INTERVIEW with SHRUTHI RAO, Author of WHEN SCIENCE STOOD STILL

 Last week I posted a review and commentary on an important new non-fiction biographic picture book written by SHRUTHI ROA and illustrated by Srinidhi Srinivasan, HERE. I'm delighted to say that Shruthi took time from her busy life (book birthday celebrations, travels related to family schooling, and LIFE!) to respond to some questions I had about her experiences in writing and releasing this new book.

SHRUTHI RAO, Author

As I wrote in my review post, I had the pleasure of working (virtually) with the author of this book while we shared responsibilities on a nonfiction CYBILS AWARDS panel. I enjoyed her thorough readings and comments, her balanced discussions and considerations of nominees, and her strong science background. That makes this interview especially fun for me, allowing me to learn even more about her and her writing.

I wanted to build my understanding of her author journey before asking my questions. After exploring her website, (and I hope you wiIl do that, too, HERE) I turned to the "ultimate authorities", YOUTUBE and Google. There are some fascinating interviews available, and I urge readers to check them out. Among them, I particularly enjoyed the personal interview of SHRUTHI with Ninad, a very impressive boy who was quite well prepared. I urge anyone to click and enjoy it! While you’re at it, readers, check out the many books she has written by going to her website. 

Without further delay...

Margaret K. MacElderry Books
October 14, 2025

SB:  Shruthi, thank you so much for taking time out of this busy release period to reply to my questions. As my review indicated, I found WHEN SCIENCE STOOD STILL: How S. Chandrasekhar Predicted the Existence of Black Holes to be a compelling biographic account of the lifelong brilliance and persistence of Chandra. The text is both accessible and comprehensive, pairing perfectly with illustrations that evoke the mysteries of the night sky, the intellectual spark of a boy-become-man, the high drama and daily drudge of being a scientist, and the ultimate expansiveness of validation, acceptance, and even accolades. Can you take us through the journey of how Chandra‘s story came into your life and moved to the front of the list of the many titles you write about?

SR: Thanks for taking the time to do such a thorough, in-depth analysis and review of our book, Sandy. I appreciate it highly.

In 2014, my father quietly handed me the book Chandra: A Biography of S Chandrasekhar, written by Kameshwar C. Wali. It is a personal, intimate portrait of an unassuming, gentle, yet larger-than-life scientist. I also learned a whole lot about the science of stars, the intricacies of the working of the scientific community. It was quite the pageturner. I came away from it with a deep respect for a man who navigated life’s challenges with grace and elegance. What fascinated me most was how Chandra was able to brush aside the deep disappointment and betrayal he faced right at the beginning of his career, and moved on with his life and went on to other great things. Ever since, I’ve been itching to tell this story to young people, but kept putting it on the backburner.

Around 2020-21, I began studying the art of writing picture books, and attended an online nonfiction SCBWI course. Then, this idea came back to me in full force, and I began to try writing it.

 SB: Wow, that response makes me grin! I'll unpack that grin. When one person hands another a good book, the ripple effect offers potential magic, especially when it comes from someone we love! Next, the life story of an impressive individual, well-told, lives on within us in so many ways and begs to be shared with others, doesn't it, just like your father wanted to share it with you? I love the way the work behind the actual writing was going on in your head for enough time to let it emerge with strength, and that SCBWI helped you find your path into writing nonfiction picture books! (Side note to readers, to anyone who is even considering writing for ages from  birth to twenty should explore this link to SCBWI, the SOCIETY FOR CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS.  Both beginners and accomplished writers like Shruthi can learn and develop writing craft through programs available to international members.)

Details were woven into the narrative very effectively, and many other elements of Chandra’s life and his science were presented well in back matter. How did you go about deciding which facts to incorporate into this story and which to include in extra material at the back? 

SR: I wrote several drafts of the story, right from a skeleton draft to a very wordy, detailed one. The challenge was that astrophysics and the science of stars is such that it has to be described with perfect accuracy. Not mentioning science at all in the story would be a disservice, but too much science was weighing it down and I wasn’t able to find the rhythm and the cadence that a picture book demands.

It took me more than 60 drafts to get this right. What finally worked was writing a very basic “song” with a swinging rhythm, and then going back in and adding just the right amount of science into the story for it – enough for it to shoulder a bit of weight but not so much as to cause it to collapse. The rest of the science I moved to the back matter. 

SB:  This certainly reflects other repots I've heard and my own experiences in writing. That's a truly lovely bit of advice about writing a "song". Writers are so often adviced to start by just "getting it down", then going back to work it more after all the ingredients are on the page. The number of drafts certainly shows in the quality of the text you eventually achieved. I reread the text after your "song" response, and it's advice I'll be using myself. Not because I am a song writer, but because the structure of songs provides an ideal frame for writing effective text-- showcasing particular and figurative language, repetition and rhythms, internal sounds that catch our ears even without being aware of them. Wow! You should be leading a class on narrative nonfiction writing!

Back to my questions: Can you share any surprises, challenges, or delights that rose to the surface during your research for this work/

SR: I discovered transcripts of detailed oral history interviews with S. Chandrasekhar. I was able to read in his own words all that had transpired in his life and work. I ended up reading them again and again even though I didn’t understand much of it and it didn’t relate to the book I was writing. I felt like I got to know Chandra, the man, personally, and my respect for him only grew!

