STEM Women in KidLit

Andrea Wang: Environmental Science & "Writing the Books We Needed"

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 06:00:00 -0500

Join children's book authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they talk to environmental scientist and children's book author Andrea Wang about Environmental Science & "Writing the Books We Needed."

You can find books by all our guests in the STEM Women in KidLit bookstore!

Support STEM Women in Kidlit!

Books recommended on this episode:

Smelly Kelly and His Super Senses: How James Kelly's Nose Saved the New York City Subway

Beth Anderson (Author) Jenn Harney (Illustrator)

Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness

Maria Gianferrari (Author) Pete Oswald (Illustrator)

The Secret Science of Sports: The Math, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering Behind Every Grand Slam, Triple Axel, and Penalty Kick

Jennifer Swanson (Author)

Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas

Elizabeth Shreeve (Author) Frann Preston-Gannon (Illustrator)

Amitha Knight: Writing Through Residency

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 22:00:00 -0400

Join children's book authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they talk to doctor and children's book author Amitha Jagannath Knight about Writing Through Residency.

You can find books by all our guests in the STEM Women in KidLit bookstore!

Support STEM Women in Kidlit!

Books recommended on this episode:

ADA Byron Lovelace & the Thinking Machine

Laurie Wallmark (Author) April Chu (Illustrator)

Sky Gazing: A Guide to the Moon, Sun, Planets, Stars, Eclipses, and Constellations

Meg Thacher (Author)

Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

Traci Sorell (Author) Natasha Donovan (Illustrator)

A Life Electric: The Story of Nikola Tesla

Azadeh Westergaard (Author) Júlia Sardà (Illustrator)

Leslie Bulion: SCUBA, "Golly-Gee Science", & The Hazards of Poetry Research

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Join children's book authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they talk to children's book author with a degree in oceanography, Leslie Bulion about SCUBA, "Golly-Gee Science," & The Hazards of Poetry Research.

Books recommended on this episode:

Hear the Wind Blow

Doe Boyle (Author) Emily Paik (Illustrator)

How to Build an Insect

Roberta Gibson (Author) Anne Lambelet (Illustrator)

13 Ways to Eat a Fly

Sue Heavenrich (Author) David Clark (Illustrator)

Scurry! the Truth about Spiders

Annette Whipple (Author)

Dear Treefrog

Joyce Sidman (Author) Diana Sudyka (Illustrator)

Be a Tree!

Maria Gianferrari (Author) Felicita Sala (Illustrator)

Charles Darwin's Around-The-World Adventure

Jennifer Thermes (Author)

Marjory Saves the Everglades: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Sandra Neil Wallace (Author) Rebecca Gibbon (Illustrator)

A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use

Sara Levine (Author) Kate Slater (Illustrator)

Songju Ma Daemicke: STEM Across Cultures

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Join children's book authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they talk to software engineer and children's book author Songju Ma Daemicke about STEM Across Cultures.

Books recommended on this episode:

Whole Whale

Karen Yin (Author) Nelleke Verhoeff (Illustrator)

Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom

Teresa Robeson (Author) Rebecca Huang (Illustrator)

Gravity

Jason Chin

Ada Twist, Scientist

Andrea Beaty (Author) David Roberts (Illustrator)

Amazing Evolution: The Journey of Life

Anna Claybourne (Author) Wesley Robins (Illustrator)

When Plants Took Over the Planet: The Amazing Story of Plant Evolution

Chris Thorogood (Author) Amy Grimes (Illustrator)

Padma Venkatraman: Oceanography & Compassion

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join children's book authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they talk to oceanographic researcher and children's book author Padma Venkatraman about Oceanography & Compassion.

Books Recommended on this Episode:

Usha and the Big Digger

Amitha Jagannath Knight (Author) Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)

Why Do We See Rainbows?

by Melissa Stewart

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

Tanya Lee Stone (Author) Margaret A. Weitekamp (Foreword by)

Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines

Sarah Aronson (Author) Robert Neubecker (Illustrator)

Solid, Liquid, Gassy! (a Fairy Science Story)

Ashley Spires (Author)

Also check out:
https://diversebooks.org/

Hannah Holt: Connections (Roundabouts, Writing, and Underwear)

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join children's book authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they talk to transportation analyst (with a degree in civil engineering) and children's book author Hannah Holt about Connections (Roundabouts, Writing, and Underwear).

Books recommended on this episode:

Mae Among the Stars

Roda Ahmed (Author) Stasia Burrington (Illustrator)

The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story

Tina Cho (Author) Jess X. Snow (Illustrator)

Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America's Doctor

Kate Messner (Author) Alexandra Bye (Illustrator)

Jada Jones: Sleepover Scientist #3

Kelly Starling Lyons (Author) Vanessa Brantley-Newton (Illustrator)
& 1 more

How to Code a Sandcastle

Josh Funk (Author) Sara Palacios (Illustrator)

Margarita Engle: Plants, Poetry, and Persistence

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 09:00:00 -0400

Join children's book authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they talk to agronomist and Newbery Honor-winning author Margarita Engle about Plants, Poetry, and Persistence.

