books seem to have stronger sales than recently published picture books; (3) in her opinion, contemporary picture books are suffering because there is too much emphasis on keeping texts brief.

I wrote a long comment on Oz and Ends, and I’ve continued to think about it. So I thought I’d share my ideas here.

First of all, are picture book sales really significantly lower than they were a decade ago? There’s no arguing that they represent a lower percentage of revenues (roughly 10-15 percent now vs. 30-40 percent in the 90s), but does that really mean people are buying fewer picture books.

A few years ago, Arthur Levine of Scholastic took a hard look at the actual numbers from his house. He also interviewed people with knowledge of the numbers at other major publishing houses. His conclusion was that PB sales are about the same as they were in the 1990s. The percentage is lower only because YA sales have exploded in the last decade.

Sure the PB market is tough right now, but so are the MG and YA markets. Editors are being cautious about all acquisitions, which is completely understandable given current economic conditions here and abroad.

Even when the economy is plugging along, it's no easy task to sell a children's manuscript. The simple truth is that there's more supply than demand--much more. I would imagine this is particularly true for picture books because they seem deceptively easy to write.

And there's another issue. It's easy enough to convert a novel to a digital format, but things get tricky when a book is loaded with color illustrations that do much of the storytelling. And publishers wonder if, going forward, those lovely illustrations will be enough. Will customers demand animated or otherwise enhanced picture books a few years from now? Since most editor are now acquiring for 2014, they are being very cautious. Who knows what the digital landscape will look like then?

So, back to today's PBs. Some of the most commercially successful recent picture books include Fancy Nancy, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and Bad Kitty. These books are clever and/or feed right into things kids are passionate about. And they all have brief texts. A breakout success this holiday season, Good Night, Good Night Construction Site, has a very short text, indeed.

Classic titles are certainly popular now, as they always have been. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is almost always near the top of lists in sales. But does it have a long text? Nope.

Frankly, it shouldn't surprise anyone that parents are buying books they remember fondly from their own childhoods.

One of the reasons classic PBs account for much of backlist sales is because many of the books being published today don’t get much of a chance to succeed. Due to high inventory costs, if a book isn’t an instance success, it will probably go out of print very quickly. And if a book isn’t available, people can't buy it and it has no chance of ending up on backlist bestseller lists.

As for bedtime reading, I know plenty of parents who read one short book, have a little discussion about it, and then kiss their child goodnight. As for story hours, surely librarians are capable of choosing two or three titles with some commonality to fill the time. My guess is that today's kids would enjoy hearing several books that are somehow related. But this belief is based on anecdotal evidence (reading to and with my own nieces and nephews), not hard data.

And perhaps that's my biggest gripe with Ms. Silvey's article. I don't see any stats to back up her thesis.

My favorite part of the SLJ article is the ending.

"We’re demographically moving into a new baby boom; already this year publishers are reporting more robust picture book sales than expected on new titles. And, in terms of quality, it’s been a particularly good year for new picture books. The optimist in me believes that the pendulum is already swinging back the other way."

Strong recent sales of new picture books and Ms. Silvey's claim that it's been an especially good, innovative year for picture books reflects my own belief that a great book can find an audience.

Sure, there are some low-quality celebrity books out there cluttering up the market, but I still believe that a great book--long or short or even wordless(Have you seen Red Sled by Lita Judge? It's ingenious!)--will eventually find an editor who falls in love with it and a publisher who is excited to launch it into the world.

Authors and illustrators may have to work hard and dig deep. They may have to be patient and persistent. To be sure, our profession is full of frustrations. But what profession isn't? And as far as I’m concerned, the rewards of writing for children far outweigh the frustrations.

So I'll keep on writing, and I'll keep on getting plenty of rejections. But sometimes my manuscripts will resonate with an editor and a marketing department. They will be published and maybe, just maybe, they'll inspire a child or change the way he or she views the world. What could be better than that?

Cool Clouds: In a Minute

2011-12-19T06:32:00.032-05:00

When I looked out the window and saw these lovely, low-lying cumulus clouds, I grabbed my camera. But it only took a moment--less than a minute, really--for me to realize they wouldn't be the topic of this post. Well, not exactly.

The most interesting thing I noticed wasn't the clouds themselves. It was how fast they were moving across the sky.

Using the second hand on my watch, I took these four images at 15 second intervals. See, what I mean? Those clouds are really zipping along.

I listened to our house creak and groan in the blustery breezes all night long. So I guess it's no surprise that the wind is still going strong today.

This series of images is a perfect example of why I'm loving this Cool Clouds blog strand. This is something I never would have noticed--or enjoyed--if I hadn't been paying extra attention to the world outside my window.

Happy Holidays, Everyone. I'll see you back here in 2012.

Friday Fun: STEM Friday

2011-12-16T03:09:00.016-05:00

What’s STEM? It’s an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and it’s used to describe anything—from curricula to careers to books—that draw on or explore those fields of study.

STEM Friday is a weekly online celebration of books and activities that explore themes of science, technology, engineering and math. Every Friday, book bloggers across the internet share their thoughts on STEM topics, and every Friday someone compiles the links to all their posts so that you can peruse them at your leisure.

Why am I telling you this? Because today is STEM Friday, and I’m the host.

If you are a contributor, leave me a link in the comments section. If you are a reader, check back throughout the day. I have no doubt my fellow STEM-sters will highlights some great titles.

First up is my own review of What’s for Dinner?: Quirky, Squirm Poems from the Animal World by Katherine B. Hauth, which gets two enthusiastic thumbs up from me.

Next up, we have Shirley Duke's new book Environmental Disasters over at Simply Science. Take a peek.

You should also check out Wrapped in Foil for a great review of Cybils nominee The Manatee Scientists by Peter Lourie. Thsi book is part of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's highly regarded Scientists in the Field series. Thanks, Roberta.

Behind the Books: What’s for Dinner?

2011-12-14T03:55:00.017-05:00

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reading through the books on this year’s National Science Teachers Association-Children’s Book Council Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students. I’ve enjoyed all the books so far, but one really stood out.

I admit that I’m a sucker for science poetry, especially funny science poetry. And readers of this blog know I love gross and goofy science facts. What’s for Dinner?: Quirky, Squirm Poems from the Animal World by Katherine B. Hauth is a book that delivers on both counts.

Here’s a petite appetizer:

“Finding food
is not a joke.
Living things must eat
or croak.”

The book features 29 poems that will make kids laugh out loud as they learn about the food chain, predator-prey relationships, animal defenses, symbiosis and more.

It looks like I’m not the only one who thinks this book is a real treat. The sometimes snarky folks at Kirkus gave What’s for Dinner? a starred review, and NC Teacher Stuff sums up the book's contents nicely: “This book is not for the faint of heart, which makes it perfect for older elementary and middle school students.”

Trust me. This is a book to add to your reading list.

Cool Clouds: Take a Look

2011-12-12T06:55:00.000-05:00

Nothing but blue skies all around me . . . at least today.

But I also wanted to share a fascinating image that I took last Tuesday or Wednesday.

It was a warm morning and fog blanketed the ground and hung in the air. Look how it showed up in this photo. Pretty cool, isn't it. But it didn't eally look this pink.

Photography is wonderful for capturing what we see most of the time, but sometimes it can't truly reflect the wonders of the natural world. It's a good reminder that Mother Nature is a boundlessly complex and untamable creature.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-12-09T01:07:00.000-05:00

When something stinks, you use muscles to wrinkle your nose. Muscles inside your nose sniff sweet scents—and nasty ones, too. And when you have a cold, they blow out slimy snot and crusty boogers.
When your sister tells a lie, you use muscles to raise one eyebrow. When the sun is too bright, you squint your eyes.
When you want to whistle a tune, you purse your lips. Muscles around and inside your mouth help you, too. You use them to talk, chew food, and stick out your tongue.
Six muscles work together to move your eyeballs up and down, right and left. And more muscles inside your eyeballs help you see.
Dozens of muscles take turns contracting and relaxing to tell other people how you feel. You use them to smile, scowl, and frown; to look scared or surprised; and to make goofy faces.

Looking for more Gross and Goofy Body facts? Check out my book Moving and Grooving: The Secrets of Muscles and Bones. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: Festival of Trees

2011-12-07T02:21:00.034-05:00

I have fantastic news. My book Under the Snow has been included in this year’s Family Trees Festival at the Concord Museum in Concord, Massachusetts.

A group of ladies from the Concord Council on Aging got together and sewed all kinds of wonderful animal ornaments for the tree.

Take a look. There’s a fish, a turtle, a beaver, a hibernating chipmunk and lots of ladybugs.

The tree looks even better in person than it does in these photos.

If you live in the Concord area, you can see my tree and about two dozen others until the end of the year. On December 15 from 5-8 p.m., a bunch of local authors will be at the museum talking about or books and signing copies.

Stop by if you can. And bring your kids. They’ll be mesmerized.

Cool Clouds: More Warm, Fair Days

2011-12-05T01:02:00.007-05:00

I can’t remember a year when it’s been so consistently warm this late in the year. Most days still boast temperatures in the high 40s or 50s. The gorgeous cumulus clouds outside my window today are harbingers of more warm, fair days.

I’d like to say winter in New England just doesn’t get better than this. But the scientist in me is getting worried. Cold temperatures kill deer ticks and other creepy crawlies that cause a lot of trouble.

And that’s not all. Hardy New England trees can endure unseasonably warm winters from time to time, but not if warm winters become the norm. They need cold days to bud and leafout properly in spring.

Overtime, warm winters will kill the trees—not to mention all the creatures that depend on them. And since I’m one of those people who likes to breathe about 20 times a minute, I’m pretty fond of all the oxygen the trees around me provide.

Besides, if we don't get snow on our rooftops by December 25, Santa won't be able to land his sleigh.

Friday Fun: I’m Lichen It

2011-12-02T01:04:00.000-05:00

Behind the Books: Books for Sale

2011-11-30T01:34:00.009-05:00

I spent Saturday on Cape Cod, selling books at the Dennis-Yarmouth Women’s Club Holiday Fair.

Boy, do those ladies know how to put on a show! It was one of the most organized events I’ve seen in a long time, and shoppers showed up in droves.

I was very lucky to have a table close to the door, so everyone passed by me when they still had plenty of money in their pockets. That was a good thing for me because there were all kinds of fabulous crafters and artisans selling their wares, from jewelry and pottery and quilts to Christmas tree ornaments to homemade jams and some wonderful soaps that made the whole room smell wonderful.

It was a fabulous day. I met some great people, sold lots of books, and of course, I couldn’t resist doing some of my own holiday shopping.

Cool Clouds: A Hint of Blue

2011-11-28T01:11:00.002-05:00

Today we have a sky full of stratocumulus clouds with a promising triangle of blue off in the distance. Most of the time, these clouds don’t produce any rain. But they can be a sign of gusting winds in the near future.

Looks like we may be in for a blustery day.