SB: What insights that access must have provided! Your respect for him underscores the entire telling, and likely accounts for why, as a reader, I connected so personally to him. The individual, from curious child to remarkable scientist, felt like someone I knew, or would want to know. Thank you for achieving that. It's a reminder to young people that even the most brilliant and competent folks are humans.

Now a tricky question- How well do you think you understand BLACK HOLES?  Speaking from first-hand experience, my capacity for this aspect of science is at an elementary school level, but I have met some kindergarten kids who have far surpassed my grasp.

SR: Einstein supposedly said: “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

I took this to heart – and made it my business to understand the life and death of stars as best as I could. At the end of it, I think I understood enough to put it down in words. I ran it by those who’re better at physics than I am, until I was satisfied. Also I don’t claim to understand anything beyond the narrow scope of this book. And I have no doubt whatsoever that some child will school me on black holes at some point! They are so much smarter than we are. 

SB: First, I know and love that Einstein quote. Experiences of some of my science-writing friends  support your assumption that kids you meet are entirely likely to pose questions (or offer explanations!) that will boggle your mind. What's great about that is how it makes for a prime example of needing to explore further, or collaborate, or question sources, or any of the other steps that are essential to MOVE science forward! Sounds like fun!

Here's a closing question: Are you able to share any details about upcoming books or projects? In one interview you said that ideas come so fast that you take a whack-a-mole approach to hold some back while working on others. I’m intrigued to know which ones survived the attack!

SR: I have another picture book releasing this November called THE FIRST GIRL ON STAGE: A YAKSHAGANA STORY, published by Sambasivan-Parekh, about a little girl in a remote South Indian village who wants to learn a dance that’s predominantly performed by men. I have another nonfiction PB in the works with the editor of WHEN SCIENCE STOOD STILL. I have also just gone out on submission with a middle-grade novel-in-verse that I am very excited about.  I’m also plotting a funny MG light fantasy, too. Some more books are brewing for the Indian market as well. 

 SB- Goodness, I can see why you need to keep those popping moles  (ideas) from overtaking your writing life! And yet, the choices you are making leave me eager to read each and every one of the new titles. I hope you'll keep us in the loop here as they become available so I can read and review them. Congratulations on the release and success of WHEN SCIENCE STOOD STILL, and thanks so much for expanding our interest and understanding of this important story and your journey to capture it for young readers.

Readers, I hope you'll click the many links above to learn more about Shruthi, the new release, her interviews, and even ask your own questions on her web page.  While you're at it, check out some of her other books:

WHEN SCIENCE STOOD STILL, S&S, JLG Gold Star Selection, Oct 2025

INDIA IN TRIANGLES, PRH India, Jun 2025

THE FIRST GIRL ON STAGE, Yali, Sep 2025

KADOOBOO, Page Street, NYPL Best Book 2024

A MELODY IN MYSORE, PRH, 2024

 

 

As Promised: Marsha Diane Arnold Interview About Big Boy 4014

Marsha Diane Arnold

A recent review of the remarkable nonfiction picture book, BIG BOY 4014, can be read, HERE. My remarks and those of many other reviewers of this new book are in praise of this welcome addition to our shelves. Marsha Diane Arnold has joined us  for an interview about a past release, HERE, and I'm delighted that she found time to share her thoughts and insights again.

Arnold's picture books often involve complex real world issues (Night Light Pollution, Rain Forest Threats), subtly revealing her grasp of  important issues and subject matter through gently-told fictional stories. Her characters and lyrical language engage readers with emotional and relationship truths while revealing factual content. In this case, though, she took on the challenging  commitment to write a fully nonfiction account about a mechanical object. In my review I pointed out several ways in which she achieved that, spinning a graceful balance between factual content and figurative language that allows readers to imagine with her what a compelling massive locomotive engine might dream or think or feel, if it could. I'm excited to share with you the responses she so kindly shared.

 

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS,  May 1, 2025

SB: Marsha Diane Arnold, welcome back to talk about your new book! Just as I find layers and insights throughout your wonderful picture books, your responses to past questions have revealed layers within your complex writing life. I’m excited to see what you have to say about this newest picture book, BIG BOY 4014. Congratulations on the MAY 1, 2025 release!

The BIG BOY 4014  page on your website notes your lifelong affection for trains. I have the same nostalgic connection to hearing  those distant whistles or riding on a highway alongside a rolling train. We’d count cars and wait eagerly for the man in the caboose to “beat us” and wave, sometimes even waving a big red handkerchief. A caboose is rarely staffed these days, but I think of those caboose workers every time I see a train. 

You mentioned reading about the restoration project and becoming eager to learn more. Can you share a bit about how your investigative journey began?

MDA: Thank you for having me on your blog again, Sandy! 

That journey began quite a while ago. It’s been four years since I began the first messy drafts of Big Boy 4014 and The Steam Team! Plus, my husband often jokes about my busy, idea-filled mind: “There’s a lot of trains running through that station!”  (A fitting metaphor.) 

