Super Women in Science by Kelly Di Domenico contains the biographies of women scientists who made outstanding contributions to their fields of study. Starting with the tragic story of Hypatia, born in the year 355, through the first African-American woman in space, Mae Jemison, this book briefly summarizes the lives of women in the light of the times in which they lived. Each chapter summarizes the life of a single woman, listed in chronological order.

Some of the women, like Rachel Carson, are household names. In other cases the author has chosen a less well-known scientist. For example, instead of a biography of primatologist Jane Goodall, Di Domenico introduces us to Birute Galdikas, a woman who studies orangutans in a similar ground-breaking way that Goodall studies chimpanzees. It is fun to learn about someone new.

Most of the women had to struggle against bias to continue working in science. For example, Maria Goeppert-Mayer won the Nobel Prize in 1963 for physics, but had to work as a volunteer because no university would hire her early in her career. Hearing the same setbacks due to gender bias again and again is a bit disheartening, but it does reflect the realities of the times.

Part of the high-quality Women’s Hall of Fame Series, this particular volume does have a few minor flaws. For example, in the second chapter on fossil-hunter Mary Anning, some of the scientific names are not properly capitalized. The list of sources in the back, however, are extremely helpful for children who get excited about the life of one of these women and want to find out more.

Super Women in Science is likely to be inspiring not only children interested in science, but also those interested in history. Although listed as a middle grade book, I think older children will also find it useful.

Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 102 pages
Publisher: Second Story Press (January 1, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1896764665
ISBN-13: 978-1896764665

This post was prepared for Nonfiction Monday, a blogging celebration of nonfiction books for kids. (I usually participate in this carnival at my Wrapped in Foil blog.) For more information, stop by Anastasia Suen’s Nonfiction Monday page. This week’s carnival is at Bookish Blather.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this older book for review.

First of all, I am sad because this year my parents decided to log the small woods that is on their property. They knew I wouldn’t be happy, so they didn’t let it slip until it was already done. And they were right. I felt loss for the walnuts and oaks who had been standing since as long as I can remember. I miss them.

Arbor day also reminds me of the story of Herbie the elm tree, which is a poignant one. Rambling Woods has a good summary of the Herbie story.

Maybe I miss the trees more because here in the desert trees are small and shrubby. A big tree is a rare and beautiful sight.

In any case, a book that came in the mail this week struck a chord with me.

I will say up front that this is an adult book, it is not written for children.

Keepers of the Trees:  A Guide to Re-Greening North America by Ann Linnea has the details right. It is printed on recycled wood-free paper.

Linnea writes about the stories of fourteen men and women who are dedicated to conserving trees, including herself. She includes people from a diversity of outlooks, races, genders, lifestyles and backgrounds, all brought together by their love of trees.

The author has a compelling writing style and sets just the right tone. The book isn’t preachy or heavy-handed at all. Basically, it is about the people and their work.

People like Corella Payne, who researches public health issues such as asthma for her job, and then volunteers as a Treekeeper for public parks during her off hours. Corella sees the link between being outside with nature, and overall health and well-being.

The story of Merve the logger stands out in my mind because of my recent experiences. Merve has been selectively and sustainably logging the same spot in Canada for years. Although he has removed the same amount of timber that he would have gotten if he had simply clear cut, the forest remains in place, still viable and diverse. He respects the soil, leaves natural drainage systems intact and tries to take trees that are mostly at the end of their natural life cycle. Inspiring!

The layout of Keepers of the Trees is visually appealing, with many color photographs and figures. In the back is a list of practical things that you can do if you are interested in “tree-keeping.” Suggestions include planting a tree, adopting a tree, and mentoring a child.

I think I will take up that suggestion to mentor a child by taking my son to see another cork oak I found out about recently. Seems like the right thing to do on Arbor Day.

And if you are interested in helping a child learn more about trees, check my review of the Leaf and Tree Guide at Wrapped in Foil.

Edit: Tricia has a fabulous list of children’s books about trees at The Miss Rumphius Effect.

What are you doing for Arbor Day?

Please read the disclosure page for information about my affiliation with Amazon. Book was provided by publisher.

I went through the list of nominated nonfiction picture books and picked out some science and nature books that you might find interesting and/or useful. (And by the way, I am a round II judge for this category.)