Behind the Books: Quarantined Kindergarteners

2011-11-23T05:34:00.001-05:00

Over the last ten years, I’ve done plenty of live, in-person school visits. And in the last couple of years, I’ve gotten the hang of Skype school visits. But recently I did something completely new.

See all those empty chairs on the left of the photo? Those seats were supposed to be filled with kindergarteners.

See the screen behind the student performers? It’s bursting with eager kindergarteners. They’re Skyping us from down the hall.

Sound crazy? Here’s the deal. The day before my visit, a couple of kindergarteners were diagnosed with pneumonia. So the entire kindergarten was under quarantine. Those poor kids couldn’t leave their classroom, and I couldn’t go in. But thanks to the magic of technology, the clever teachers at Hampstead Academy came up with a solution.

Because I’ve Skyped before, I thought I could handle this. But there were a few surprises. The biggest one was that the first and second graders in the room with me missed their kindergarten friends. And it was so exciting to see them on the screen. So all through my program, they kept saying hi and waving to each other.

I tried to stop them.

Their teachers tried to stop them.

Even the principal tried to stop them.

But what can I say, the temptation was just too great. They technology was too exciting. They couldn’t stop themselves. But after a while, the novelty wore off or maybe I was so engaging they managed to focus on the presentation.

It was a fun—and educational—day, and that’s my favorite kind.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone. I'll be back on Monday.

Cool Clouds: Wow!

2011-11-21T04:15:00.011-05:00

Wow, look at those beautiful clouds crisscrossing the sky! It’s photos like this that make me remember why I started this project—so I’d pay more attention to the world around me.

If I hadn’t looked out the window because I knew I needed an image for my blog, I probably would have missed this amazing morning sky. I’m glad I didn’t.

So what kind of clouds are these? Good question. And I’m not sure I have an answer.

They look cirrus-y, but some of them are much too low to be cirrus. I’m guessing they’re a combination of cirrus and cirrostratus. But there might also be some altocumulus thrown in there. I need a cloud expert.

Or maybe I don’t. Maybe for today, I’ll be satisfied by just enjoying their beauty. Naming things can help us understand them, but we won’t care about understanding them if we don’t take the time to celebrate their wonder.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-11-18T01:57:00.000-05:00

Sneezing is your nose’s way of ousting irritating invaders—like pepper, dust, germs, and even itty-bitty bugs. It’s just one of many built-in defense systems that protects your delicate insides and keeps you healthy. Your body’s other dutiful defenders include earwax, vomit, boogers, and spit.
Don’t worry if your pet iguana sneezes. It’s just getting rid of extra salts that have built up inside its body.
Each sneeze thrusts about 40,000 tiny droplets of spit and snot out of your body. The spray explodes out of your nose and mouth at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour and may travel as far as 30 feet. It’s a quick, easy way to get irritating invaders out of your body.
When Donna Griffiths was twelve years old, she started sneezing. And she didn’t stop for almost 3 years! Doctors estimate that she sneezed more than 300,000 times in a row.

When you cough, air bursts out of your body at speeds of up to 760 miles per hour. Sometimes people cough so hard that they break one of their ribs.

Looking for more Gross and Goofy Body facts? Check out my book Germ Wars: The Secrets of Fighting Invaders. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: Doing a Happy Dance

2011-11-16T01:25:00.000-05:00

Look where you can find my three fall titles—in this awesome display now at 700 Barnes & Noble stores across the country. Woo-hoo!

Cool Clouds: Sensational Cirrus

2011-11-14T04:17:00.004-05:00

These are the first cirrus clouds I’ve photographed as part of the Cool Clouds project. So I was more than ready to plunge into research mode.

It turns out cirrus is a Latin word that means “curling lock of hair.” I’m not sure of cirrus clouds really resemble ringlets of hair, but I guess someone thought they do.

We see cirrus clouds when tiny water droplets form high in the atmosphere—above 16,500 feet to be exact.

Lots of cirrus clouds can mean the weather is about to change, usually for the worse. But random, scattered cirrus clouds like the ones out my window aren’t much use in weather forecasting.

Oh well. They’re still lovely.

Behind the Books: Thinking About Habitats

2011-11-09T02:04:00.066-05:00

I’ve been thinking a lot about habitats lately. One of my favorite hiking spots features two very different habitats—a woodland and a pond—and each one has provided a special experience that eventually led to a book.

So today I’m going to share a video about that very special place and a list of some of my favorite children’s book about habitats.

I See a Kookaburra: Discovering Animal Habitats Around the World—Steve Jenkins and Robin PageLike all of Jenkins’s books, this one offers a combination of glorious cut paper collages and clear, concise text. It also has a fun, interactive game-like quality that invites participation. I See a Kookaburra introduces children to six of the world’s habitats and some of the animals that live in them. As an added challenge, and to make the point that ants live all over the world, one of these insects is hidden in each scene. Rich backmatter with maps rounds out the presentation. School Library Journal calls the book “A first-rate foray into ecology that will encourage readers to explore the world around them,” and I couldn’t agree more.

One Small Place in a Tree—Barbara Brenner

Some habitats are huge—a savanna, a forest, an ocean, but this book celebrates the wonders of a hidden microhabitat—a hole in a tree. As a bear sharpens her claws on a tree trunk, she unknowingly begins a chain of natural events that, over time, form a tree hole home for a menagerie of forest creatures, from salamanders and tree frogs to a family of white-footed mice. Lyrical prose and highly detailed, realistic illustrations bring the world beneath the bark to life for young readers.

The Salamander Room—Anne Mazer (illus Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher)The Salamander Room is a gentle tale with an important message. A boy finds a salamander in the woods and asks his mom if he can keep it. Instead of saying “no,” she asks him questions that encourage him to think about what the salamander needs to survive and, ultimately, to realize on his own that he cannot create an adequate home for the salamander in his bedroom. Lush, shadowy paintings perfectly capture the mood of the boy’s increasingly elaborate plans for transforming his room into a suitable habitat for the little amphibian.

Redwoods—Jason Chin

Clear, straightforward text provides wonderfully detailed information about redwoods and the microhabitats they support. But the art offers more—pure magic. It gives readers a peek into the imagination of a boy reading a book about towering redwood trees. The journey begins in a New York City subway car, but transports the boy—and the readers—into a redwood forest where climbing gear appears at just the right moment, allowing readers to scale a giant tree and take a look around. It’s not often that a picture book shares fascinating science content and simultaneously promotes curiosity and fosters imagination, but this book does it all.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest—Lynne Cherry

In this breathtakingly beautiful picture book, a man falls asleep while chopping down a kapok tree in a Brazilian rainforest. As he naps, a variety of forest creatures and finally a child whisper in his ear, explaining why the trees and the forest is so important. When the man awakens, he gets up and goes home without completing his task. Thus, the book shows readers the lushness and beauty of the forest habitat and explains its importance in a way that will resonate strongly with children. Rich, vivid endpapers include a map of the world's tropical forests and the amazing array of Amazon wildlife.

Song of the Waterboatman and Other Pond Poems—Joyce Sidman (illus Beckie Prange)

This collection, illustrated with striking woodcuts, features science facts combine with vivid poems about pond life through the seasons. Focusing on one pond creature or plant per spread, Sidman employs a variety of age-appropriate poetic forms to bring the habitat and its inhabitants to life for readers. The poems will certainly engage children, and the rich prose sidebars are chockful of background information sprinkled with fascinating tidbits. After reading this elegant, inspiring title, children will be begging for a field trip to the nearest pond, so they can see nature’s wonders for themselves.

Frog in a Bog—John Himmelann

This cleverly conceived circular story begins with a frog jumping off a fern and ends with a frog (presumably the same little critter) jumping back onto a fern. In between, readers follow a chain of events that introduces young readers to wetland inhabitants and clearly explains their interdependence. Accurate, detailed watercolors show the bog and its residents in their true glory, and field guide-like backmater will encourage young explorers to observe and identify at the animals living in nearby wetlands.

Hotel Deep: Light Verse from Dark Water—Kurt Cyrus
Engaging poetic text and lavish, detailed paintings plunge readers into the amazing world below the ocean’s wavy surface. As we follow a lost sardine searching for its companions, we are treated to one glorious underwater scene after another. Some creatures hide and others hunt, simultaneously introducing readers to predator-prey relationships and adding a sense of drama to the book. A thumbnail picture-glossary identifies about two-dozen ocean creatures. This is a great read-aloud title and a perfect choice for introducing a unit on the ocean.

One Night in the Coral Sea—Sneed B. Collard (illus Robin Brickman)
Coral reefs are one of the ocean’s most critical habitats, so it’s great to see a book that gets down to the bottom of it all, describing the lifecycle and behaviors of coral animals in detail. Brickman’s colorful three-dimensional artwork add wonderful textured layers to the coral-reef scenes. Try pairing this book with Colorful Captivating Coral Reefs by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent for even more amazing information about the cast of characters that call coral reefs home.

On Meadowview Street—Henry Cole

In this wonderful story, author-illustrator Henry Cole introduces us to curious, clever Caroline, a young girl who’s destined to become a scientist. Caroline wonders why her new home is on Meadowview Street, when there isn’t a meadow in sight. So when she spots a lone wildflower in her lawn, she asks her dad to mow around it and he does. Soon, her one-flower nature preserve has expanded to include the entire back yard. Then following Caroline’s lead, neighbors transform their yards too. Cole’s spare text and tender, acrylic paintings team up to tell the lovely story blooming with simplicity and energy.

Do you have your own favorite habitat book?

Cool Clouds: Contrails and Maples

2011-11-07T04:08:00.022-05:00

You can see glistening sunlight in this picture. And a bright blue sky. And the edge of a golden-leaved maple tree. But do you see a cloud?
Yes! As luck would have it, as I snapped this photo a plane was cruising across the sky, leaving behind a contrail. A contrail is a cloud—a stream of water vapor produced by exhaust from an aircraft’s engines. When the hot exhaust gases come into contact with the much cooler air, they condense into tiny water droplets and form a temporary cloud trail. Pretty cool.

I made sure to get just the edge of my maple in the contrail photo because I really want to talk about it today. Despite the terrible storm last week, the tree (left) still has most of its leaves.

I thought I remembered the tree losing it’s leaves right around Halloween, so I went back to my archive to find a photo of the tree from 2009 (below). That tree is almost bare.

The tree started to turn yellow at the same time both years. That means the tree is holding on to its leaves longer this year. I wonder why. Does it know something we don’t about the winter to come?

Friday Fun: Wonders of Nature

2011-11-04T01:47:00.000-04:00

During a recent hike through the swamp shown above, I spotted the beautiful little mushroom shown below. Isn’t it lovely?

Behind the Books: Inside Lightning

2011-11-02T11:12:00.016-04:00

My third fall title in the Inside series is Inside Lightning. Like its companion titles Inside Volcanoes and Inside Earthquakes, this book had a long and winding path to publication.

Originally, I proposed a book on wildfires. Then the publisher suggested a book on tsunamis instead. But finally, when all three titles became part of the Inside series, we agreed on lighting as a topic. And I’m really happy about that decision.