Remembering exactly where I started is a bit of a challenge now, but I do recall lots of research – reading, watching videos, and studying train history. Trains magazine, the premier publication for railroads, was especially helpful. It’s been around since 1940 and, until recently, was owned by Kalmbach Media. One of the issues I relied on was their 2019 special collector’s edition, Big Boy Back In Steam. I also bought two DVDs about Big Boy published by Trains, as well as their comprehensive book Union Pacific’s Big Boys: The complete story from history to restoration. 

I joined a few Big Boy 4014 groups on Facebook as well. That turned out to be both valuable and fun. The railfans there were most gracious in answering my questions. Some of them know locomotives by number - and even by horn sequence! They are passionate about train history and engineering.

SB: I've known a few train fans (fan-atics) in my time, and they are treasuries of information as well as eager to recruit new fans. Since reading your new book I've checked out multiple youtube and other video clips and I find them both exciting and mesmerizing! 

You are notable for your personal travels to the locations/subjects of your books. You certainly realized before arriving that BIG BOY 4014 would be impressive. Can you share any of your first reactions and impressions as you physically arrived at the actual locomotive? 

MDA: What I remember is the excitement – not just mine, but everyone’s. Union Pacific employees were there working. Visitors from near and far had come. All for Big Boy 4014. It gave me goosebumps! 

But before the public viewing, before Big Boy pulled into Omaha from Council Bluffs, Iowa, Robynn Tysver, UP Communications Manager, met me at UP’s Home Plate. That’s where the public viewing was to take place, right next to Charles Schwab Field during the College World Series. There was lots of activity in Omaha that June day in 2023! Robynn and a couple of others called me over to their utility cart and verified I’d be able to ride with engineer Ed Dickens from a nearby crossing into Home Plate. We headed out to meet Big Boy at a spot near Council Bluffs. Big Boy rumbled in and stopped…just for me! I met Ed and climbed aboard for the ride of a lifetime. Not many have the honor of riding in that beautiful cab with Ed Dickens at the wheel.

Here are a couple of videos from that Omaha adventure. The first shows my excitement. The second shows my husband…who is maybe not quite as excited. 

 CLIP OF MARSHA being excited at upcoming ride on BIG BOY 4014, HERE.

CLIP OF FRED, Marsha's husband/driver, not quite as thrilled, HERE. 

SB: What a moment that must have been! By the time you arrived in person, the project was complete and in operation, right? How thrilling for you, and Fred's dry humor comes through clearly- he's certainly a loyal supporter of you, if not of trains! 

Now, again tapping into your first reactions, will you share a bit about your first thoughts when seeing Adam Gustavson’s illustrations?

MDA: First, I smiled - ear to ear. Then I felt thankful. Thankful that Sleeping Bear Press had not only found Adam Gustavson, but had convinced him to bring Big Boy 4014 to life through his art.

I already knew Adam was a brilliant illustrator, but the detail and passion he put into the Big Boy illustrations were beyond anything I imagined. He captured her movement and her power. You can tell Adam did his research, but you can also tell he loved the subject.  

SB:  I really enjoyed reading your joint interview with Adam on Marie Marshall's blog, THE PICTURE BOOK BUZZ. I urge everyone to read it, HERE.

Other reviews (all glowing, and well-deserved) have commented on the ways your words and Gustavson’s illustrations produce a sense of the locomotive roaring right off the pages. I agree entirely. Did this project cause you to feel differently about trains than before you began? If so, how so?

MDA: After meeting Chief Engineer Ed Dickens and chatting with many passionate railfans on Facebook, I did feel differently. I’ve always loved trains and respected the people who worked on them - like my uncle Dale, a machinist for the Denver and Rio Grande Western, who worked in the roundhouse in Alamosa, Colorado - but after writing Big Boy 4014, my respect grew even deeper.  The depth of others’ knowledge and their love of train lore, history, and tradition really touched me.

SB: I have no doubt that your work on this book did not disappoint those folks. You (and Adam) certainly conveyed your own love and respect as well as giving due credit to the team that brought BIG BOY 4014 back to life on the tracks, not just in the pages of a book. Congratulations on that, and on dedicating the book to rail fans everywhere. 

The success of your prior picture books will draw even more readers and fans for this new offering, but it is also distinctly different from those. For example, several of your titles have dealt with aspects of nature and conservation. Have you noticed or do you anticipate a difference in the ages/interests of audiences at events related to this book? I am certain that you and I are not the only adults with a deep affection for trains and train lore.

MDA: I’m certain of that too, Sandy. Just look at all the model train lovers around the world - and the hundreds of thousands of people who come out to see Big Boy 4014 on her excursion tours! In 2019 alone, it’s estimated that more than one million people saw her during the tours – people of all ages.

I’ve had other picture books, like The Pumpkin Runner, that have been loved by readers across generations. I believe Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team will be such a book. I’ve already heard from adult railfans - and railfans-to-be – who’ve pre-ordered copies for themselves or to share with family. 

The cover illustration is especially striking. It has the show-stopping presence of a coffee table book for adults, but is designed to be lifted and explored by little hands.

SB: The visual appeal of this book is unquestionable. 

