Books about How Things Work

By Lerner Editorial

Life is pretty amazing when you look at it with childlike wonder. We harnessed that wonder in creating the Step by Step and Food Field Trips series, both of which focus on the amazing ways that everyday things are made, produced, or grown.

The Spy Who Raised Me by Ted Anderson and illustrated by Gianna Meola is a super-spy adventure and hilarious satire about the demands parents place on children. The story follows teenager Josie Black who can infiltrate any building and move like a martial artist. But no one told her that. When she discovers her mom secretly programmed her to be a special operative, spy family drama breaks out.

Author Ted Anderson joins us today to give us the inside scoop of how he wrote his new graphic novel!

Beyond: Discoveries from the Outer Reaches of Space takes readers on a profound journey beyond our solar system and explores the marvels of interstellar space. A wonder-filled poem and spectacular illustrations explore everything from dwarf planets and black holes to dark matter and brand-new stars.

Today author Miranda Paul joins us to discuss her inspiration for Beyond, the picture book’s unique format, and her favorite celestial body!

This is a guest post from Jane Moore, a teacher for more than 26 years. Jane attended our recent webinar about using picture books with tweens and teens, then reached out to share some of her rich experience both in the classroom and from her trainings with teachers. Thank you, Jane!

What a wonderful webinar “Not Just for Kids, How to Use Picture Books with Tweens and Teens” was!! So many interesting, diverse books for all levels of readers!! Teachers, now that you have great reading suggestions for students, what are you going to do with it? How can you maintain students’ interest and extend the learning? Read on for some suggestions that I have!

By Carol Hinz, Associate Publisher of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books

This book came about in a somewhat unusual way–a little over a year ago as it became clear that the COVID-19 pandemic was about to change our lives, award-winning science writer Sara Levine and I began talking making a book about the science behind not only SARS-CoV-2 but also many other infectious diseases. In this interview, Sara shares more about how Germs Up Close came together as well as some of the challenges she faced along the way.