I’ve never written about lightning before, so I learned a lot during the research process. But my favorite part of the book is an interview I conducted with the two people who brought me into this world—my parents.

When I was just a toddler (and sound asleep), my parents both saw a lightning ball inside out house.

Here’s their story as it appears in the book:
“I saw a bluish-white ball of light float in through the open living room window,” said Dorothy. “It was the size of a basketball, and it blew a light bulb in a nearby lamp. My skin tingled as it slowly drifted to the middle of the room. Then it dropped toward the floor and disappeared.”

Bruce was in the basement. “I saw it come down through the ceiling almost right in front of my face. It didn’t make a hole or burn anything, but it did blow an overhead light. Then it slowly bobbed and floated across the room and faded away.”

Pretty spooky, huh? I wish I had seen it.

Inside Lightning even includes a photo of my parents in front of the house where I grew up. Obviously, that’s my favorite part of the book, but there’s lots of other great stories and information, too. And I really love the cover.

And now the best news of all. Inside Lightning got a starred review in yesterday's issue of Booklist. Woo-hoo!

Cool Clouds: What a Weekend

2011-10-31T08:08:00.000-04:00

So here are the clouds yesterday morning. They look friendly enough, right? Lots of blue sky. A little cumulus action. And indeed, it was a beautiful sunny day.

But the previous 24 hours were quite different. A surprise October snow and ice storm was hard on our trees, especially my favorite maple.

And look at our driveway. A tree landed on my husband's car, but miraculously, it did no damage. Seriously. Not even a scratch.

We lost our electricity for about 36 hours, but it's back now. And hopefully our phone service will be working again soon. What a weekend!

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-10-28T01:37:00.001-04:00

Messages travel along your nerves at up to 200 miles per hour.
Most of your cells live a few hours, days, or weeks. But some brain cells last a lifetime—and that’s lucky for you. Once they’re gone, you can’t replace them.
When nerves get squashed, they can’t send messages to your brain. And your foot “falls asleep.” When you stand up, your foot will tingle. It might even burn. But in just a few seconds, everything will be back to normal.
Whenever you run a race, jump rope, or ride your bike, you’re boosting your brainpower. After exercising, your mind is more settled. You feel better, and you can focus your attention more easily.
For thousands of years people all over the world thought the heart—not the brain—was the center of thoughts and feelings. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the American brain surgeon Wilder Penfield discovered which areas of the brain control each part of our bodies.
Looking for more Gross and Goofy Body facts? Check out my book You’ve Got Nerve: The Secrets of the Brain and Nerves. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: Ups and Downs and Ups

2011-10-26T01:44:00.040-04:00

Last week I started telling the story of a series Mary Kay Carson and I began working on in 2007, before it was postponed indefinitely. So what happened?

Finally, after three years of waiting (not so patiently), we got the good news/bad news email. The good news was that the books would be published and had even be scheduled. The “bad” news was that they would be published as part of a newly conceptualized series.

But as far as we were concerned, it was doubly good news. Because the new series would have gatefolds. How cool is that?

And there was even more good news. Our editor had returned, and would pick up where she had left off.So I delved into the research and planning stages of the project.

But guess what--it turns out writing a 48-page book with four vertical gatefolds and three horizontal gatefolds is a big challenge conceptually and organizationally.

Almost every spread has a page that folds up or out. Vertical photos or diagrams or features or tables are perfect for vertical gatefolds, but not so good for horizontal ones. So coming up with an outline involves much more than understanding the scientific concepts backward and forward, inside and out. I also had to constantly and carefully think about how readers will interact with the final book. I love new challenges, but honestly, there were some frustrating moments when it seemed like the books would never come together.

But finally they did. Inside Volcanoes and Inside Earthquakes were written, laid out, proofed endlessly, and finally made it to the printers. But then, there was another snafu. A major quake struck Japan in March 2011, and the marketing folks really wanted to add it to the book.

So Inside Earthquakes was pulled back and we quickly changed the very first gatefold image to highlight the recent quake. We also tweaked the text here and there to include mentions of it as appropriate. Then it went back to the printer and w all hoped there wouldn’t be another big quake too soon.

And now they’re finally out, and they look really great.

Cool Clouds: Cloud Quiz

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

Once again, we have some fine stratus clouds blanketing the sky. But look closely. They have a bit of a puff. That's a signal that they might break up and become cumulus clouds surrounded by lovely blue sky.

That brings to mind an interesting fact I recently came across. I've presented it here as a quiz. Let's see how you do?

Q: True or False? About 50 percent of all clouds produce rain.
A: False. Actually, only 10 percent of all clouds shower down on us.

Surprised? I was.

Friday Fun: Autumn Outings

2011-10-21T01:11:00.001-04:00

The Maine coast is lovely any time of year, but I especially like it in autumn. Brisk, crisp chilly days are perfect for walking along rocky shorelines.

I had fun skipping sea-smoothed stones like the ones in this photo. Aren't their colors absolutely amazing.

I found all kinds of treasures on the beach, including this nearly perfect sea urchin.

Behind the Books: Fingers Crossed

2011-10-19T01:38:00.004-04:00

Way back in 2007, my friend and fellow nonfiction author Mary Kay Carson and I developed a proposal for a group of disaster/weather books at the request of a major publisher. She would write boosk about about tornadoes, hurricanes, and blizzards. I would write books about about volcanoes, earthquakes, and either wildfires (my idea) or tsunamis (the publisher’s idea).

The proposal included some great, innovative elements, such as stand-alone interviews with survivors and scientists working in related fields; storytelling through detailed diagrams and dramatic images with extended captioning; and profiles of major storms/eruptions/quakes in history. We were very excited. And so was the publisher.

Mary Kay and I signed contracts, received the first half of our advances, and then—Nope, we didn’t get down to work. Instead, the publisher asked us to put on the breaks. They wanted to re-think their future direction.

Uh-oh! I’ve heard talk like that before, and it’s usually bad news. Very bad--especially because a recession was looming.

So we waited and we waited and we waited. We wondered if the series would be cancelled. We wondered if we’d have to return our advances. We wondered if we’d ever get to write the cool books we had in mind

Then we found out our editor had left and gone to another publisher. Double uh-oh!

So what finally happened? You’ll find out next week.

Cool Clouds: Sort of

2011-10-17T07:14:00.001-04:00

Okay, I admit it. Yesterday was such a busy day that I forgot to take a picture of the clouds outside my office window. Rats!

But luckily, I came up with a soltution.

As many of you know, I've been playing around with video production lately. And my latest creation is a compilation of photos showing the seasonal changes of the maple tree outside my office window. I featured these photos on the Monday strand of this blog in 2009-2010.

But guess what. The photos show more than just the tree. They show the sky--and the clouds--throughout the year. Ah-ha!

Seriously, pay attention to the sky in these photos. In some of them, the light is absolutely lovely. Enjoy!

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-10-14T03:33:00.000-04:00

What does a flame-broiled burger have in common with a tender pork chop and a chicken nugget? They’re all made of the same thing—muscle.
Caterpillars use more than four thousand rippling muscles to wriggle along.
The hagfish is a gruesome predator. It uses its strong tongue muscles to bore holes into other fish. Then it eats the helpless victims from the inside out.
A sloth uses its super strong arm and leg muscles to dangle from tree branches. As long as the shaggy-coated creature stays silent and still, it’s hard to spot.
When babies are born, they can’t control their bladder muscles. That’s why they have to wear diapers.

Behind the Books: More Video Fun

2011-10-12T03:54:00.001-04:00

When I started making videos over the summer, I had a list of possible topics. I noticed that people seemed to be very interested in seeing images of my office. Last year’s blog entry about my office has had more hits than almost any other post. So I added “Office Tour” to my list.

And one of my first ventures into filming involved walking around my office and describing my work space. It was okay. I thought it might work for people who were interested, but I thought it needed a little bit more life.

I decided to show my original footage to my two nieces, ages 7 and 9, and here was the result:

They did a much better job than I ever could. Thanks girls!!

Friday Fun: STEM Friday

2011-10-07T04:29:00.008-04:00

What’s STEM Friday? It’s a weekly online celebration of books and activities that explore themes of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Every Friday, bloggers share their thoughts about STEM books, and someone compiles the links to all their posts so you can peruse them at your leisure.

And today, that "somone" is me. If you have a contribution, leave me a link in the comments section. If you are a reader, check back throughout the day to see the lastest links.

I'm going to get us started with my own review of Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman. Who else has a STEM-related post?

Here's a post from Anastasia Suen, foudner of STEM FRiday: Ultimate Trains.

Jeff Barger has a great post over at NC Teacher Stuff. He takes a look at Seymour Simon's e-book, Why Do Puppies Do That? Check it out.

Wow, the posts are pouring in. Here's a review of What's Smaller Than a Pygmy Shrew? by Robert E. Wells. It was writtin by Alice over at Supratentorial. Thanks Alice!

And over at Archimedes Notebook there's a review of a book I love: The Boy Who Drew Birds written by fellow-Massachusetts resident Jacqueline Davies and illustrated by the celebrated illustrator Melissa Sweet. I had the pleasure of moderating a panel that included Jackie as well as Lois Lowry, Kathy Lasky, and Bill Thomson last weekend at the Danforth Museum in Framingham, MA. Thanks so much to Sue Heavenrich for her contribution.

Wrapped in Foil is just finishing up its celebration of World Space Week so the blog is featurinmg three space-related books today. Take a look. Thanks for the link, Robta.

Behind the Books: Swirl by Swirl

2011-10-05T04:52:00.035-04:00

Joyce Sidman’s new book Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature was just released yesterday, but—thanks to Vicki Palmquist of Winding Oak—I was lucky enough to score an ARC.

As regular readers of this blog know, I’m a big (okay, huge) fan of Joyce Sidman’s work. I love Song of the Waterboatman and Dark Emperor, so I was really looking forward to this book.

But I was surprised the moment I saw the book—it’s square. Sidman's other natural history books have taller, more rectangular trim sizes. And I was a little bit disappointed when I first opened the book. No wonderful, rich sidebars full of great information. In fact, the book had very little text at all. Just 177 words. Yup, I counted.

Sure, what was there was signature Sidman—just beautiful. But shouldn’t there be more? This just wasn’t what I expected.

But because I trust Sidman, and because I know myself, I put the book away to give myself time. I had to wipe all my preconceived ideas about what the book would, could, should be out of my mind. I had to come back to the book with fresh eyes and an open mind.

So a few days later, at a quiet moment on my favorite couch in the sun room, I opened the book again. And I delved in. I looked at what the book is--not what it isn't.

What is it? Delightful. Gorgeous. A powerful celebration of spirals and spiraling in nature. The lovely language is perfectly in synch with Beth Krommes amazing woodcuts. In fact, a close examination shows that even the text has its own spiraling structure, slowly unfurling and wrapping iself up tight again. Amazing!

And this time, I found a treat at the end of the book—backmatter. It wasn’t as extensive as the Sidman sidebars I’m used to. But it did extend the book and would help young readers make connections.