There are so many ways that I admire your use of writing craft in this work (onomatopoeia, figurative phrasing, repetition, purposeful shifts in sentence length, word choice and many more). Can you share a bit about your process of blending love with research on the page? Did you throw a draft down and then go back to rephrase and polish? Did you refine from the first stages? The end result in this work never misses a beat, so I’d love to know if it always carried that pace and rhythm from the start. 

MDA: Thank you, Sandy. That means a lot!

A story idea usually lives in my mind for some time before I take pen to paper. My first drafts begin as just a few phrases – a sprinkling of words and impressions. I may write down things I’m not sure are true and go back later to do research. I also ask myself a lot of questions along the way. 

With Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team, I knew I wanted the Big Boy story to be more than non-fiction. I believe most things in the world are sentient and I wanted my reader to relate emotionally to Big Boy 4014 – not just admire her size and power. How could I walk that line between fact and feeling? Thank goodness for that wonderful, walking the line word: “if.” 

These are some of the first “sprinklings” I wrote, straight from a messy draft, dated 8-30-21. I don’t always finish sentences in the beginning. I may just know the rhythm – “da DA da DA da Da” kind of thing. I don’t know what the entire sentence will be. But I may have a phrase I want to use, so down it goes. A phrase like “If steam locomotives could dream.”

If steam locomotives could dream, this one would be chugging up the Wasatch Mountains. 

If steam locomotives could dream, this one…the largest in the world…would be …..

If steam locomotives could dream, this one…Big Boy 4014…would be….

But now he sat cold, one of 25 brothers, one of 8 saved from the scrap heap. Half a mile from the tracks.

10 years

30 years

50 years

Cobwebs entwined his wheels. 

Pine needles fell on his ???cab??? top.

His cab was rusting (Be sure I congratulate team that kept him as good as possible in back matter.)

You can see that I made a note to myself, even then, to thank the volunteers at the RailGiants Train Museum in Pomona, who did their best to keep Big Boy in good condition. I wanted to honor and be respectful of all their work, but I also wanted the story’s emotional arc to begin with the sense of Big Boy longing to be back on the tracks.

And yes, that rhythm you mentioned was there early on, but it was in my mind first. Then I grabbed the lines and wrote them down. Then they deepened and expanded.

SB: Well, that was truly a bonus response- a sort of mini-master-class! Thank you! and the "notes to self" are something I do, too, because it is so easy to let important things slip through in the lengthy writing process. Which lads me to this...

I enjoy asking nonfiction writers about the fascinating factoids that didn’t make it into the book, ones you found in research but now live rent-free in your head!

MDA: There’s always so much research and, in the end, almost all of it must be pared down to those bits that best serve the story being written. I did quite a bit of research about the building of the transcontinental railroad and the golden spike, but most of that still lives in my research files. 

And then there are those seven other Big Boy locomotives that were spared from the scrapheap. Six of them were placed in outdoor museums and two are indoors. Each one has a fascinating story of how it was moved to its current home. No one undertakes moving a 1.2-million-pound steam locomotive lightly. Each was saved, moved, and preserved by people who cared, people who loved what these mighty machines represent.

 SB: I'd love to think that your account of BIG BOY 41014 and the Steam Team will urge the curators of the remaining treasures to activate local historians to make booklets or other user-friendly accounts and share them widely. 

Speaking of spreading the word and sharing stories, do you have events upcoming?  Are there related materials available for kids, teachers, or enthusiasts you’d like to mention? 

MDA: Mostly I’ll be visiting blogs like yours, around the web, to share about Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team. I’ll be posting the links on my Facebook and Instagram pages. Sleeping Bear Press has a wonderful sales team and several railroad museums have already ordered copies. 

And yes – there will be related materials! There will be a Teacher’s Guide for Big Boy 4014 And The Steam Team. I was hoping it would be available by May 1^st, but it’s taking a bit longer. It will definitely be ready for everyone by the start of school in August or September!

SB: I urge readers here to check out your website, too, where you have such interesting nuggets of background about your many books. It's like getting a personal book talk about each, right from the source!

Are there upcoming works you can discuss or are things still at the top-secret stage?

MDA: I love that you understand some story ideas need to stay top-secret for a while, Sandy. 

I do have three ideas currently at the forefront. Each revolves around my love for the natural world and wildlife. There are also manuscripts my editor has recently sent out, but no homes have been found for them yet. Lots of very nice rejections, though. 

One of those is about an unusual partnership, drawn from real behaviors in the wild. I’d hoped it could serve as a model for those of us with differences finding ways to work together. I love the story, as does my agent, but it hasn’t found the perfect home yet. Time to let it rest for a while and turn to those three new projects. Two have been living in my head for years and one is just now taking shape. And so, the writing journey continues.

SB: Well, I'm excited but not surprised that you have several ideas/works in progress, and that they are richly layered with the natural world, our environment, and relationships of complexity. I will say that I'm shocked that you have anything out on submission that has not been snatched up, but the business side of things is all about finding the just-right fit for that just-right book. Not unlike buying a new home- even the one you thought was perfect but "gets away" may lead you right to the one that was meant for you all along. 

My only regret is that a delay in getting these underway means a delay in getting a chance to read them and share them here. 

