Pick Up Sticks by Yours Truly

Can we convince young people to enjoy failure as much as they enjoy play? Can we teach them that the two are inseparable travel-mates on the path to success? “Pick Up Sticks: How One Toy Became a Space-Exploration Robot”—my latest article appearing in the April 2018 issue of Muse—confronts these very questions. Like all scientists,… Continue reading Pick Up Sticks by Yours Truly

Journey by Starlight by Ian Flitcroft

With the holidays fast approaching, I’ll spend several posts sharing my top gift picks, fics, nonfics, and everything in between to titillate the book lovers, knowledge hunters, and idea crafters in your life. Flitcroft, Ian. Journey by Starlight: A Time Traveler’s Guide to Life, the Universe, and Everything. Illus. Britt Spencer. Long Island City, NY:… Continue reading Journey by Starlight by Ian Flitcroft

I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong

While we tend to chuck microbes into a general “yuck” pile of germs in need of disinfecting, truth is, only a slim minority of species are harmful. The rest are not just beneficial, but essential to the ebb and flow of life on this planet. For instance, how did life evolve into multi-cellular, diverse creatures… Continue reading I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong

Body of Knowledge by Yours Truly

Today, I’m as happy as a maggot in pus because my short story, “Body of Knowledge” appears in the the February 2016 issue of Muse Magazine for Kids! Based on true events in 19th century Dublin, the hair-raising tale follows four teens on a midnight errand to rob a grave! If I’ve done my job as a… Continue reading Body of Knowledge by Yours Truly

The Elephant Scientist by Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson

O’Connell, Caitlin and Donna M. Jackson. The Elephant Scientist. New York: Houghton Miffling Books for Children, 2011. Print. Genre: Nonfiction (photo) picture book Summary: This is a true story. Caitlin grows up with a love for science. She studies bugs, but then gets a chance to study elephants in Africa. One day, no joke, her… Continue reading The Elephant Scientist by Caitlin O’Connell and Donna M. Jackson