Later, I discovered that Sidman and Krommes worked on this book together from the start. And that might be why the text seems very much like a tribute to the art. So it’s a different kind of book, but it’s still absolutely wonderful.

Cool Clouds: It’s Raining

2011-10-03T04:21:00.004-04:00

It’s interesting to compare last week’s stratus clouds (which didn’t produce rain) to yesterday’s stratus clouds (which did produce rain). See how yesterday’s clouds are more of a flat, continuous blanket of gray?

I’ll have to remember this difference the next time I’m trying to decide whether I should wear my raincoat.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-09-30T03:17:00.000-04:00

Horses and deer walk on their tippy toes. Because these animals can really reach out during each stride, they move very fast.
Why can a jacana walk on floating plants? Because its long, thin toes spread out the bird’s body weight.
A turkey uses its large toes and sharp toenails to scratch the ground in search of insects and other tasty treats.
The sticky pads on a gecko’s toes help it dart up tree trunks and scamper along branches.
Ever noticed stinky globs of caking, crumbling gunk between your toes? It’s toe cheese—a mangled mash of dead skin cells, dirt, bacteria, and sock lint. Yuck!

Looking for more Gross & Goofy Body facts? Check out my book Give Me a Hand: The Secrets of Hands, Feet, Arms, and Legs. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: Hayward, WI

2011-09-28T01:30:00.064-04:00

Last weekend, I spoke at the Northwoods Children’s Book Conference in Hayward, WI. And the moment I drove into town, I knew Hayward was A Place for Fish.

The first thing I noticed was this bait shop.

You wouldn’t see something like that where I live. I knew there must be some serious anglers and probably some wonderful lakes around. (No surprise, since there was plenty of glaciers action around here about 12,000 years ago.)

I was tempted to go inside and take a look at some of the leeches, but the shop was closed. Bummer.

A little farther down the road, I spied this through the trees . . .

and then this . . .

. . . and this.

Wow. That’s one big muskie!* It was the highlight of an outdoor fish park at the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. Who knew there even was a National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame? Well, there is. And it's in Hayward, WI.

But I still haven't told you the coolest part. It was displayed in such a way that with a little imagination (okay, maybe more than a little), you could picture it coming alive and plunging into the Namekagon River, which was just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Definitely within muskie-jumping range as far as I’m concerned. Really, it could happen.

I walked along the river to this boat launch.

See that sign to the left? Let's take a closer look . . .

See. I told you. Hayward really is A Place for Fish. Those anglers care about the natural environment and work hard to protect it against invasive species.

*How’d an East Coast girl like me recognize this Midwestern freshwater fish? Lucky for me, I’d learned all about the muskellunge (a.k.a. muskie) when I wrote Life in a Lake a few years ago. This fish’s name comes from the Ojibwa language and means “ugly fish.” Gotta love that.

Cool Clouds: Will It Rain?

2011-09-26T03:13:00.007-04:00

Yesterday morning the sky was blanketed with these dark stratus clouds: rain makers. But as I snapped this photo, I didn’t know for sure that it would rain. After all, not all stratus clouds produce rain.

And as it turned out, these clouds didn’t. It was a dry day.

Friday Fun: Identity Unknown

2011-09-23T03:12:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I was on a little island off the coast of Maine and spotted this guy (or girl). I’ve tried in vain to identify him (or her) with no luck.

Anybody know what kind of caterpillar it is?

Behind the Books: Honeybee Productions

2011-09-21T03:51:00.010-04:00

When I quit my job and became a fulltime writer in 2000, I needed a name for my business. My mom suggested “honeybee” because it’s science-y and because Melissa is the Greek word for “honeybee.”

I loved it. But I needed another word to go with it. Writing? No, I also did editing. Books? No, it sounded like a publishing company. Hmmm.

Then, my friend Brendan January suggested Honeybee Productions. “You never know what you’ll be doing in 10 years,” he wisely said. “I think you want to keep it as broad as possible. Who knows, maybe you’ll make a movie someday.”

Did Brendan have a crystal ball? Back in those days Flip cameras and Facebook and YouTube didn’t even exist. There were no iphones, iPods, or iPads either. But somehow Brendan predicted the future.

I never really used the name “Honeybee Productions”—until this summer. Here’s my very first self-made video production. I hope you like it.

Cool Clouds: A First Look

2011-09-19T04:24:00.012-04:00

Okay, so here's my first cloud image. I spotted the altocumulus clouds on Saturday morning. They are supposed to indicate that a cold front is one the way, and I guess that makes sense because the last couple of days have been cool and the nights were downright chilly. Just right for autumn.

Those beautiful colors are just around the corner. Are you ready?

Friday Fun: Five Gross & Goofy Body Facts

2011-09-16T04:03:00.000-04:00

1. About 7 billion people live on Earth today, but there are more germs than that on and inside your body right now. They’re on your skin and under your fingernails. They’re inside your mouth, nose, and intestines. They’re even in your eyelashes.

2. Between 1914 and 1918, about 20 million people had died in World War I. Just as the war was ending, Spanish flu swept across Europe. It killed 25 million people in 6 months.

3. Some bacteria divide every twenty minutes. In just three days, one of them could produce enough new bacteria to equal the mass of the entire Earth.

4. Almost every illness you can think of is caused by a germ. Scientists have identified at least 5,000 kinds of viruses and 30,000 kinds of bacteria. There are probably thousands more left to discover.

5. You can’t catch a cold from a dog or cat, but you can get the flu from a horse, a pig, or even a duck.

Behind the Books: My Summer Project

2011-09-14T03:42:00.006-04:00

When my first book was published in 1998, I had no idea that being an author involved a whole lot more than researching and writing. There’s also school visits, speaking at conferences, promoting books as they come out, maintaining a website. The list goes on and on.

My current writing project is always front and center in my mind, but for the last few summers, I’ve committed to spending time on a marketing project too. A couple of years ago, I overhauled my website. Last summer, I developed some new school visit programs. This summer was all about videos.

I did some research, bought an editing program, and started to fool around with the video setting on my digital camera. As it turns out, my first production didn’t include any video at all. It’s a compilation of school visit photos. But that doesn’t mean it was easy.

A production with just photos means no sound. There are a couple of soundtracks that come free with the slide show builder section of my editing program, but I didn’t think they were appropriate. I could have bought rights to use a downloadable sound file, but I decided not to go that route. Instead, I wanted to feature a couple of songs that I’d written to go with my books.

Since my husband is a musician, he has some recording equipment. I bought a microphone that would be perfect for recording voices (his are better for instruments), got together a group of kids, and had a recording session in my office. It was a whole lot of fun, and those kids did a great job.

Here’s a video of them performing.

And here’s their lovely singing coupled with photos I’ve taken at recent school visits.

It was a lot of work, but I really like it. What do you think?

Cool Clouds: Getting Started

2011-09-12T02:39:00.020-04:00

Two years ago, this Monday strand of my blog spent a year following the maple tree right outside the window of my office. It was a big success because I learned all kinds of cool things about Norway maples in general and my tree and its inhabitants in particular.

Last year, I decided to call the stand Take a Look. My plan was to look at cool stuff in nature all year long and write about it in different voices. It was, er, moderately successful. I started out strong, but I kept getting pulled in different directions.

We did take a look at all kinds of things, but they didn’t all have to do with the natural world. I decided that this year I need to be more focused with the title of the strand. Maybe that way I’ll stick to my goals.

Recently, I wrote a book on lightning. And I’m in the middle of working on a book full of fun weather jokes. So for the last year or so I’ve done lots of research about clouds. I’ve always thought clouds were beautiful, magical even, but now that I’ve been learning so much about them, I’m even more enchanted. So this year, my Monday strand will be Cool Clouds.

Here’s my plan. Each week I’ll take a photo of the clouds right outside my office window. Luckily, there’s a nice patch of open sky just to the left of my maple tree. To get us started, I’ve included a photo of my target area clear of clouds. Lovely, isn’t it?

I’m very curious to see what happens—and if I can stick to my plan.

Friday Fun: International Rock Flipping Day

2011-09-09T03:06:00.013-04:00

We all know that Sunday, September 11 is the anniversary of one of the worst days in U.S. history, but the date also has a more fun side. It’s International Rock Flipping Day.

What does that mean? It’s a time to celebrate all those critters that live under rocks, as well as the naturalist spirit that drives you to look a little deeper.

All you have to do is go outside and look under a rock or two. Then record what you see by drawing, painting, taking photographs or writing about it. (If you live where there might be poisonous creatures under there, like scorpions or snakes, you might want to use a stick to flip the rocks.) When you are done, carefully return the rock to its original position.

It’s fun and easy and you just might meet some pretty cool critters.

Behind the Books: Lucky Larvae

2011-09-07T14:58:00.028-04:00

During my summer vacation, I did a lot of reading. One of my favorites was What to Expect When You’re Expecting Larvae: A Guide for Insect Parents (and Curious Kids) by Bridget Heos, illus by Stephane Jorisch (Millbrook, 2011).

Why did I like this book so much? I picked it up because I liked the clever concept. And boy did this book deliver. (Okay, pun intended.) The art is colorful and fun and quirky, and kids will love the engaging ,tongue-in-cheek tone. Heos got it just right. But most of all, I liked this book because it reminded me just how far kids books—especially nonfiction books--have come in the last decade.

I remember the day just about 10 years ago when my nephew, who was bug-crazy at the time, asked me to find him a book about bugs that were still growing up—just like him. I couldn’t find one, and my editor (at Millbrook, no less) agreed to write one. The result was Maggots, Grubs, and More: The Secret Lives of Young Insects.

Believe it or not, the writing style, color-coated sectional format, and fun design with large, colorful photos, were cutting edge for those days. But now I look at that book and laugh. The book has sold well, and the royalty checks continue to arrive twice a year, but by today’s standards, the design seems claustrophobic and the writing is, well, significantly less amusing than What to Expect When You’re Expecting Larvae.

So while Maggots, Grubs, and More is full of great information, and most of it is still scientifically accurate, I’m not sure how many kids would pick it up off the shelf and dive in. That’s why I’m so glad What to Expect When You’re Expecting Larvae exists. It covers much of the same material in a way that will entertain and educate young readers.

Take a Look: A Year in Pictures

2011-06-20T02:10:00.012-04:00

For me, summer is a time for family fun, rest and rejuvenation, and, of course, nurturing those fledgling writing projects. To make the most of the precious days of summer, I’ll be taking a break from Celebrate Science. And since tomorrow is the last day of school in my town, this will be my last post until September.

It seems like a good time to look back and reflect, so I’ve put together a fun slide show with some of my favorite school visit photos of the 2010-2011 school year.

Have a great summer. See you back here starting Spetember 7.

Friday Fun: A Meeting of the Minds

2011-06-17T04:00:00.001-04:00

If you are a loyal reader of Celebrate Science, you may remember seeing this photo before. But I just can’t help myself. I really love this image of my nephew making a new friend—a Central American stick insect. It seems like the perfect way to launch into summertime fun.