Considering your many projects at various stages, your busy life with family, and keeping Fred on the road, I'm deeply grateful that you would take the time to share your answers to my questions. As always, your responses are expansive and inspiring. I (and readers and railfans) thank you for this towering, powerful new nonfiction picture book, and for sharing your thoughts and back-stories about it. Here's to celebrating and sustaining what matters.

INTERVIEW with Author JOYCE UGLOW: STUCK!

 STUCK! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits,  written by Joyce P. Uglow and illustrated by Valerya Milovanova. Bushel and Peck Books, 2025

Full disclosure: Joyce Uglow and I have known each other for many years through our work  in SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and WSRA (Wisconsin State Reading Association). In the past several years we’ve been picture book critique partners along with several other outstanding writers from Wisconsin. Along the way I’ve seen many versions and revisions of STUCK!. During those years I’ve had an up-close view of Joyce's deep research, intense revisions, and eventual success with this manuscript. This new picture book captures the best of her superb inspiration, writing, and revision.

BONUS NEWS: Anyone who will be in the Los Angeles area on March 22, noon to 4:00 PM,  can hear Joyce in her live presentation at the La Brea GIRLS IN STEM event. Joyce will talk about her book, read it, lead activities, and provide a discussion guide. If this works for you, don't miss it! Now, on to the promised interview...

I’m honored that Joyce Uglow, author of STUCK! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits, agreed to spend time on this interview. If you missed it, my review of the book, on March 4, the official BOOK BIRTHDAY, can be read HERE.

SB:  Welcome, Joyce, and congratulations on this terrific picture book. I know you’ve dreamed of this for many years. Was there anything about the actual debut and celebrations that affected or surprised you most?

JPU: I am grateful for your kind words and for providing me the opportunity to share my thoughts about this special time in my writing career.  Moreover, I am humbled by the love shared by the writing community for STUCK! It’s been fun at every turn during the years from idea to acquisition to publication day. I have a Smilodon fatalis (Saber toothed cat) hat/mask that I wore when signing ARCs at the American Library Association (ALA) conference in San Diego. SURPRISE! Now that was a smile-o-don kind of day. When the box of author copies arrive, it’ll be another cartwheel-across-the-front-yard-celebration, for sure! 

California Saber-Tooth  (Smiledon)

SB:You need a video of that moment! There are loads of unboxing videos, but I've not yet seen an author cartwheeling!

In other recent interviews HERE and HERE you shared information and insights about the origins of this story and your interest in telling it. (Readers will  want to read those and share them with kids!) Since I know a bit about the many hours (and years) you’ve spent researching and revising this story, I also know the stress of deciding what can go in (to make the story stronger) and what needs to hit the cutting room floor. Would you share a few of the “leftover” things that you learned throughout the process that you anticipate sharing in other ways with audiences and readers?

JPU: I’m going to deep here… A large petroleum reservoir called the Salt Lake Oil Field is located below the surface a short distance to the north of Hancock Park in what is now Los Angeles. The oil was formed from marine plankton deposited in an ocean basin during the Miocene Epoch (5-25 million years ago). Over time, pressure converted the organisms into oil. Weak places, faults, and fissures in the Earth's crust allows the crude oil to seep up to the surface. Evaporation leaves the sticky “tar” or asphalt. 

 In January 2023, I attended an incredibly fascinating educator event “People and the Tar” at La Brea led by an anthropologist, Culture Bearer, Educator, American Indian Department, CSU Long Beach. I learned that the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples used the asphalt to seal their boats, drinking vases, and their roofs.  I’d like to share the land acknowledgement statement presented at the event. 

 “The County of Los Angeles recognizes that we occupy land originally and still inhabited and cared for by the Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash Peoples. We honor and pay respect to their elders and descendants ─past, present, and emerging ─ as they continue their stewardship of these lands and waters.”

 

Naturally, a 40-page picture book cannot include everything about the ice age ecosystem of species lost. Here is one such tidbit. The he exhibits you see of an animal were not found all connected. Because of tectonic plate movement underground for thousands of years, the preserved animal bones broke, got scattered, and stuck to other fossils. The skeletal exhibits of the western horse, ancient camel, mastodon, sloth, short nosed bear, American lion, and others were pieced together from the fossils dug up from many different individuals. The fossils have stories to tell. 

                            Fossilized skeletal exhibit of a Dire wolf in the museum at La Brea 

SB: I'm in awe of the science skills involved in recovering each and every bit of that, then having the tools and expertise to reassemble an intact figure that seems to leap out of the display! Science at its best!

Now that this amazing book is available, I hope you are planning school and library visits. If so, what will you hope to share with young audiences, about this book and about bigger ideas: nature, wonder, and writing itself?

JPU: School, library, book festivals, and book shop visits are filling my calendar now. I myself am incredibly interested in the findings in the fossil records. Elementary aged kids are ripe for inquiry learning, too. It’s fun to search for answers, right? So, one of my school visit activities involves research. Using lyrical picture books such as STUCK! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits as mentor texts for poetic techniques in writing is another. I do love a good awe walk in and around trees, so that is in my plans too. I am eager to find out what schools would like to engage in as well. 

 

Asphalt bubble from the site

SB: What lucky kids they will be! How should interested adults go about contacting you to discuss potential visits?