Nic Bishop Butterflies and Moths by Nic Bishop

Nic Bishop is an award-winning photographer and author, and this book is sure to win him more honors. His photographs of butterflies, moths and their caterpillars are fascinating. Not only does he get close up, but from an unusual angle or catching the subject in action. The photos can stand alone, but he adds a lyrical and informative text as well. If your children are interested in insects, be sure to take a look at this one.

For a more extensive review, see my children’s book blog, Wrapped in Foil.

For kids interested in space, we have books released just in time for the 40th anniversary of the moon landing.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca

Check out the trailers:

One Giant Leap by Robert Burleigh and Mike Wimmer (Illustrator)

Another version of the lunar landing, also well done.

This trailer is longer because it is a TV news interview with the illustrator Mike Wimmer. In the beginning they show some illustrations from the book. If your child is interested in art, the interview shows his studio and Mike painting.

Cars on Mars: Roving the Red Planet by Alexandra Siy

This one was actually nominated for the middle grade nonfiction category instead of the picture books because the text is more extensive and in depth than the usual picture book, but I thought you might want to take a look. Children’s book reviewers have been raving about it since its release. It is about the two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.

You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O’Brien

This book really stretches the definition of nonfiction, because it details an imaginary trip to Mars. The scientific details and photorealistic illustrations are what make it credible.

Oceans/Aquatic life

Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned To Swim Again by Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff, and Craig Hatkoff

I already wrote about some of the activities surrounding the release of this book in a previous post.
Winter’s Tail is the heartrending story of a young dolphin named Winter who lost her tail after becoming entangled in a crab trap line. After she healed, she was fitted with a prosthetic tail.

Bubble Homes and Fish Farts by Fiona Bayrock and Carolyn Conahan (Illustrator)

Parents might be put off by the word “fart” this title, but don’t be. It is a gem of a nonfiction book based on the scientific theme of how animals create and use bubbles. With soft watercolor illustrations and plenty of cutting-edge information, even the scientifically savvy will find something new here. For example, the “farts” are not flatulence, but Fast Repetitive Ticks (FaRTs) made by herring at night as a form of communication.

Down, Down, Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Steve Jenkins

Steve Jenkins is an incredibly popular author of children’s nonfiction. Add some out-of-this world papercut illustrations and you have one unbeatable book.

Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast blog has a more extensive review with spreads from the book.

And now, check out this really cool widget from Amazon. (I’ve provided information about my affiliation with Amazon in the the disclosure page – see button in the header of the blog).

Certain insects and arachnids also seem to prefer hollyhocks.

Shiny metallic-green flies were resting on the leaves this morning.

Aren’t they pretty?

Any ideas what they were doing?

Called long-legged flies, the small green flies are predators waiting to catch other insects for food.

Tiny, pale green leafhoppers like this one are a meal for long-legged flies.

Another fly I found isn’t quite so welcome.

This tiny yellow and black fly is an adult leafminer. The fly will lay its eggs in the hollyhock leaves. The larvae will feed between the upper and lower surface of the leaf causing a winding light-colored tunnel. Fortunately the damage is relatively cosmetic (looks only).

Other creatures already hard at work on the bottom leaves of some of the plants are spider mites.

The spider mites make fine webs like spider webs, hence the name. In our hollyhocks, the mites quickly build up, causing the leaves to turn yellow and die.

Hopefully, some predators will show up that eat spider mites. Here’s a sign that at least one predatory insect is about to make an appearance. Do you know what the stalk is?

I’ll give you a hint:  it is on the underside of the leaf (I flipped it over).

If Not for the Cat by Jack Prelutsky and Ted Rand (Illustrator)

A friend of mine recently showed me this book, written all in haiku. Although that might sound about as exciting as bread molding, this is an incredible book. The vocabulary is stimulating, and the illustrations are superb. I would say this book would be acceptable as a read aloud for younger children and definitely would be a book your children would return to again and again. Although the cat is the title, most of the poems involve creatures from nature.

insectlopedia by Douglas Florian

My son’s first grade teacher gave a copy of this book to my son and he still cherishes it. I love the fact it is accurate and insightful, as well as creatively fun. And yes, the title is supposed to be in lower case.

mammalabilia by Douglas Florian

Douglas Florian actually has a whole series of poetry books, so if your child isn’t interested in insects, try some of the others.

in the swim by Douglas Florian

The Amazon.com review of this book says: “Even the most educated marine biologist could learn something from this whimsical, beautifully illustrated collection of 21 poems about sea life.”