Some schools have already closed their doors for the year, and I’m sure those kids are celebrating. But thanks to a snowy winter, we still have two more days to go.

Behind the Books: Amazing Editors

2011-06-15T03:42:00.016-04:00

Last week I gushed about how thankful I am to have a fantastic critique group. But they aren’t the only ones who play an important roll in my writing process. Not by a long shot.

When I visit schools, I tell students that showing my manuscripts to the members of my critique group would be like them exchanging papers with their classmates and asking for some suggestions.

But sending my writing off to my editor is more like them handing in a paper to their teacher. The stakes are a whole lot higher.

I’ve been lucky enough to work with lots of great editors. But the one I talk about most during school visits is Vicky Holifield at Peachtree. Vicky and I have been working together since 2001. So far, we’ve published six books, and we have four more in the works.

Vicky is a mild-mannered editor who always finds the kindest, gentlest way to nudge me and my manuscripts in the right direction. She usually likes to stay behind the scenes, but about a month ago, she sent me this photo so that I could use it in a Power Point presentation I show during school visits.

Since this is my last Wednesday post for the 2010-2011 school year, it seems only appropriate to thank Vicky for her tremendous contribution to so many of my books. Thanks, Vicki! I couldn’t have done it without you.

Take a Look: At a Log

2011-06-13T03:02:00.009-04:00

I took this photo back in December while I was in Victoria, British Columbia. I just love the texture of the mosses. If you look closely, you can see three different species (or maybe even genera) growing together in apparent harmony.

It’s just beautiful--a great way to start the week.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-06-10T01:52:00.017-04:00

1. The two large spots on a false-eyed frog’s derriere scare away hungry hunters. They think the spots are the eyes of a much larger animal.

2. A blue-ringed octopus’s body has enough poison to kill twenty people. Its colorful spots warn enemies to stay away.

3. The speckles and spots on a chameleon’s skin help the little lizard blend in with its surroundings.

4. When a hippo heats up, pink oil oozes out of its skin. Scientists used to think the massive mammal had worked up a sweat. But it turns out the oil is really built-in sunscreen. It protects hippos from the sun’s sizzling rays. It also keeps their skin soft and washes out cuts.

5. What do whales and walruses, dolphins and seals all have in common? A layer of blubber under their skin. It protect these warm-blooded animals from chilly ocean water.

Looking for more Gross & Goofy Body facts? Check out my book The Skin You’re In: The Secrets of Skin. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: My Critique Group

2011-06-08T03:39:00.009-04:00

When I do school visits, I usually present a program with a dual focus. First, we do some games or activities related to the science concepts in the featured book. Then we take a look at the bookmaking process—how I get an idea, how I do research, what I think about as I write the book. I explain that after I complete the writing, many other people get involved. In this sense, creating a book is a team effort, and everyone has an important job to do.

The first people to see my manuscripts is my critique group (seen here with Flat Stanley). We meet twice a month at a local library and give one another feedback. Their thoughts and ideas are invaluable.

No words can express how grateful I am for their contributions. Without their insights, I’d have a whole lot fewer books in print.

Take a Look: My Secret Hideout

2011-06-06T02:53:00.000-04:00

It’s warm enough now to start spending some time writing in my secret office. It’s tucked away under a big old Norway spruce in my side yard. Nobody knows I’m there—except the occasional mosquito.

This is a place where I like to throw caution to the wind and experiment on crazy ideas that have been tucked away in my mind—growing, taking shape—for months.

Lots of times what I write here just doesn’t work out as I’d originally imagined. Its permanent home will be in a rarely opened file on some archival disk.

But once in a while, it does work. And it turns into the fodder for one of my most innovative manuscripts. For some reason, I seem to do my best writing right around the two solstices.

Has anyone else noticed that?

Friday Fun: Five Science-sational Jokes

2011-06-03T01:40:00.015-04:00

Q: What does a Mexican frog eat for lunch?
A: A mosquito burrito.

Q: What do you call a female termite?
A: A her-mite.

Q: What kind of bug keeps the peace?
A: A cop-roach.

Q: Why don’t centipedes play baseball?
A: By the time the put on their sneakers, the game is over.

Q: How do you tell which end of a millipede is its head?
A: Tickle its middle and see which end laughs.

Behind the Books: Final Thoughts About Structure and Design (For Now)

2011-06-01T03:44:00.038-04:00

The best nonfiction books for children begin with an author’s passion for the subject and a clear vision for how to present the material in a fresh, engaging way. Even when two or more authors choose to write about the same topic, each writer will bring his or her own interests, ideas, and imagination to the project. By making decisions about structure and design with care and deliberation, each writer will communicate the content in his or her own special way.

Ultimately, the most successful books will be the ones that present the material in a way that resonates with the largest number of readers.

For example, Mama: A True Story, in Which a Baby Hippo Loses His Mama During a Tsunami, but Finds a New Home, and a New Mama by Jeanette Winters is a nearly wordless picture book with compelling art. A Mama for Owen tells the same story in the form of a more traditional picture book with soft watercolor illustrations. Both are lovely books.

But it was the photo-essay approach of Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu that truly captured the hearts of readers. It was a New York Times bestseller and spawned a whole series of photo-illustrated stories about remarkable animals.

Of course, this charming story of the tortoise and hippo isn’t the only true tale that has intrigued more than one author.

Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai is the central figure of at least four excellent, and yet quite different picture books.
--Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola
--Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa by Jeanette Winter

--Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World by Jen Cullerton Johnson (illus. Sonia Lynn Sadler)--Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli (illus. Kadir Nelson).

This diversity in approaches to the same nonfiction topic shows that there is no single right way to present ideas, information, or true stories to children. And that is why nonfiction authors are now experimenting with structure and design more than ever before.

Take a Look: Playing with Dirt and Rocks

2011-05-30T04:59:00.015-04:00

I recently spent the day at Armstrong Elementary School in Westborough, MA. My visit came in the midst of the first graders unit on rocks and soil, so we had a blast.

First the students put on their thinking caps to decide whether or not some mysterious-looking objects I gave them were rocks or not. They did a great job of practicing their reasoning skills, so it was really hard to fool them.

Then we looked at three soil samples labeled A, B, and C. The students compared them and noticed how they were similar and different. Then I told them where the soil samples came from—a sand quarry, my backyard, and their school playground—and asked them to guess which was which.

Those students paid close attention to even the smallest details , and they picked up on all the important clues. Every single class got the answer right. Hooray!

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-05-27T05:09:00.015-04:00

1. A polar bear has white fur, but its skin is black. Dark colors soak up heat from the sun more quickly than light colors, so black skin helps a polar bear stay warm in its chilly Arctic home.

2. When an anole lizard rests on a leaf, its green skin makes it hard to spot. But when the little lizard moves onto a tree trunk, its skin slowly darkens to match its new surroundings.

3. Frogs and salamanders can breathe through their thin skin.

4. Some frogs shed their skin every week. They stretch out their old skin and pull it over their head. Then they eat it. Mmmm! Delicious!

5. A snake outgrows its skin three or four times a year. When the old outer covering splits open, the snake crawls forward. Its skin peels off in one long piece.

Looking for more Gross & Goofy Body facts? Check out my book The Skin You’re In: The Secrets of Skin. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Behind the Books: Art with Heart

2011-05-25T03:30:00.018-04:00

Some children’s book creators are writers as well as illustrators. So naturally, they have a lot to say about the type and style of art that appears in their books. But increasingly, writers too are thinking carefully about art choices early in the process. And editors and art directors are eager to hear their ideas.

It’s hard to imagine Sy Montgomery’s Quest for the Tree Kangaroo working as well without Nic Bishop’s incredible photos. And Sarah C. Campbell’s text for Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator cried out to be accompanied by the photos she and her husband Richard P. Campbell used to illustrate the book.

The text of Redwoods by Jason Chin is clear and straightforward and full of wonderfully detailed information about the trees and the microhabitats they support. But the art holds the magic. The illustrations gives readers a peek into the imagination of a boy reading a book about towering redwood trees. The journey begins in a New York City subway car, but transports the boy—and the readers—into a redwood forest where climbing gear magically appears, allowing readers to scale the giant trees and take a look around. It’s not often that a picture book shares fascinating science content and simultaneously promotes curiosity and fosters imagination, but this book does it all.

The energetic, stylized illustrations in The Day-Glo Brothers by Chris Barton (illus. by Tony Persani) and Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Megan McCarthy are delights to behold. The art perfectly compliments the stories and accomplishments of the people highlighted in these picture book biographies.

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola and The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass (illus by E.B. Lewis) are more serious stories with a special kind of quiet drama. These texts demand soft, watercolor paintings, like the ones created by Nivola and Lewis.

For each of these four picture book biographies, something about the personalities and accomplishments of the heroes attracted the author and compelled him or her to share their stories with a particular voice and cadence. And those choices are reflected in the artwork.

Can you think of other nonfiction books with exceptional or innovative art? I’d like to add them to my reading list.

Take a Look: Yikes!

2011-05-23T05:47:00.001-04:00

Here I am reading A Place for Frogs to 100 kindergarteners at the Salisbury Universty Children's Literature Festival. I was worried about 100 wiggly bottoms, but those kids were great. They all stay focused.

What was the secret of my success? Having them particpate the repetitive phrase "frogs can live and grow" on each spread. Thanks to Shelly Rotner for helping me come up with a strategy that worked like a charm!

Friday Fun: Five Science-sational Jokes

2011-05-20T01:59:00.000-04:00

Q: What does a wasp wear on chilly mornings?
A: A yellow jacket.

Q: What happens when you eat caterpillars?
A: You get butterflies in your stomach.

Q: Why was the entomologist a hero?
A: He saved a damselfly in distress.

Q: Where do insects go shopping?
A: At a flea market.

Q: Why did the fly fly?
A: The spider spied-her.

Behind the Books: Playing with Layout

2011-05-18T03:14:00.015-04:00

Ever since desktop publishing software became available in the early 1990s, the visual appeal of nonfiction books for young readers has grown by leaps and bounds. These programs make it easy to experiment with a book’s layout.

As a result of this new freedom, many books now include multiple illustrations per spread and make clever use of white space. Examples include Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston, and Born to Be Giants: How Baby Dinosaurs Grew to Rule the World by Lita Judge.

One of the true masters of nonfiction book design is Steve Jenkins, who often works with his wife Robin Page. Books like How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly?, Never Smile at a Monkey, What Do You Do with a Tail Like This, and Move! are all about animal adaptations. The fun, innovative design of these books couple with the brief, clear text is irresistible. Jenkins does a remarkable job of selecting animals with unique adaptations and organizing them into clever categories to create books with a game-like feel.

A current trend in science-themed titles for the picture book crowd is layered text. Books like Beaks by Sneed B. Collard III, When the Wolves Returned: Restoring Nature’s Balance in Yellowstone, Meet the Howlers by April Pulley Sayre, and my own book A Place for Butterflies feature two kinds of text that serve different purposes and that is distinguished visually by size and font.