Books recommended on this episode:

Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World

Nancy Castaldo (Author)

The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity: A Tale of the Genius Ramanujan

Amy Alznauer (Author) Daniel Miyares (Illustrator)

What's in Your Pocket?: Collecting Nature's Treasures

Heather L. Montgomery (Author) Maribel Lechuga (Illustrator)

Darshana Khiani: From Semiconductors to Saris

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Artemis Roehrig and Rajani LaRocca as we talk with computer engineer and children's book author Darshana Khiani about everything from semiconductors to saris . Find out more about Darshana on her website.

Books recommended on this episode:

The Truth about Bears: Seriously Funny Facts about Your Favorite Animals

Maxwell Eaton (Author)

Too Sticky!: Sensory Issues with Autism

Jen Malia (Author) Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Illustrator)

Butterflies Are Pretty ... Gross!

Rosemary Mosco (Author) Jacob Souva (Illustrator)

Sarah Lynne Reul: Food, Dollhouses and Drawing Animals

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Artemis Roehrig and Rajani LaRocca as we talk with science educator and children's book author/illustrator Sarah Lynne Reul about Food, Dollhouses, and Drawing Animals. Find out more about Sarah on her website.

Books recommended on this episode:

Friendbots: Blink and Block Make a Wish

Vicky Fang (Author)

Our House Is on Fire: Greta Thunberg's Call to Save the Planet

Jeanette Winter (Author)

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

Joyce Sidman (Author)

Science Comics: The Brain: The Ultimate Thinking Machine

Tory Woollcott (Author) Alex Graudins (Illustrator)

What Miss Mitchell Saw

Hayley Barrett (Author) Diana Sudyka (Illustrator)

Science Comics: Cats: Nature and Nurture

Andy Hirsch (Author)

Dogs: From Predator to Protector

Andy Hirsch (Author)

Stacy McAnulty: From Engineering Airline Seats to Engineering Books

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Artemis Roehrig and Rajani LaRocca as we talk with mechanical engineer and children's book author Stacy McAnulty about how she went From Engineering Airline Seats to Engineering Books. Find out more about Stacy on her website.

Books recommended on this episode:

In the Shadow of the Moon: America, Russia, and the Hidden History of the Space Race

Amy Cherrix (Author)

Infinity and Me

Kate Hosford (Author) Gabi Swiatkowska (Illustrator)

Ruby's Birds

Mya Thompson (Author) Claudia Dávila (Illustrator)

Sara Levine: Kid Books and Kids (Goats)

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Artemis Roehrig and Rajani LaRocca as we talk with veterinarian and children's book author Sara Levine about Kid Books and Kids (Goats). Find out more about Sara on her website.

Books recommended on this episode:

On Beyond a Million: An Amazing Math Journey

David M. Schwartz (Author) Paul Meisel (Illustrator)

Counting Birds: The Idea That Helped Save Our Feathered Friends

Heidi E. y. Stemple (Author) Clover Robin (Illustrator)

The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest

Heather Lang (Author) Jana Christy (Illustrator)

Star Finder!: A Step-By-Step Guide to the Night Sky

DK (Author) Smithsonian Institution (Contribution by)

Sky Gazing: A Guide to the Moon, Sun, Planets, Stars, Eclipses, and Constellations

Meg Thacher (Author)

Theanne Griffith: Neurophysiology, Chapter Books, and Character Connections

Tue, 18 May 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Artemis Roehrig and Rajani LaRocca as they talk to children's book author and neurophysiologist Theanne Griffith! To find out more about Theanne and her books you can visit her website: https://www.theannegriffith.com/.

Books recommended on this episode:

Ada Twist, Scientist

Andrea Beaty (Author) David Roberts (Illustrator)

Baby Loves the Five Senses: Touch!

Ruth Spiro (Author) Irene Chan (Illustrator)

Baby Loves Coding!

Ruth Spiro (Author) Irene Chan (Illustrator)

Boxitects

Kim Smith (Author)

One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale

Demi (Author) Demi (Illustrator)

Kirsten Larson: NASA, Invention, and Embracing Opportunities

Tue, 04 May 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Artemis Roehrig and Rajani LaRocca as they talk to children's book author and science communicator, Kirsten Larson, about NASA, Invention, and Embracing Opportunities.
To find out more about Kirsten and her books, visit her website!