Math Talk: Mathematical Ideas in Poems for Two Voices by Theoni Pappas

Although not a science book, per se, if you like poems for two voices, this is another fun one.

Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out by Ralph Fletcher

This book is a great resource for older children (and even adults) who are interested in writing poetry. If every school used this book to teach poetry, I am positive that poetry would be everyone’s favorite subject.

Finally, if you want to learn more about nature/science poetry, try The Miss Rumphius Effect website.

Hope you enjoy some poetry today!

For a more child-friendly general discussionof insect mouthparts, check my recent post on the topic.

Legend has it that humans and silkworms met one fine morning in the year 2640 B.C. A Chinese Empress named Hsi-Ling-Chi (various other spellings found) was strolling in her garden drinking tea when a white cocoon plopped into her cup from an overhead tree.

It probably looked something like this:

Instead of dumping it out and asking her servant for another cup of tea like any reasonable person would probably have done, she studied the cocoon. She stirred the warm tea with her finger and noticed a fine strand beginning to unravel from the fuzzy cocoon. Being a weaver, she thought of using the fiber to make cloth. She called to her servant and together they unwound the cocoon into a single long filament. Thus, the silk industry was born.

The cocoon that Hsi-Ling-Chi had collided with was that of the silkworm moth, Bombyx mori. The caterpillar feeds on leaves of mulberry trees of the genus Morus, hence the silkworm species name mori.

Here are some silkworm caterpillars getting ready to pupate:

When it is ready to transform into an adult, the caterpillar uses its enormous silk-producing glands (the glands are up to 25% of the mature caterpillar’s weight!) to spin the oval cocoon.

Rather than being soft and pliable, as you would expect from something made of silk, the cocoon is actually rigid because the caterpillar adds a sticky, gummy protein called sericin to the thread. The sericin hardens into a stiff protective coating, giving the whole thing a consistency resembling Styrofoam. Inside the cocoon, the caterpillar transforms into a pupa, and then into a buff-colored moth.

How does a moth, which does not have chewing jaws like the caterpillar, escape the hardened cocoon? Amazingly, the moth discharges a special enzyme that dissolves both the silk and the sericin in one end of the cocoon, allowing the moth to escape through a circular opening.

With her swirling tea bath, Hsi-Ling-Chi had discovered the process to free the silk from the sericin by immersion in hot water. If the moth is allowed to emerge from the cocoon naturally, the enzyme cuts through all the strands, making too many short pieces to spin easily. In the silk industry the cocoons are boiled with the pupa still inside to obtain one long strand of silk, exactly as the caterpillar laid it down. Strands from several cocoons are then spun together to make a strong thread, and woven into cloth.

The resulting silk cloth was like nothing that had been available before. It was lightweight and relatively smooth, and pleasing to the touch. The Emperor soon realized the potential of silk as a commodity and rushed into large-scale production. The Chinese began to share their product with the world, which was eager to buy it.

Although they were willing to sell the silk cloth, the Chinese carefully kept the source shrouded in mystery for well over 1000 years. The penalty for disclosing the source of silk was death. By keeping silkworms a secret, the Chinese developed one of the greatest trade monopolies ever. Wealthy Europeans and Middle Easterners wanted the silk, and the so-called Silk Road between China and Europe opened up more trade between the continents. Other products and ideas began to be exchanged as well. This exchange of goods allowed certain groups to accumulate wealth and shifted power and culture throughout the world.

Speculation about the source of silk was wild. One group thought the Chinese were harvesting silk from a new variety of animal called a sea-sheep. Others thought it came from various plants. As late as the Roman Empire, Pliny the Elder who wrote his Natural History around 70 AD, thought the source of silk was a tree. Eventually Japan, India and then the Byzantines discovered the real secret of silk and started their own silk production or sericulture programs. The Byzantines were able to undercut the Chinese after some Nestorian monks smuggled silkworm cocoons out of China in their canes. But China remained the most important source for many centuries. Eventually the Turks cut off the overland route to Asia. European exploration for alternative routes to obtain both silk and spices lead Columbus to the New World.