For the most part, a larger, simpler text provides general information and can stand on its own. The smaller text presented in sidebars provides additional details to round out the presentation. These books are perfect for the Reading Buddy programs popular in many schools, and they also work well as family read alouds.

Can you think of other nonfiction books with innovative, eye-catching designs? I’d love to hear your recommendations.

Take a Look: The Sparrow’s Perspective

2011-05-16T04:53:00.012-04:00

Last fall, I wrote several posts about the same experience in nature from different points of view. Initially, I wrote from the “wondrous first person” and “serious third person” points of view. Later, I included a couple of entries written from what I imagined to be the perspective of the creature I observed.

This week, I’m giving that third point of view another try, focusing on the house sparrow I observed collecting nesting material at Clinton Elementary School.

“Oh, wow. That grass down there looks perfect for my nest. It’s dry and just the right length. I better stop and collect some."

“Hey, there’s even more here than I realized. I bet I can get as much as I need to stuff that hole until it’s almost full. Then it will be perfect for my eggs.”

“I’m lucky to find such a big field of grass so close to my nest. Most of the land here is buildings and sidewalks and parking lots.”

“Okay, full load. I better head back to my nest. If that hawk stays away, I might be able to gather all the grass I need today. Then I can line with some feathers and lay my eggs.”

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-05-13T03:49:00.000-04:00

1. Fingernails grow about 1 inch every eight months, but some grow faster than others. The nail on your middle finger grows the fastest. The nails on your thumb and little finger grow the slowest.

2. Fingernails grow more quickly during the day and in the summer. And they grow faster on whichever hand you use most—probably because lots of muscle flexing really heats things up.

3. At 28 to 31 inches apiece, Lee Redmond, a woman from Salt Lake City, Utah, has the world’s longest fingernails. Her tremendous talons drag on the ground.

4. Monkeys use their fingernails to pick dead skin, insects, and dirt out of their friends’ fur. It’s the perfect way to stay clean and build trust.

5. Think you cut your fingernails more often than your toenails? Nope, it’s not your imagination. Fingernails really do grow faster—usually three times faster.

Looking for more Gross & Goofy Body facts? Check out my book Here We Grow: The Secrets of Hair and Nails. It’s full of weird, wacky, strange, and surprising information about your body and the bodies of other animals.

Next week is school vacation here in Massachusetts, so I’ll be taking a break. Have a great week!

Friday Fun: A Damsel Not in Distress

2011-05-11T03:26:00.000-04:00

Behind the Books: Does Your Book’s Format Match Its Message?

2011-05-11T03:04:00.017-04:00

In the past, nonfiction writers often left all the design decisions to the editor, art director, and illustrator. But that’s no longer true. In many cases, authors now participate in conversations about a book’s design—format, layout, and art. Why? Because today’s most celebrated titles feature a synergistic relationship between the text and the look of the book.

When it comes to design, format is a good place to start. Format includes the size and shape of the books. Does it have pop-ups or gatefolds or other special features? Clever decision-making here can make for some great unexpected surprises. This could be as simple as using a tall, thin trim size for a book about trees, as Carin Berger does in The Little Yellow Leaf to all kinds of fancy features and devices.

Many spreads in The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) by Barbara Kerley include tiny inserts with excerpts from a journal kept by the famous writer’s daughter. What’s Up, What’s Down by Lola Schaefer includes vertical spreads that contribute tremendously to the storytelling, and well placed gatefolds in Schafer’s Just One Bite: 11 Animals and their Bites at Life Size! give readers an accurate sense of the featured animals’ scale.

My favorite title in this category is a feast for the eyes, ears, and mind. Where in the Wild? Camouflaged Creatures Concealed . . . and Revealed by David Schwartz, Yael Schy, and Dwight Kuhn. Playful poems offer clues about barely-visible animals doing their best to conceal themselves. Kids love searching for the mystery creatures. Some they’ll spot, and some they might not. But no worries, all they have to do is lift a gate-fold to view the same photo with the background obscured so that the animal is easy to see.

Can you think of other nonfiction books with formats that directly contribute to the storytelling? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Take a Look: A Scientist’s Description

2011-05-09T04:49:00.012-04:00

Last fall, I wrote several posts about the same experience in nature from three different points of view--wondrous first person, serious third person, and the perspective of the creature I had described in the first two posts. Not only was it fun, it was illuminating. So I thought I’d try it again.

Last week, I wrote about a house sparrow gathering nesting materials from the wondrous first person. Today I’m going to try to write about the same bird in the serious third person, as a scientist would in his or her notebook.

12:20 hours, April 14, 2011
West parking lot near retaining wall, Clinton Elementary School, 100 Church St., Clinton, MA
Sunny, clear sky, 62 F, gentle breeze
Declining downtown area of a small, working-class town

Along a retaining wall adjacent to the school lawn, I observed a female house sparrow collecting blades of dry grass in her beak. For several minutes, she hopped up and down cement steps along the wall in search of bits of grass that would meet her needs. Given the time of year, it seems likely that the female was using the grass to build a nest, but no nest was observed.

Each time the female returned with an empty beak, she landed on a wrought iron fence, looked around, and called several times before dropping to the ground to collect more grass. During my 30 minutes of observation, the female gathered three loads of dried grass from a patch on the edge of the lawn.

Friday Fun: A Letter from a Fan

2011-05-06T05:28:00.026-04:00

A few weeks ago, I spend a fantastic two days at Rochester Memorial School in Rochester, MA. The students in one of the third grade classes sent me a heaping packet of thanks you notes. This one is definitely worth sharing:

Dear Ms. Stewart,

Thank you for coming in and teaching us about birds and telling us why they're so interesting. The tiny rocks in bags to show us how much they weigh is what I call ingenious. It was so inspiring to me that I thought about writing a book myself. The armspan comparig was also very cool.

My favorite bird that we talked about was the blue heron. But if I had to choose a bird we weren't talking about, it would have to be the turkey buzzard because they're always swarming above my rooftop. If you can find out why, please write me back. Thanks again. Bye!!

Your #1 fan,
Jenna

Well, Jenna, That's a great question. You've been doing some great observing.

I bet you can solve the turkey buzzard mystery yourself. Try asking a librarian to help you find a book that tells you what sorts of things make turkey vultures swarm. Then you can try to figure out which of those conditions is happening near you house. Good luck! And keep on asking questions about things you notice around you.

Behind the Books: Organization Includes More than You Think

2011-05-04T02:46:00.028-04:00

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been discussing the role of structure and design in crafting nonfiction. This week my topic is organization.

Any good nonfiction title include:
• An inviting introduction that engages the reader and gives clues about what’s to come.
• Thoughtful transitions that link key points and ideas.
• Sequencing that is logical, purposeful, and effective.
• A satisfying ending that wraps everything up, yet leaves the reader with something to wonder about.

Books that do an especially good job with these four criteria include Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery, If Stones Could Speak by Marc Aronson and Mike Parker Perason, and Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs by Kathleen Kudlinski.

Some books take organization a step further. For instance, some books arrange information in a way that creates a circle story. In other words, the ending brings readers back to the point where the book began. Examples include Redwoods by Jason Chin, Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre, The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe by Loree Griffin Burns, and my own book Under the Snow.

In Mosquito Bite, Alexandra Siy features dual storylines. One story line describes a child’s encounter with a mosquito while playing hide-and-seek at dusk. This story is illustrated with black and white photos. The second story line, illustrated with stunning, full-color micrographs tells the mosquito’s side of the story. In the end, readers probably still won’t like mosquitoes very much, but at least they’ll understand why the pesky insects bite us—they can’t lay their eggs without a dose of protein from mammalian blood.

Can you think of other trends in organization or related ideas I haven’t considered? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Take a Look: It’s Spring

2011-05-02T04:44:00.009-04:00

During a recent school visit in Clinton, MA, I saw the first undeniable sign of spring. As I ate my lunch in the warm sun, I watched a hard-working little house sparrow gathering materials for its nest.

The bird returned again and again to a patch of loose, dry grass where the school lawn met a retaining wall. The picky homemaker hopped up and down a series of cement steps along the wall until it found a few perfect blades. Each time it bent its head to pick up a new piece, I was sure the other pieces would fall out of its beak. But they didn’t. The bird managed to hold onto them all.

After a few minutes, a dozen or so crisscrossing blades stuck out of the sparrow’s beak, like the whiskers on a cat. Then it flew away.

Upon returning, it landed on a wrought iron fence next to the retaining wall and surveyed its surroundings. After a few cheery chirps, the sparrow dropped to the ground and began gathering more grass.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-04-29T03:47:00.000-04:00

1. Who do you think has a hairier body—a person or a gorilla? Believe it or not, it’s a tie. We both have about 5 million strands of hair sticking out of our skin. A gorilla looks hairier because it’s easy to spot the thick, dark locks that make up a gorilla’s fur. But we hardly even notice the short, thin vellus hairs covering our bodies.

2. Living hair cells divide to create new cells every twenty-three to seventy-two hours. That’s faster than any other cells in your body.

3. While a hair is growing, cells move up and out of your follicle fast enough for the stringy strand to lengthen about 6 inches (15 centimeters) per year. Strong, straight hair grows the fastest, and fragile, kinky hair grows the slowest.

4. In ancient Rome 2,000 years ago, women plucked their eyebrows and used hair-removal creams made from tree sap, donkey fat, bat blood, and other strange ingredients.

5. When scientists view hair strands under a microscope, they can tell whether a person smokes cigarettes, drinks alcohol, or takes illegal drugs. They can also tell a person’s ethnic background.

Behind the Books: Focusing a Manuscript

2011-04-27T02:20:00.035-04:00

As nonfiction becomes more creative and more visually dynamic, authors are realizing that structuring the ideas they want to share in a unique, engaging way is at the heart of crafting a nonfiction manuscript. Before we write a single word, we think long and hard about structure (focus and organization) and design (format, layout, and art). These elements must work together to delight as well as inform young readers—not to mention the people who buy books for them.

At the beginning of a project, a topic has limitless possibilities. So authors need to decide what to shine a spotlight on and what to leave backstage. For example, while creating Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon, Catherine Thimmesh didn’t focus on the three astronauts aboard the spaceship. Instead she wrote about the many unsung heroes behind the scenes. And that’s what makes the book special.

Authors Susan E. Goodman and Sarah Albee started out with the same topic—poop. But because each of them has different personal interests, the authors ended up writing very different books.

In The Truth About Poop, Goodman chose to include lots of fascinating information about animal poop and the mechanics of plumbing, giving the book a science-y feel.

Albee’s book, Poop Happened: A History of the World from the Bottom Up, includes information about public-health challenges related to waste disposal in the ancient and modern worlds as well as the ability of societies to deal with the problem. As a result, this self-proclaimed “number one book on number two” provides readers with an excellent introduction to social history. In the end, both books are wonderful, but they are far from identical.