Books recommended on this episode:

Your Place in the Universe

Jason Chin (Author)

When the Whales Walked: And Other Incredible Evolutionary Journeys

Dougal Dixon (Author) Hannah Bailey (Illustrator)

Invent-a-Pet

Vicky Fang (Author) Tidawan Thaipinnarong (Illustrator)

Beatrix Potter, Scientist

Lindsay H. Metcalf (Author) Junyi Wu (Illustrator)

Made by Maxine

Ruth Spiro (Author) Holly Hatam (Illustrator)

L.E. Carmichael: Wolves, Forensics & Writing Like A Scientist

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they chat with wildlife population geneticist and children's book author L.E. Carmichael about wolves, forensics, and writing like a scientist. To find out more about L.E. Carmichael and her books, visit her website!

Books recommended on this episode:

Out of the Ice: How Climate Change Is Revealing the Past

Claire Eamer (Author) Drew Shannon (Illustrator)

Monster Science: Could Monsters Survive (and Thrive!) in the Real World?

Helaine Becker (Author) Phil McAndrew (Illustrator)

Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (and Others) Left Behind

Jacob Berkowitz (Author) Steve Mack (Illustrator)

The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest

Heather Lang (Author) Jana Christy (Illustrator)

The Queen Bee and Me

Gillian McDunn (Author)

Gail Villanueva: From Web Design to Worldbuilding

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig while they talk with web designer and middle grade author Gail Villanueva.
For more information about Gail and her books, visit her website

Books recommended on this episode:

A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut (Masha D'Yans)

What Miss Mitchell Saw (Hayley Barrett (Author) Diana Sudyka (Illustrator))

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl (Stacy McAnulty)

The Science of Breakable Things (Tae Keller)

What Stars Are Made of (Sarah Allen)

For more information about the podcast hosts visit their websites:
Rajani
Artemis

Laura Gehl: From Brains to Board Books

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0400

Join authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as we talk to neuroscientist and children's book author Laura Gehl.
To find out more about Laura and her books check out her website

Books recommended on this episode:
Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years (McAnulty/ Litchfield)
The Last Marshmallow (Lin)
Girl Versus Squirrel (Barrett/ Adriani)

Find out more about the hosts and their books:
Rajani LaRocca
Artemis Roehrig

Dow Phumiruk: Pictures, Pediatrics, & 12-Color Pens

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Join authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig while we talk to children's book author/illustrator and pediatrician Dow Phumiruk about pictures, pediatrics and 12-Color Pens!
Learn more about Dow on her website!

Books Recommended on this Episode:

The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics (Hood/Engel)

Ada Twist, Scientist (Beaty/Roberts)

Can You Crack the Code?: A Fascinating History of Ciphers and Cryptography (Schwartz/Williams)

Zoobots: Wild Robots Inspired by Real Animals (Becker/Ries)

Emmy Noether: The Most Important Mathematician You've Never Heard Of (Becker/Rust)

Lia & Luis: Who Has More?: Who Has More? (Crespo/Medeiros)

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera (Fleming/Rohmann)

A Songbird Dreams of Singing: Poems about Sleeping Animals (Hosford/Potter)

For more information about the hosts:
Rajani LaRocca
Artemis Roehrig

Laurie Wallmark: Biographies, Dinosaurs, & Computer Science

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Join authors Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig while we talk to children's book author and computer scientist Laurie Wallmark about Biographies, Dinosaurs, & Computer Science!

Find out more about Laurie Wallmark on her website.

Books recommended on this episode:
The Reason for the Seasons (Peterson)
Beastly Bionics: Rad Robots, Brilliant Biomicry, and Incredible Inventions Inspired by Nature (Swanson)
Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs (Stewart/Laberis)
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom (Robeson/Huang)

For more information about the hosts:
Rajani LaRocca
Artemis Roehrig

Melissa Stewart: Nonfiction, Finding Stories, and Structure vs Function

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Join Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig while we talk to nonfiction children's book author Melissa Stewart (who has degrees in biology and science journalism) about nonfiction, finding stories, and structure vs function.

Find out more about Melissa on her website.

Books recommended in this episode:
Save the Crash Test Dummies (Swanson/Grooms)
Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals (Duffield/Orodan)
All 13: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team (Soontornvat)
Mae Among the Stars (Ahmed/Burrington)

For more information about the hosts:
Rajani LaRocca
Artemis Roehrig

Patricia Valdez: Komodo Dragons, Role Models & Spy Hunting

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Join hosts Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they chat with picture book author and extramural research integrity officer/ molecular biologist Patricia Valdez about Komodo dragons, the importance of role models, and Spy Hunting.

Find out more about Patricia and her books on her website!