Early Europeans coming to the New World carried silkworms with them. The English had long wanted to develop a silkworm industry, but their climate was not suitable. The king thought that starting silkworm farms in the colonies could be a good solution and forced farmers to plant groves of mulberry trees. However, the silkworms turned out to be fussy and never did well. Farmers quickly turned to more profitable cotton and tobacco as crops.

Not only did the silkworm change our history, but we changed the silkworm too. Silkworms are now truly domesticated creatures. There are no Bombyx mori moths left in the wild. Over thousands of years of selection by humans, the caterpillars have lost all urge to crawl and sit placidly waiting for food to be dumped onto them. The moths are heavy-bodied with shortened wings, and they can do no more than flap their wings and make short hops. When we raised ours, we found that if a male moth managed to flutter out of its container, it sat there (I thought it looked embarrassed) until a person comes along to retrieve it. Silkworms now depend on humans completely for their survival. Some strains have been bred that can develop on artificial diets made of ground up dried mulberry leaves and vitamins.

Along with the changes in the people and the moths, came changes with the trees they feed on. Because the silkworm consumes leaves of the mulberry tree, particularly the white or Chinese mulberry Morus alba, the trees were spread throughout the world with the silkworms. In the United States we also have a native American or red mulberry, Morus rubra, and the black mulberry, Morus nigra, first sent over from Europe during the colonial period. White mulberries of the variety Morus multicaulis were developed for silkworm cultivation and have been distributed widely during attempts to establish a silkworm industry here. In addition to being food for silkworms, the trees produce small clustered fruit that can be used to make jams, pies and fruit spreads.

Eventually synthetic fibers were discovered that have largely replaced silk. Nonetheless, it is still a popular fabric. It takes dyes beautifully, is warm in winter, cool in summer and drapes marvelously. Today silk is still cultivated in Japan, China, Spain France, Italy and Columbia. Lady Di’s wedding dress was made of silk from Britain’s last remaining active silkworm farm. Throughout the last 4000 years wearing silk has been a status symbol of the wealthy, and the desire for it has changed history.

For more information on rearing silkworms, a step-by step look at growing silkworms can be found in the Bombyx mori on-line Journal.

Edit: For more recent photographs, see a newer post about silkworms.

Books:

Adult Non-fiction:
Hubbell, Sue. Shrinking the Cat:  Genetic Engineering Before We knew About Genes. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York. 2001. Despite the title, she also has a great deal of information about silkworms packed in. Sue Hubbell is one of our favorite authors.

Children’s Nonfiction:
Silkworms (A Lerner Natural Science Book) by Sylvia A. Johnson

Life Cycle of a Silkworm (Life Cycle of a) by Ron Fridell, and Patricia Walsh

Children’s Fiction
The Empress and the Silkworm by Lily Toy Hong

Fiction Chapter Book
Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park is a fiction chapter book about two children who decide to raise silkworms for a state fair project. Although the story about silkworms is already compelling, the main character and the author also have chats on the side throughout the book that reveal how the process of writing works.

See previous posts for more general books on butterflies and moths, and under the tag “caterpillar books”.

Here are two of our favorite gardening books:

Jack’s Garden by Henry Cole

This lovely book is a retelling of the nursery rhyme “This is the House that Jack Built,” using a gardening theme. It starts with tools a gardener would use, then critters you would find in the soil, all the way to a mature garden with birds and butterflies. Even though it is a picture book with few words, the illustrations are so rich it can be used with almost any age. Wonderful book!

Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson, Shmuel Thaler (Photographer)

When I lent this one to someone and never got it back, I knew I had to go out and buy another copy. This book is really one of a kind. The photographs are exceptional. (Although they do have a flower fly identified as a honey bee. This is a common mistake.) The website has good information, too.

(If you are in the mood for more books about apples and pumpkins for fall, check this list of fall-inspired books from the MissRumphiusEffect Blog.)

Books on Theme Gardening with Children by Categories

1. ABC Gardens:

Garden Books with Alphabet Themes

A Cottage Garden Alphabet by Andrea Wisnewski

Centered on a garden, the book goes through the alphabet: A is represented by an arbor; C is a cottage; I is iris; Z is zucchini. The pictures, which look like woodcuts, are actually hand-colored paper cuts and the author discusses how she makes them.