So much has been written about Charles Darwin that it’s hard to imagine creating a ground-breaking book about the famous scientist. But by focusing on Darwin’s relationship with his beloved wife, Emma, and her religious beliefs, Deborah Heiligman produced a masterful ''nonficiton novel" that shows us Darwin in a whole new light.

As Heiligman wrote Charles and Emma: The Darwin’s Leap of Faith, she told herself over and over that every detail she included had to be “in service to the love story,” and by staying true to her vision, she created a book became a National Book Award finalist, a L.A. Times Book Prize finalist, a Michael L. Printz Honor book, and the winner of the first-ever YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award.

For these authors, focusing their topic—choosing the specific nugget that meant the most to them—made their books unique and memorable.

Take a Look: I Mean It!

2011-04-25T01:37:00.003-04:00

Recently, my brother-in-law and fellow science writer Peter Fairley sent me this link to some of the most amazing photos I've ever seen. They are aerial images taken all over the planet by photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand.

If they aren't worth taking a look at, I don't know what is.

Friday Fun: Five Science-sational Jokes

2011-04-15T01:55:00.019-04:00

Q: Why didn’t the butterfly go to the dance?
A: Because it was a moth ball.

Q: What did the dragonfly call the mosquito?
A: Lunch.
Q: What happened when the honeybee called its hive?
A: It got a buzzy signal.

Q: How do you keep flies out of the kitchen?
A: Put a pile of manure in the living room.

Q: What’s the different between a puppy and a flea?
A: A dog can have fleas, but fleas can’t have puppies.

Behind the Books: Thinking About Structure

2011-04-13T02:10:00.027-04:00

Back in September 2009, I wrote two posts about structure. The first was called Building a Book and the second was called Turning Structure on It Head. I still like those posts, but now I have more to say on the topic.

I’ve been continuing to think about structure. A lot. A whole lot. The truth is that until you have a structure, you don’t have a book. As nonfiction becomes more visually sophisticated, the way authors present the material is just as important as the information itself.

Structuring a book—making decisions about organization, format, design, and art is a highly creative process. And while editors and art directors and photographers and illustrators all play a role in making the final choices about how the book will look, the process starts with the author.

In the last few years, I find that publishers want me to provide much more than just the words. They wan tto understand my complete vision for the book. That’s a lot of responsibility. And that’s why I’ve been thinking about structure so much lately.

Because I’m a writer, writing is the best way for me to solidify my ideas. So I’ve decided to take you along on my journey as I think deeply about structuring nonfiction.

In my Turning Nonfiction on Its Head post, I said that I often begin writing using a traditional structure. But that as I wrote, I was struck by inspiration and then started approaching the material from a different angle.

That’s no longer true. Now I begin thinking about structure from the moment the idea strikes me. I think about it the whole time I’m doing research too.

As I gather information, I’m searching for a unique way to present it to kids. I’m looking for something that is fresh and fun. If the same old same old bores me, I know it will bore kids too. They deserve better than that. Actually, they demand better than that.

I want to surprise kids in some way and make them think and wonder as they read. I want to make them say, “Oh, wow!” How do I do that? You’ll find out in a series of posts that begin next week. In the mean time, why don’t you start thinking about how you make decisions about structure. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Take a Look: An Adventure

2011-04-11T01:02:00.032-04:00

Last week I was in Salisbury, Maryland for the Salisbury University Children’s Literature Festival and Green Earth Book Award Ceremony. In between school visits and book signings, some of us snuck off to Assateague Island National Seashore. What a wonderful place!

Not only was the landscape incredibly beautiful, it is home to an amazing array of wildlife. I saw tricolored herons and little blue herons, and egrets. I saw ducks and turkey vultures and tiny deer. I even saw a giant ball if tiny fish circle-gliding through the shallow water.
But the highlight of the trip was the wild horses. My host, Patty Dean, said the horses are usually easy to spot. But not when I was there. Perhaps the cold, rainy weather was to blame.

After much looking, I finally spotted one off in the woody scrub. Author-illustrator Shelley Rotner and I jumped out of the car and set off on an adventure. We had no idea how close we could get to the animal, so we snuck slowly, carefully toward it, trying not to frighten the animal. We knew it might flee at any moment, so we snapped photos with almost every step.

Finally, I had to make a decision. If I wanted a full view of the majestic animal, I was going to have to walk into the muddy swamp. Would my foot get sucked under? Would I lose a shoe? Should I risk it?

Of course, I should. That mud was cold and smelly. Really smelly. But it was totally worth it.

I thought about trying to touch or pet the horse, but I remembered what guides had told me about swimming with sea lions when I was ion the Galapagos Islands. "It’s fine if they touch you, but don’t touch them. Remember, they are wild animals. They might seem calm and friendly, but they could bite at any moment.” I didn’t want to disrupt the week with a trip to the emergency room, so I kept my hands to myself.

Can you believe I got this close to a wild horse? It was a moment I’ll never forget.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-04-08T03:35:00.000-04:00

1. Right now, you have about 100,000 hairs sticking out of your scalp. About 85,000 of them are growing. The rest are either taking a break or getting ready to fall out.

2. You lose about a hundred hairs every day. But you probably don’t even notice. That’s because new hairs start to grow right away.

3. Some people’s head hairs stop growing after just two years. Their hair never even reaches their shoulders. But in other people, hairs keep on growing for seven years or more.

4. How long do you think your hair would grow if you never cut it? A Chinese girl named Xie Qiuping asked herself that question in 1973, when she was thirteen years old. Today, her hair is more than 18 feet (5 meters) long. That’s more than three time longer than she is tall!

5. When a hair stops growing, it rests for ten days to three months. Then it breaks and falls out, and a new hair starts growing.

Behind the Books: Cut and Paste

2011-04-06T01:15:00.017-04:00

When I’m doing research, I enter all my notes into a single computer file. By the time I’m ready to start writing, that file might be 20, 30, 40 pages long. That’s when it’s time to cut and paste.

I save my original file exactly as it is—with all my references and citations. Then I create a copy of the file and go to work. First, I use cut and paste to create clumps of related information.

Let’s say I’m writing a book about giraffes. I’ll create one clump of information about how giraffes raise their young. Another clump will include all the information I’ve gathered about what giraffes eat. A third could focus on where they live, and a fourth might contain details about how they escape from enemies.

Once I’ve placed all the notes into clumps, I read each clump and delete redundant information. This is also a good time to do a bit of fact checking. If one source says giraffes eat snails, but all the others say they eat leaves from acacia trees. Well, I have to wonder about those snails. I can go back to my original file, and decide how reliable it is. Maybe it’s wrong, or maybe it is more up-to-date than all the other sources.

Next, it’s time to move those clumps around—more cutting and pasting—to decide how the piece will be organized.

Finally, it’s time to write the text and cobble all those clumps together with transitions. It’s like putting together a big puzzle. I love puzzles, so for me, this final step of creating the first draft is a whole lot of fun.

Take a Look: You’re Welcome

2011-04-04T04:23:00.000-04:00

One of the great things about school visits are the wonderful, handmade thank you notes that often come afterward. Take a look at these works of art. They were created by the students at Gill St. Bernard's School in Gladstone, NJ.

Friday Fun: A Very Special School Visit

2011-04-01T02:24:00.016-04:00

I've been spending a lot of time at schools this year, but last Friday was a special treat. I was at Pownal Elementary School in Pownal, Maine.

Pownal isn't just any town in Maine. It's where my brother and his family lives. And Pownal Elementary isn't just any school. It's where my two nieces and nephew spends their days. So I was really looking forward to my day there. And it was even better than I imagined.

First, my niece drove with me to the school and acted as my tour guide.

Here she is in front of the bulletn board at the front entrance of the school . There's my name in big letters.

As I traveled down the halls to the room where I'd be setting up, I noticed a theme--my books! K-4 students had read an assortment of my books and done special projects.

The kindergarteners made a bulletin board showing all the animals that hibernate Under the Snow. And each is shown at the proper relative distance from the surface. The kids were so excited to show it to me.

The first grades made fish and hung them from the ceiling. In the background, notice that the kids voted on which of their books was my favorite. A Place for Fish won.

The second graders made beautiful watercolors depicting what animals do When Rain Falls. They chose watercolors to match the style of the art in the book. They made similar paintings to accompany Under the Snow and wore them as costumes while performing a Readers Theater I wrote to accompany the book.

The third and fourth graders created designed their own special game of Who Am I? using animals from my books. I was so impressed. The also created the wonderful bulletin board at the entrance to the school. (See photo above.)

Some of the fifth and sixth graders shared Keynote reports that they had created on topics as wide reaching as snowboarding, buffalo, and owl habitats.

Thank so much to the teachers and students for such a fun day!

Behind the Books: Taking Notes

2011-03-30T01:11:00.015-04:00

When I was in elementary school, we took notes on 3 x 5 cards and used color coding to keep them organized. That was the old days—before personal computers.

Today teachers and students are searching for ways to modernize, simplify, and improve the process. Recently, a librarian told me that students at her school copy whole articles into a single computer file and then worked from there. I have to admit, that made me nervous.

I always take notes, and I think students should too. I usually type them straight into the computer as I’m reading a book or an article. I never cut and paste whole passages for one very simple reason. I’m afraid I might inadvertently plagiarize.

What I’ve found is that sometimes great sentences lodge in my mind, especially if I read them several times. Even though I don’t mean to reproduce them in my own writing, my mind might spill out that great combination of words without me even realizing that they aren’t my own original creation.

Most kids have great memories, so they are even more likely to fall prey to this sort of thing than I am. If the words are their own from the very beginning, then they’ll never accidentally “borrow” from someone else.

Take a Look: A Great School Visit

2011-03-28T03:52:00.001-04:00

Recently, I spent two wonderful days getting to know the students and staff at Rochester Memorial Elementary School in Rochester, MA. I did three different programs for the second, third, and fourth graders. The town paper ran this fantastic article of the days events.

Here are some of the day’s highlights in photos taken by Michelle Cusolito, who did all the hard work of coordinating the event. Thanks, Michelle!

The third graders loved my bird program (And I admit, it’s my favorite, too.) Here students compare their arm span to a bird’s wingspan and their weight to a bird’s.

The fourth graders worked really hard in the nonfiction writing workshops I offered. I was so impressed with their ability to revise. I know they’ll keep up the good work.

Toward the end of the second day, students started to hand me drawings and cards. Look at these hand-crafted beauties:

Friday Fun: Coral Reef Game

2011-03-25T03:27:00.028-04:00

This fun activity comes straight out of the Teacher’s Guide for my new book A Place for Fish. It’s also great to use with my book Extreme Coral Reefs!

Take the class outside to play Shark and Minnows. Minnows stand on one end of the field. The shark stands in the middle of the field. Minnows must run to the other end of the field without getting eaten (tagged) by the shark. Have students keep track of how much prey (minnows) the predator (shark) eats during each round.