JPU: There are downloadable flyers on my website, which is located at https://joyceuglowauthor.com Folks can contact me via email jpuglow@gmail.com New to me as of January 2025 is my Substack account where I post my thoughts about writing.  You can read this free newsletter at https://jpuglow.substack.com

SB: Which of the many other writing projects you have underway can you tell us about, or are they all still top secret? If so, can you hint at some intriguing research topics you might be exploring? 

JPU: Whenever I travel, I find new ideas to share with kids. So here are some hints: ocean and marine life, forest bathing and the legacy of trees, national parks and geology, artwork… Yup! I have many ideas in folders and some already underway. Of course, I would love to have a companion book for STUCK! 

If you are interested, Cynthia Mackey and I are hosting the STUCK BUMBLEBEE Poetry and Illustration Challenge. You can find all the details HERE.

SB:  As you anticipated these busy exciting days of debut book release, were there any questions you hoped would be asked that have not been? Go for it!

JPU: I’m turning the tables for this one. Here are some questions for your readers, Sandy.  

1.   

1.   My One Little Word for 2025 is ELEVATE. Readers, do you have a goal to read and review fellow creatives’ books? My goal is to read and review a minimum of four picture books per month. Most of the time I review on Goodreads. You can find me at https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9178331-joyce-uglow

    2.    What can we create that will keep kids’ creativity and curiosity alive? 

   3.     How can we learn from our past to ensure we leave the planet a better place that we found it? Fossil records tell us to pay attention to climate change and the impact it is having on our planet. I don’t use plastic bags and plastic water bottles and plastic straws. 

    4.  One last question. Will you be so kind as to request that your library add STUCK! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits to their collection? 

SSB: Joyce, thank you so much for spending time on this, especially during these exciting, hectic days of celebration. I'm looking forward to news you post about appearances and visits as they unfold. Readers, you can follow along, too, with the links Joyce provided below.

 Join Joyce at the Writing Barn on March 8 (11:00 Central Time) It is a free online event.

And HERE on Birth Stories for Books  www.dawnprochovnic.com

And HERE. 

For now, learn more about Joyce Uglow  HERE.

STUCK! The Story of La Brea Tar Pits is officially launched today, and can be purchased at 
BUSHEL & PECK BOOKS, HERE

BOOKSHOP.org

AMAZON Books HERE

History At Its Best: THOMAS JEFFERSON'S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE

Happy book birthday! And congrats to the winner of the giveaway @AnnieLynn215!

(Contest ended 5/14/2024)

ASTRA BOOKS/ CALKINS CREEK, 2024

I'm excited to introduce you to THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE, Bias, Truth, and a Mighty Moose, written by Beth Anderson, illustrated by Jeremy Holmes. Following my review of the book, I'm pleased to offer an interview with Anderson. This is a longer post than usual, but I hope you'll find it worth reading! A book giveaway and other features are included there, so read on!

Of course you know that name. Thomas Jefferson is considered to be a Founding Father of this country, the  primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Like most other famous figures of his time, his name triggers conflicted responses from modern observers. As a landed, slaveholding, white man of privilege and education, Jefferson’s complex life and choices invite a closer look. In this book, superb researcher and writer Beth Anderson explores Jefferson's lifelong study of natural science and its documentation. The book cover and opening spread incorporate examples of a few of the things he observed, measured, and recorded throughout his life. Anderson’s first line is:

 “Thomas Jefferson measured his world.” 

That opening page then reveals that Jefferson's passion was not only to acquire science data, but to record it and share his love of science, one reason he founded the University of Virginia. Throughout the pages, Anderson’s informative, fascinating, and humorous text appears across illustrations that incorporate artfully rendered versions of Jefferson’s archival notes, notebooks, and objects from his collections of fossils and natural artifacts, gathered and preserved by him, and by friends who knew of his intense interests. 

Interior: Opening Spread

Interior: Jefferson Questioning

During Jefferson’s time, a French naturalist, Count Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon, was considered the ultimate expert on nature, proclaiming information about Europe and beyond in his multi-volume Encyclopedia of the Natural World. Jefferson’s deep admiration for that publication turned to furious indignity when he read Buffon’s “factual” accounts of North America’s nature. Buffon had never traveled there, relying instead on anecdotal reports from those who had visited the continent. His conclusions were shaped by those limitations and his bias that natural resources in Europe were immeasurably better than those in the “New World”. Buffon asserted that this new country was mainly a miserable swampy land and climate, with NO creatures or flora of significance, certainly none that could rival those found in Europe.

Jefferson’s ire led him to write his own nature study book, documenting his findings with actual measurements and confirmable observations. Spanning years of his life, his challenges to the information in Buffon’s Encyclopedia did little to overcome its wide circulation or the naturalist’s firm authority on the topic. The role of that enormous MOOSE in the subtitle played a crucial role in Jefferson’s motivation (and eventual success) at documenting the truth of his own claims, arguing against Buffon’s assertions and his biased beliefs. Packed with intensity and lighthearted moments (a rotting, one-antlered moose in a crate!) this picture book reveals Jefferson to be a devoted scientist of his day, seeking truth even when the discoveries eventually unstitched the fabric of his own beliefs (his denial of extinction, among others).