STEM books recommended on this episode:
Just Right: Searching for the Goldilocks Planet (Manley/Lanen)
A Black Hole is Not a Hole (DeChistofano/Carroll)
Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes (Davies/Sutton)
Lia & Luis: Who Has More? (Crespo/Medeiros)
Over and Under the Snow (Messner/Neal)

For more information about the hosts:
Rajani LaRocca
Artemis Roehrig

Aimee Lucido: Java, "Bark" Mitzvah & Forms of Writing

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 07:00:00 -0500

Join hosts Rajani LaRocca and Artemis Roehrig as they chat with middle grade author and software engineer Aimee Lucido about Java, "bark" mitzfah, and forms of writing.

Find out more about Aimee and her books on her website!

STEM books recommended on this episode:
Secret Coders (Yang/Holmes)
The Animals Would Not Sleep! (Levine/ Alvarez Miguens)
Because of an Acorn (Schaefer/Schaefer/Preston-Gannon)

For more information about the hosts:
Rajani LaRocca
Artemis Roehrig

Jane Veltkamp: Raptors, 3D Printing, & Writing for a Cause

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 08:00:00 -0500

Join Rajani and Artemis as they talk to raptor biologist and KidLit author Jane Veltkamp about raptors, 3D printing, and writing for a cause.

Visit Jane's website: https://www.birdsofpreynorthwest.org/
Buy Beauty and the Beak

Books recommended in this episode:
Scientists Get Dressed (Rose)
The Mutant Mushroom Takeover (Short)
Snowflake Bentley (Martin/Azarian)

For more info about the hosts and their books, check out: https://artemisroehrig.com/ and http://www.rajanilarocca.com/

Rajani's books
Artemis' books

Karen Strong: Tech, Haints, and "Debugging A Book"

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 07:00:00 -0500

Rajani and Artemis talk to software developer and children's book author Karen Strong about technology, haints, and "debugging a book."
Learn more about Karen and her books on her website: https://www.karen-strong.com/
Purchase Just South of Home

Books recommended on this episode:

How to Code A Rollercoaster (Funk/Palacios)
Feathers: Not Just for Flying (Stewart/Brannen)
Emmy In the Key of Code (Lucido)

For more info about the hosts and their books, check out: https://artemisroehrig.com/ and http://www.rajanilarocca.com/

Rajani's books
Artemis' books

Sayantani DasGupta: Medicine, Fantasy, and "Kids Like Me"

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 07:00:00 -0500

Rajani and Artemis talk to physician and children's book author Sayantani DasGupta about narrative medicine, fantasy and "kids like me".
Learn more about Christine and her books on her website: http://www.sayantanidasgupta.com/
Purchase Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond

Books recommended on this episode:

100 Bugs!: A Counting Book (Narita/Kaufman)
Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Melifera (Fleming/Rohmann)
A Ring of Endless Light (L'Engle)

For more info about the hosts and their books, check out: ArtemisRoehrig.com and RajaniLaRocca.com

Rajani's books
Artemis' books

Jennifer Swanson: Chemistry, Cars, & Cousteau

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:00:00 -0500

STEM Woman and KidLit author Jennifer Swanson talks with Artemis and Rajani about chemistry, cars, and Cousteau.
Jennifer's website: https://jenniferswansonbooks.com/
Jennifer's podcast: https://solveitforkids.com/

Books recommended in this episode:
Water is Water (Paul/Chin)
An Egg is Quiet (Aston/Long)
http://www.steamteambooks.com/

For more info about the hosts and their books, check out: ArtemisRoehrig.com and RajaniLaRocca.com

Rajani's books
Artemis' books

Christine Taylor-Butler: Engineering, Aliens, and STEAM vs STEM

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 06:00:00 -0400

Rajani and Artemis talk to engineer and children's book author Christine Taylor-Butler about engineering, aliens, and STEAM vs STEM.
Learn more about Christine and her books on her website: ChristineTaylorButler.com
Purchase The Lost Tribes

Books recommended on this episode:

A Seed Is The Start (Stewart)
Twinderella, A Fractioned Fairy Tale (Schwartz/Marcero)
Science Comics: Solar System: Our Place in Space (Mosco/Chad)

For more info about the hosts and their books, check out: ArtemisRoehrig.com and RajaniLaRocca.com

Rajani's books
Artemis' books

Vicky Fang: Math, Musicals, and Mixed-up Pets!

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 05:00:00 -0400

Rajani and Artemis talk to product designer and children’s book creator Vicky Fang about math, musicals, and mixed up pets!

To purchase signed copies of Vicky’s books click here.

Learn more about Vicky on her website: https://vickyfang.com/

Books recommended in this episode: Baby Loves the Senses (Spiro/Chan)
Dozens of Doughnuts (Finison/Farley), Welcome to the Moth Ball: A Nighttime Insect Celebration (Burns/Harasimowicz), Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane (Larson/Subisak)

For more info about the hosts and their books, check out ArtemisRoehrig.com and RajaniLaRocca.com

Rajani's books
Artemis' books

Vicky Fang

Vicky's chapter books, picture book, and board books!