Now give each child a red, yellow, green, or blue scarf. Create four bases in the middle of the field. Minnows are safe if they’re on the base with the same color as their scarf. After each round, eliminate one base. Ask minnows with that color scarf how they feel. Explain that this is what happens to tropical fish when a coral reef dies due to pollution and development. Have students keep track of how much prey (minnows) the predator (shark) eats during each round. Did the number of minnows who died increase or decrease as the bases (coral reefs) disappeared?

Behind the Books: Let It Chill Out

2011-03-23T01:08:00.010-04:00

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of school visits for grades 4 and 5 where I talk about my writing process and teach kids some of the tricks I’ve learned over the years. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of those tricks with you.

When I was I school our rough draft was usually our final draft, but today kids do real revision.

First, they write a sloppy copy. So do I.

Then they do peer reviews or buddy reviews with other classmates. I have buddies too—a critique group that meets twice a month at a local library.

After revising, students hand the paper into the teacher. Their teacher is just like my editors. They make more suggestions for improving the manuscript.

Of course, the kids are shocked when I tell them how many drafts I write and rewrite before a manuscript is complete. But it’s the same process. I just do it more times.

One step that’s really important for my process is something that kids usually don’t do. I let the manuscript “chill out”. After finishing a draft, I don’t look at it for a week, two weeks, or even longer if possible. I get some distance from the writing. That way when I go back, I can see things that need to be changed more clearly. Because I’m no longer so attached to the writing, it’s easier to trim the fat, to clarify ideas, and to kill the darlings—the phrases I love but that are extraneous or overwritten.

I always suggest that teachers create writing deadlines with this important step in mind.

Take a Look: The Horn Book

2011-03-21T03:01:00.062-04:00

Just a week ago, I practically swore that I was going to refocus this Monday "Take a Look" strand to fit my original intention for it--looking more closely at the nature around us.

BUT

BUT

BUT

Oh heck, the words "Take a Look" are just too broad. And the truth is this week the main thing I wanted to look at and read and devour and internalize was the March/April issue of the The Horn Book. I have to admit, I don't always read The Horn Book. But when I heard they were devoting an entire issue to nonfiction, well, I had to have it. I couldn't just read the articles online. I had to pick up a copy at my local book store.

Trust me, it was well worth the $13.00.

From cover to cover, the issue is bursting with articles by all the children's nonfiction authors I love--Deborah Heiligman, Tanya Lee Stone, Elizabeth Partridge, Chris Barton, Kathleen Krull, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, Steve Jenkins, Canadace Flemming.

And that's not all. There was a great article by Erica Zappy, editor of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Scientists in the Field series. Laurie Halse Anderson wrote a wonderful piece about her research for the historical fiction novel Forge. There were also some great overview articles and an editorial in which Roger Sutton actually defended series nonfiction (well, sort of).

Seriously, if you're interested in nonfiction for kids, you need to read this issue of The Horn Book.

Next week, we'll get back to the natural world. Fingers crossed.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-03-18T03:18:00.009-04:00

1. What color is a pocket mouse’s fur? It depends on where it lives. If it spends most of its time on dark lava rock, its coat is black. But if it lives in a sandy place, its fur is light yellow. A pocket mouse’s hair always matches its surroundings.

2. A tiger’s black stripes and orange fur make it hard to spot. It can sneak through the grass and catch its prey by surprise.

3. When zebras run in a group, their stripes blend together. That makes it hard for predators to tell where one zebra ends and another begins.

4. In the thick, dark forests where mandrills live, it’s hard for monkeys to see each other. So a male mandrill depends on its pale beard and colorful face to catch a female’s attention.

5. A skunk’s white stripe makes it easy to spot. It warns other animals to stay away.

Behind the Books: Nonfiction Authors Inside Their Stories

2011-03-16T03:30:00.020-04:00

It’s no secret that writing nonfiction books requires a heaping dose of research. Tracking down letters and journals, interviewing people, observing animals in their natural setting, experiencing events firsthand—these are the kinds of research that has always been routine for nonfiction writers.

But what’s new is that some of them are starting to bring their research process and stories into the books themselves. They are showing that they are part of the story, and they are making readers aware of their role in the adventure.

Here are three great examples of this new kind of nonfiction for children.

Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone
Tanya Stone spent at least a decade working on this book, and during that time, she got to know some of the “Mercury 13 Women” quite well. She did a fair amount of in-person interviewing, and in a few key spots she uses italic text and writes in the first person, including herself in the story. She does this because her presence affects the way the women interact, so it would be misleading to leave herself out. After all, we nonfiction writers can’t just be flies on the wall. We are flesh and blood . . . just like our readers.

If Stones Could Speak by Marc Aronson
To write this fascinating book about Stonehenge, the author made several trips to England, and through his nonfiction narrative, he takes us along with him. We learn as he learns. He also frequently addresses the reader in a way that has a great affect. His presence, rather than seeming distracting, helps to give the prose and immediacy that makes it especially engaging.

Quest for Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery (photos by Nic Bishop)
Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop have worked together on many books in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Scientists in the Field series. To create these amazing titles, they have traveled all over the planet. But their journey in search of tree kangaroos was especially harrowing. I love how the author introduces us to the whole research team and writes as though she is taking us right along wither on this amazing journey of discovery. Like If Stones Could Speak, the resulting book is incredibly engaging for young readers.

Take a Look: Ring Around the Tree

2011-03-14T05:27:00.000-04:00

Last September, I optimistically began this “Take a Look” Monday blog stand to “encourage us all to look more closely at the world around us.” I was hoping that it would force me to explore the winter world of New England more than ever before.

Well, that didn’t happen. Through the cold winter months, I strayed from my intention by blogging about things that were, indeed, worth looking at and considering, but they didn’t get me out of the house into the natural world. Hmmph!

But now spring seems to be just around the corner, so I’m going to try to get back on track. And I can’t think of a better way to do that than to take a look at my beloved maple tree.

There’s still plenty of snow on the ground, but look at how all the snow has melted out from around the base of the tree. For an even better view of how this works, take a look at the linden tree in my side yard.

Why does this happen? It’s not because the tree gives off heat. It’s because the dark bark reflects the sun’s heat and light and that melts the snow in a ring around the tree.

Friday Fun: Fishy Facts

2011-03-11T03:08:00.008-05:00

In honor of the publication of A Place for Fish, here are some fascinating fish facts. Enjoy!

• No one knows exactly how many kinds of fish live on Earth. So far, scientists have discovered more than 25,000 different species. Some researchers think there may 15,000 more species left to identify.

• Most fish swim in groups called schools, but a group of seahorses is called a herd.

• The stout infantfish is the smallest fish on Earth. It could easily sit on top of a pencil eraser. The great whale shark is the world’s largest fish. It is larger than a school bus.

• Fish don’t have eyelids, so they can’t close their eyes and fall asleep like we do. Most fish rest quietly during the night, but some fish are almost always on the move.

• Does the idea of kissing a fish make your skin crawl? Then consider this: Most brands of lipstick contain ground-up fish scales.

• Most young fish are called fingerlings, but young sharks and sawfish are called pups.

Behind the Books: Who Wrote that Book?

2011-03-09T03:58:00.000-05:00

Last July, I had the pleasure of speaking at the League of Vermont Writers’ conference in West Dover, VT. In my personal and professional lives, I always strive to see ideas and situations from other people’s points of view and doing just that allowed me to have a surprising insight at this conference.

In one session, an adult fiction writer lamented about how much easier it was for nonfiction writers to create a “platform.” According to her, it’s a given in the adult writing world that it’s much, much easier to gain name recognition if you write nonfiction.

Huh?

I looked around the room and saw many people nodding their heads in agreement.

Double huh?

The discussion then went in a direction that was completely foreign, completely startling to me. How, I wondered, could things be so different in adult publishing and kids publishing?

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the times I’ve had the exact opposite conversation with my children’s nonfiction writer colleagues. From our point of view, fiction writers like Jeff Kinney, Stephanie Meyer, Mo Willems, Kevin Henkes, Jane Yolen, Suzanne Collins, Rick Riordan are household names because when kids read a novel or fictional picture book they like, they want more of the same. They go out and read every other book that author has ever written. That’s one reason series are becoming more and more a part of the kidlit landscape.

But the leaders in the kids’ nonfiction field aren’t household names. Teachers and librarians may know names like Steve Jenkins and April Pulley Sayre and Brian Floca and March Aronson and Sy Montgomery, but parents and kids don’t. The reason is simple.

If a child reads and loves my book A Place for Butterflies, chances are he/she won’t read every other book I’ve written. That child will go read voraciously about butterflies. They are turned on by the topic, not the writer. It makes perfect sense.

What doesn’t make sense to me is why it’s different for adult books. I’ve been contemplating this discrepancy for six months now, but I still haven’t come up with an answer that satisfies me. I’m hoping that if I do, we can figure out a way to boost nonfiction sales overall. Any ideas?

Take a Look: I’ve Been Traveling and Having a Blast

2011-03-07T04:35:00.035-05:00

It’s March, and that means it’s time for school visits. Last week was a very busy week for me. I started the week at Woodville School in Wakefield and ended it in the March into Reading Book Festival in Rhode Island. I did 22 presentations in all.

Boy am I tired. But I’m also exhilarated. Those kids give me s-o-o-o-o-o much energy. And so much to think about, too. No matter how many times I do a program, those kids come up with questions that surprise and challenge me.

Here are a few of the highlights . . .

At Woodville School in Wakefield, MA, the second graders performed a Readers Theater based on my book Under the Snow.

Look at this cool hat! This boys asked me some super fantastic questions.

Here are the awesome signs that greeted me at Hathaway School in Portsmouth, RI.

A student from Mrs. Backman’s class introduced me at all 6 of my programs. They did a great job.

Here’s another Readers Theater program. Look at how straight these students are standing. I could tell they worked hard. They knew their lines, and they spoke loudly and clearly.

And here’s my friend and fellow science writer Loree Griffin Burns who also presented at the March into Reading Book Festival in Newport, RI. She was discussing her wonderful new book The Hive Detectives.

What a fun week! Now I'm getting ready for more presentations over the next few weeks.

Friday Fun: Five Gross and Goofy Body Facts

2011-03-04T04:23:00.011-05:00

1. When a cuddly kitty feels threatened, its fur sticks up straight. The scaredy-cat looks larger and fiercer, so enemies think twice about attacking.

2. How can you tell when a chimp’s stressed out? Just look at its fur. Upright means uptight.

3. Dogs and cats shed their coats twice a year. As the days grow longer and warmer in spring, their thick winter fur falls out in clumps. The summer coat that grows in is thinner. In autumn, as the days grow shorter and cooler, dogs and cats shed their summer coat. Heavier fur grows in to keep them toasty warm all winter long.

4. During their autumn molt, weasels and snowshoe hares turn off the cells that give their hair color. The result is a white winter coat that blends in with snow. During the spring molt, their color-making cells crank up production. That’s why their summer coats are brown—perfect for hiding in grass or under shrubs.

5. A fawn’s first coat is speckled with spots that help the baby animal blend in with its surroundings. By late summer, a young deer can run as fast as its parents. So during the autumn molt, it loses its spots.