 

Not only is the main text a blend of compelling narrative with intriguing details of history, and personality, it is embedded with natural science. It also demonstrates the ways in which Jefferson intentionally and regularly used the scientific inquiry process (summarized in back matter). Always curious, he noticed, questioned, observed closely, collected and analyzed data, and drew conclusions based on facts, recording every step along the way. 

 

Anderson’s author notes are, as always, invaluable to expand resources and better understand the contents through a wider lens. In this case she directly addresses the questionable aspects of Jefferson’s life: slaveholding, errors in his science, the impact on First Nations that resulted from the westward explorations of Lewis and Clark as ordered by Jefferson while president, as well as his own confirmation bias in pursuit of science. She also explains confirmation bias and its effect on scientific studies and interpretation. The point is clearly made that science is always developing further facts and shifting our understanding of new and prior material reported as “facts”. In science, and in social/general information, it is essential to consider the reliability and intentions of the sources of data, the possible omission of related data, and other factors before accepting claims of factual content as fully correct.

 

Interior
Inquiry Process Graphic

The illustrations throughout, both in main text pages and back matter, are priceless in providing readers with verifiable details regarding the account of Jefferson’s life and science passion. Evidence of research (both deep and wide) using primary sources appear on every page and in every paragraph. This new release is a perfect example of my thesis that quality picture books will find eager audiences at every age. This nonfiction offering allows the youngest to expand understanding of an American icon while enjoying many animal facts and images. The portrait of Jefferson’s national pride, personal interests, love of nature and science, and passionate commitment to the truth will impress older readers, including adults. The depiction of Jefferson’s habits and personality give us an engaging and entertaining story. The science of his time and through today make this not only a STEM asset but one well-suited to social studies inclusion as well. I highly recommend it. Check out Anderson's website, and a few of my reviews of her earlier, equally informative and entertaining picture books, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

And now, on to a short conversation with Beth Anderson!

SB:  Congratulations on this recent release, Beth. Your track record for finding and sharing the stories of lesser-known historic figures took an intriguing turn with this look at Jefferson and his love of natural science. He’s among the most well-known of our national figures yet I admit to only a passing awareness of his naturalist/scientist identity. I’m anxious to know how you encountered this topic and what made you commit to the extensive research and writing involved. 

 

BA: Thanks so much for the opportunity to share THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE! I saw an article about Jefferson and the moose, and it struck me as jam-packed with all sorts of good stuff: history, science, quirkiness, curricular connections, and consequential concepts of truth and misinformation that ring loud and clear in the world today. I found the topic IRRESISTIBLE! There was a lot of research to wade through—which is good, but also a challenge. While a couple other picture books about Jefferson mention this incident with Buffon and focus on exploration or measurement, I saw it as a story about misinformation and truth. Kids get it on the most basic level of truth vs lies. And they tend to think, like Buffon, that bigger means better. And there was a bit of “ew.” So there was a lot immediately relatable, but I also saw an opportunity to push their thinking a bit and provide something for the classroom. 

 

This incident is one piece of Jefferson’s use and misuse of science, so there was a huge heaviness with the subject, too. I started it in 2018 with the idea that, though facts seem simple things, they’re not. They can be manipulated or made up (nonfacts) and cause tremendous problems. This focus fit with curriculum standards about opinions, facts, and nonfacts, and could model and encourage essential critical thinking skills. There was just so much potential in this story—which is exciting, but also a bit daunting when trying to figure out how to shape and focus it. Once I see so much, I can’t let go and am determined to find a way. 

 

SB: I was impressed with the balance you achieved in discussing this conflicting use of science. Your writing is always filled with lovely language, insights, and heart. Those qualities are evident in this text, too.  Was it challenging to find a story narrative behind this science-focused and detailed topic? If so, how did you go about finding your way forward to this success?

 

BA: I found the basic narrative right away. A narrative with science. The question was how to use the science within the narrative. It was also a challenge to find the beginning and ending, how to make it ring today, and what to do with the negative pieces. I didn’t want to ignore the hard truths. But since those can’t always be scientifically measured, how do they fit, or not, in the story? I carried a few of the hard truths through many revisions, with the idea that larger human truths can only be measured with the heart. Though I loved that contrast, it pulled away too much. If I could share a story that helps kids understand bias and how important it is to question, then I could leave the more difficult ideas in back matter to be pondered. 

 

I know kids are taught to “think like a scientist” when they question and verify, so that was my first path. After I worked with the information (for nine months!), I realized that it fit the basic scientific inquiry process. In revision 23, I began to shape and word it to correspond to that. To find the ending, I went back into the research and found that Jefferson’s book had been published in various forms in the U.S. while he was away. Because of that, science made its way into the hands of everyday people…and parts were in school books. Yes! Now I knew that what Jefferson did was impacting a new generation, a way for me to carry that forward to today. And in a great quote that’s in the back matter, he said he hoped future generations would continue to move science forward, better than his generation did. That was the key to the ending, but that too didn’t come for a very long time. 

 

SB: I suspect that your deep research revealed plenty of surprises involving Jefferson and his extensive records and interests. Will you share one or more of your discoveries that caught you by surprise or had a powerful impact on your text development?

