Congratulations, Lydia Lukidis on UP, UP HIGH!

Welcome, Lydia Lukidis! Thank you so much for sharing the release of UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth's Atmosphere with us! Young readers love STEAM books and I’m sure yours will find many happy readers. Can you share with us a bit about the inspiration for this book? What was your initial spark?

It all started in 2019 when I started writing the book DEEP, DEEP DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench. I learned a ton about myself as an author and for the first time, I merged my passions for poetry and STEM in one book. That’s when I realized I love writing lyrical texts! The book received a ton of love for which I’m eternally grateful. It won numerous awards including the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner for the Canada and North America Division and a Silver Birch Express Honor (Forest of Reading). I also got to travel to Toronto for the Ontario Library Association, and to Washington, to give a presentation about ocean conservation at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and to give workshops with the Open Book Foundation. These were huge milestones in my career. That’s when my agent Miranda Paul asked me, why not write a book about journeying up, up high into the Earth’s atmosphere? I was immediately sold. I had already learned that when Miranda suggests you write something, you need to write it. Because she’s somehow magic and understands the industry as well as her clients’ aptitudes with razor sharp precision.

Writing STEAM books requires a substantial amount of research. Often it is the most fun part of our writing process. Did you meet any challenges in your research journey?

I read a ton of books, websites, and journals in my research process. I also watched interviews and videos. All that information gave me great content to start writing the book, but there were still some lingering questions that remained. That’s when I reached out to several experts; I spoke to a weather/atmosphere expert from the NOAA, a NASA astronaut (that was very hard to achieve), and well as the man who space jumped. Without their valuable input, the book would not be fully accurate. You must have a wealth of information from all of that research. Often one of the most difficult parts of crafting our books is not deciding what to include, but deciding what to leave out. What did you choose to leave out of this book and why?

My issue is that I find everything fascinating! The earlier drafts of the book were text and content heavy, which doesn’t work for a picture book. Of course, I had to accept that I can’t fit it all in so I cut things out. A lot of the back matter got cut as well as other elements in the atmosphere. I focused on trying to keep the most engaging ones that children would find interesting. Can you share a tip with teachers who want to use your book in the classroom?

I created a teacher guide filled with activities and games connected to curriculum. Educators, librarians, and parents may access it here: http://www.lydialukidis.com/books.html Readers guides are the best! I'm sure teachers will find your guide useful in the classroom. Thank you for sharing your book with us. Congratulations on the January 1 release. What comes next for you? Can you give us a peek at what you are currently researching?

About the author: Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024) and DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, and Cybils Award nominee. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. To find out more about Lydia check out these social media links: Website & order UP, UP HIGH: http://www.lydialukidis.com/ Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LydiaLukidis FB: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lydialukidis.bsky.social

Let's Get The Lead Out

 Lead popped up in my news feed this week with two stories impacting our health and the health of wildlife. 

      The first was Troy, NY's desire to declare an emergency due to lead water pipes. Like many old cities in America, Troy's water pipes need an overhaul to remove dangerous lead that impacts the health of all residents as well as visitors who eat in their restaurants. 

     I wrote about how lead impacts the quality of our drinking water in WHEN THE WORLD RUNS DRY. Flint, Michigan became the poster city lead poisoning. While their contamination was caused by reckless management, the water crisis there highlighted a problem many communities can face. 

      The other story focused on the needless death of a beloved, young, California condor, in one of America's western national parks. The 5-year-old male condor, named 1K was the 1,000th hatched since the successful California Condor Recovery Program began in 1982. The bird, like the majority of released endangered condors, became poisoned by lead ammo left behind in animal carcasses. I wrote about the recovery and lead poisoning of California condors in BACK FROM THE BRINK. 

     Lead is a dangerous substance that impacts our health and the health of the entire environment. Lead ammo can be easily replaced. Lead pipe removal requires adequate funding. 

     Explore the ways you can rid lead from your community. Support lead ammo bans and funding to replace old water pipes. 

Earth Day 2024

  As a naturalist, environmental educator, and journalist, I can't avoid celebrating Earth Day's purpose and mission. I appreciate the stories on national media that acknowledge the beauty of nature and the need to protect our planet. However, I also feel a bit overwhelmed by it all. I wonder if my fellow environmental journalists and activists share this experience. 

I watched a video of a young Italian activist crying this morning. I get it. I feel like crying often, too. Immersing ourselves in the fate of our planet, watching species go extinct, experiencing the disinterest in people around us, and bearing witness to it all is overwhelming. 

So how do we move forward? I counter my research and writing on issues that often frighten me with stories of hope and success. I turn to celebrating the small victories, which I believe are the seeds of change. I'll admit, on Earth Day I also turn off media, go outside and let nature do its thing. I listen to the bird song when I wake up and breathe in the world around me. I spend time watching spring unfold, a small victory in itself. 

How will you celebrate Earth Day today?

Galapagos Books and News

      Visiting the Galapagos Islands to research Back from the Brink was one of my favorite research trips. When I was a budding naturalist in college I became focused on herpetology - all things reptile and amphibian. As an adult I became a trained turtle rehabilitator, so visiting and learning about the tortoises on the islands was on my bucket list. And so, I've also kept up on the islands long after my visit. I'm happy to share that the Galapagos Conservancy announced improvements to Isabela's giant tortoise breeding center. Read about it here. 

Here are additional books focused on the islands for adults and kids to enjoy: