It was a thrill to write my first book, It's Her Story: Amelia Earhart. And it's a graphic novel, to boot! It was an exciting challenge to fit a lot of information about the aviator's life into a few dozen pages in a way that would be accessible and inspiring to elementary school readers. As a record-breaking pilot, she had so many professional accomplishments to share. I wrote the narrative and the dialog. And though I did not draw the images ... [ Read More ]
Chicago Summer STEM Camps 2022
Is it possible that all those hours your child spends on their computer will lead to a lucrative career? With the right guidance, all that screen time may pay off! To help that process, we're presenting Chicagoland's most comprehensive guide to STEM and STEAM camps. Whether they are in elementary school, middle school, or high school, these camps can ignite your child's passion for science and technology or fan the flames that are already ... [ Read More ]
Wally Funk is Going to Space! (And I Wrote a Book!)
Wally Funk is headed to space! Back in 1961, she was part of the secret Mercury 13 project that tested a small group of women for fitness for space travel. Despite passing rigorous physical and medical tests, isolation tests, and more, the project (a private venture, not an official NASA one) was put on hold. When funding was cut, they were summarily dismissed. They did not all go gently, but their protests did nothing to change the outcome of ... [ Read More ]
STEM Camps for Girls
Yes, we already have an awesome Chicago STEM Summer Camp Guide, but we’re aware that some parents prefer an all-girls environment for their daughters. As Chicago’s leading STEM and STEAM resource for families, we want to make it easy to find the right girls-only option. So here's our 2020 updated guide to STEM Camps for Girls. Although several of the locations are Chicago-specific, some of the camps, like Girls Who Code Campus, are offered ... [ Read More ]
Galaxy Girls Book Review
I'm thrilled to bring in an authentic voice to review Galaxy Girls: 50 Amazing Stories of Women in Space. Please welcome Miriam, a 10-year-old, book-obsessed writer, dancer, singer, actor, roller-blader, chef, and more. She lives with her parents, younger brother, and dog on the north side of Chicago. This review contains affiliate links. Galaxy Girls: 50 Amazing Stories of Women in Space Before I even turned to page one, the cover of Galaxy ... [ Read More ]
Rox’s Secret Code: Book Review
I was so intrigued by Rox's Secret Code (affiliate link), a cool new interactive picture book, that I wanted to tell you about it even before I passed it along to one of my young reviewers. The interactive piece will launch in early November, but you can get a peek at it in the video below. The book has an entire team behind it. It's the brainchild of Mara Lecocq, was written by Nathan Archambault, illustrated by Jessika Von Innerebner, and ... [ Read More ]
Good Reads for STEM Girls (and Their Brothers)
This post contains affiliate links. There's been a steady rise in STEM toys for girls in recent years with products like Goldieblox, Lego Friends, Roominate, and the Yellowscope Science Kit making a splash in the marketplace. With the exception of Lego Friends, those products were developed visionary female entrepreneurs who also had backgrounds in STEM. So it's no surprise that there are several new good reads for STEM girls that were written by ... [ Read More ]