 

BA: Seeing Jefferson’s total obsession with science contributed a lot to character and how it all played out on the page. 

 

Here’s one of the many quotes that were cut. When Jefferson arrived at Buffon’s home for dinner, he was handed one of Buffon’s papers to read while he waited for the scientist. Buffon said, “When Mr. Jefferson shall have read this, he will be perfectly satisfied that I am right.” LOL! Quotes like that reveal attitudes. 

 

An interesting historical tidbit is the letter to Jefferson from James Madison in which he goes on and on about government business and then launches into meticulous details of a dead weasel which he had examined and measured. Just goes to show you how irresistibly fascinating science is and how a network of enthusiasts supported Jefferson’s efforts. 

 

Oh, one more good one…with an “ew” factor. The moose was already quite bedraggled when it was put in the shipping crate and placed at the dock for shipment. But then, the ship captain forgot it. Sullivan had to find another captain to take it to France. More waiting. And then of course, the long journey across the Atlantic. That’s what’s behind the “monstrous stench” when Jefferson opens the crate. So even though you can’t include all those extras, they impact word choice. 

 

Although many quotes and details had to be cut, I think illustrator Jeremy Holmes could read my mind! He included so many historical, (some hysterical), details in the art. His illustrations absolutely blew me away!

 

SB: I particularly admire your use of the author note to directly address some of the more concerning aspects of Jefferson and his role within our country’s very troubling history. You used a very balanced hand to discuss the wrongs of society and Jefferson’s place within that history without being judgmental. Can you discuss how you found that balance with readers here?

 

BA: Jefferson is a controversial topic, for sure. While some of the details of his obsession with science are fun and commendable, there was also flawed thinking that used “science” to support racist and damaging ideas. I don’t think it’s right to share one without the other. (If this story was written fifty years ago, most of that back matter wouldn’t be there.) This story about misinformation, mistruths, and bias is also about how we determine value. Buffon’s conclusions that “bigger” implies “better,” and that “different” is “inferior” are common with kids. We judge things through the lens of what benefits us. I have a tendency to want to share these kinds of big ideas, which creates a challenge, but I think kids are very capable thinkers. My hope is that if kids can understand this with animals and environment, that they can then move to understanding the tremendous problems with this kind of thinking about human beings. It’s also valuable for kids to see that we are complex and flawed creatures—and we all carry biases. The challenge is to recognize them and be able to admit when we’re wrong and have more to learn. Not only should we search for truth with facts, but also by considering how the consequences of our actions impact others. I tried to be straightforward and choose words carefully—words to promote thought.

 

SB: Naturally, there had to be MANY details left out of your final work, elements not included because they did not serve this story well. Do some of those remain unforgettable to you? Any that nag you into writing more about them in some other platform?

 

BA: You’re right—SO many great details had to go. One of the tidbits I found amusing, and astounding, was the inconsistent logic in Buffon’s information and how (and why) he could come to some of his bizarre conclusions. Here are a couple. North America is cold and swampy. Huh? Well, the French explored Canada and the Louisiana area, right? Yep, swampy and cold. Now I get it—a bit of over generalization. Another one: all the creatures in North America were smaller than in Europe. Except for the apparently giant mosquitos and reptiles…haha! Learning these things made me ever more certain that I wanted to impress upon kids the importance of critical thinking when reading. 

 

I’m going to pass on Buffon and the Giant Bugs. 

 

SB: As I always ask, what kinds of upcoming works should we be watching for? Any projects not yet ready to announce but ones that feel especially exciting to you? 

 

BA: There are two in the pipeline with Calkins Creek. One story found new life after years in the drawer. I pulled it out when recent events brought it to mind. HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: KATE WARNE AND THE RACE TO SAVE PRESIDENT LINCOLN, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport, is about the Baltimore Plot, when conspirators tried to prevent Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. Warne was the first female detective in the U.S. I recently saw the sketches and WOW! It’s going to be amazing! That’s spring 2025. 

 

And in spring 2026…the story of a spunky teen, SCULPTING PRESIDENT LINCOLN: VINNIE REAM CARVES OUT HER FUTURE, illustrated by Jenn Ely. Clearly, I love stories of spunky young women! And a good Lincoln story! 

 

I have a new manuscript out on sub…..stay tuned. Another story that recent events have made newly relevant!

SB: Thanks so much for your generosity of time insights. And thank you for making THESE offerings possible:

 

CLICK HERE for the Educator Guide for THOMAS JEFFERSON'S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE.

Fans of BETH, SCIENCE, JEFFERSON, and TRUTH can purchase signed copies HERE, 

and preorder at any bookstore, online, or at the publisher.

As is often the case with BETH ANDERSON, special added features are developed to introduce her remarkable books to readers, like this short VIDEO CLIP.

Beth has also generously offered a copy of this new book. Any comment added to this post enters you in the giveaway. If you share the post on Insta, X(Twitter), or FB, add a link to your share in the comments for an extra entry. The winner will be chosen and announced on May 14, 2024, BOOK BIRTHDAY for this terrific new offering. The winner's name  will be added to the top of this post and also included in a new post on that day. Looking forward to sharing it with someone!