Alphabet Garden by Laura Jane Coats

A Gardener’s Alphabet by Mary Azarian

Patty’s Pumpkin Patch by Teri Sloat

Follow the progress of a pumpkin patch through the seasons while finding items from the alphabet. For example, in the field where the pumpkins are being planted, “a” is for ant and “b” is for beetle.

2. Rainbow Gardens:

Blue Potatoes, Orange Tomatoes by Rosalind Creasy, Ruth Heller (Illustrator)

If you are interested in planting a rainbow garden this book could be a helpful resource. Ruth Heller is definitely one of our favorite authors and illustrators.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

This beautiful book lists many flowers of different colors.

3. Animal Gardens

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
I already mentioned this one in the butterfly/moth book post, but it is definitely worth mentioning again here. This is a lovely book, full of good information.

Bird and Wildlife Garden Books for Adults

The Bird-Lover’s Garden: Creating a Backyard Haven for Songbirds and Hummingbirds by Margaret MacAvoy, and Pat Kite

The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens by Robert Burton and Stephen Kress

The Wildlife Gardener’s Guide (Brooklyn Botanic Garden All-Region Guide) by Janet Marinelli, Steve Buchanan (Illustrator)

4. Food Themes

Grow Your Own Pizza: Gardening Plans and Recipes for Kids by Constance Hardesty, Jeff McClung (Illustrator)

The title says it all for this fun book.

Gardening with Children by Beth Richardson

Tells how to grow a pizza garden, among other things.

5. Story Books

Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Cristina Bjork, Lena Anderson (Illustrator), Joan Sandin (Translator)

If you are interested in art, artists, Monet, nature, gardening or traveling to Paris, this is the book for you. Definitely inspires me to want to grow a “Monet Garden” of my own. Beautiful, sweet, and informative, I keep our copy with the art books, but it wants to be with the nature and gardening books, too.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Tasha Tudor (Illustrator)

6. Heritage/Cultures

Corn Is Maize by Aliki

This book is part of the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. It has a wealth of information about many aspects of corn, including how it was first domesticated by Native Americans.

For Adults:

Buffalo Bird Woman’s Garden: Agriculture of the Hidatsa Indians by Gilbert L. Wilson

Amazon review (edited): This book is rich with useful gardening lore, including tools and structures, and detailed descriptions of the different kinds of beans, corn, and squash that the Indians grew. Plus, there are native recipes you can try. Okay, I put this on the list so I will remember to get it ☺

7. Forts/Huts

Sunflower House (Books for Young Readers) by Eve Bunting (Author), Kathryn Hewitt (Illustrator)

A young boy plants the seeds in a large circle to grow a sunflower house. When the plants are tall enough, he invites his friends over to play in it. The text is written in rhyme.

Adult nonfiction books for gardening with children:

Gardening Wizardry for Kids by L. Patricia Kite and Yvette Santiago Banek

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children by Sharon Lovejoy

This is the classic book on gardening with children. As you can tell from the title, Lovejoy has many fun and creative ideas about gardening.

A Child’s Garden: 60 Ideas to Make Any Garden Come Alive for Children by Molly Dannenmaier

The hardcover copy I have says “Enchanting Outdoor Spaces for Children and Parents.” Enchanting is the right word. Mixed with informative text about how children play and how important it is for them to play outdoors, are photos of fairytale settings for children to play in. On pages 158-159 is a photo and list of the plants in the George Washington River farm alphabet garden.

Don’t you love it when you find a really great curriculum on-line for free? This weekend I found a terrific educational resource about birds. The author says it’s for elementary grades, but I think it could definitely be used at higher grades as well, with some modifications.

The guide is called “Desert Birding in Arizona, with Focus on Urban Birds” by Doris Evans, illustrated by Doris Evans and Kim Duffek. Although the book definitely emphasizes desert birds, many of the topics covered could be applied anywhere. For example, the first section answers the question, “Why study birds?” It’s relaxing, it gets us outdoors and birds can be observed year around. All those apply no matter where you are studying. The information in this curriculum guide would also be good to add to a unit on deserts.

The curriculum is available as a .pdf file. Go to the Arizona Fish and Wildlife, Focus:  WILD Arizona page, scroll all the way down to the bottom to “Additional Resources” and you’ll find a link to the Desert Birding in Arizona .pdf file. While you are visiting, you can see all the other educational materials available.

Hope you find it useful. Don’t forget to check page 35 for more information about rock doves (pigeons).