sb&f prize

March 11, 2013April 25, 2015

Nonfiction Monday Giveaway: Ocean Sunlight

OCEAN SUNLIGHT:

HOW TINY PLANTS FEED THE SEAS

The Blue Sky Press, 2012

Category: Picture book

If you were reading this blog back in 2010, you might remember my love for LIVING SUNLIGHT, the brilliant picture book, also by Bang and Chisholm, that introduced young readers to the process of photosynthesis and the chemistry of life on our planet. I still recommend that book to kids, teachers, and strangers on the street; it is simply the most accessible look at the topic I’ve ever seen.

And now, a sequel to sing about!

OCEAN SUNLIGHT furthers the story, sharing with readers the tale of a “billion billion billion” tiny plants floating in the ocean’s surface layer, turning sunlight into energy that further fuels life on Earth. With only 781 words spread across forty-four beautifully illustrated pages, Bang and Chisholm have created another masterpiece. This is a book everyone can read and learn from. This is a book everyone should read and learn from.

So, would you like a copy? Signed by Penny Chisholm?

Great! Just leave a comment on this post by 5pm EST on Thursday, March 14, 2013. If you spread the word about the contest on your social media outlets, leave me a second comment telling me so and I’ll add your name to the raffle drawing a second time. On Thursday night I’ll hold the raffle and on Friday morning I’ll post the winner. A couple rules:

1. Winners must live in the continental United States. I’ll send the book to the winner by USPS Media Mail next Monday.

2. Please remember to check back on Friday to see if you’ve won; I’ll post instructions then for how to get me your mailing address.

3. If you already won a giveaway this month (I’m looking at you, Mary Laughton and Laura Purdie Salas) you can’t enter again.

4. Good luck, and happy reading!

A few last links before you go:

For a peek at the other SB&F Prize-winning titles raffled off here lately, check out this post about Sy Montgomery’s TEMPLE GRANDIN and this post about Terrie Williams’ THE ODYSSEY OF KP2.

And for a the weekly lode of great children’s nonfiction, check out this week’s round-up of Nonfiction Monday posts over at Sally’s Bookshelf.

February 25, 2013April 25, 2015

Nonfiction Monday Giveaway: The Odyssey of KP2

THE ODYSSEY OF KP2

AN ORPHAN SEAL, A MARINE BIOLOGIST, AND A FIGHT TO SAVE A SPECIES

By Terrie M. Williams

Penguin, 2012

Category: Adult/Young Adult Nonfiction (283 pages)

Happy Nonfiction Monday, friends! I am fresh back from an amazing weekend of celebrating children’s science books, including Citizen Scientists, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and I am super-excited to share some of the other SB&F Prize-winning titles with you. So … let’s have a giveaway!

(In fact, let’s have three. I’m going to raffle signed copies of the SB&F Prize winners in the picture book, middle grade, and young adult categories over the next three Nonfiction Mondays, so be sure to visit again.)

This week’s title is The Odyssey of KP2, by Terrie M. Williams.

Dr. Williams is a rock-star marine mammal researcher (check out her lab web page, and her TEDx talk for proof) and her book shares the story of an abandoned Hawaiian monk seal pup, KP2, who comes to live and work in her lab at UC Santa Cruz. It’s an irresistible tale, but for me, the power of this book lies in the way KP2’s life story is woven into the larger human drama of politics, spirituality, species loss, the nature of science, and the wonder of maternal connection. It’s obviously a great choice for any young person considering a career in science, especially women, but truly, friends, this is a story for all of us.

Okay … want a copy of your own? Signed by Dr. Williams? Just leave a comment on this post before 5pm on Thursday and I’ll enter your name in my drawing. If you spread the word about the giveaway and let me know that in a comment too, I’ll add your name a second time. On Friday, I’ll post the winner’s name here on my blog.

A few ground rules:

1. Winners must live in the continental United States. I will send the book to the winner by USPS Media Mail next Monday.

2. Please remember to check back on Friday to see if you’ve won; I’ll post instructions then for how to get me your mailing address.

3. Good luck, and happy reading!

One last thing: for a look at other nonfiction titles that books bloggers are reading and loving this week, visit this week’s Nonfiction Monday host, Shelf-employed blog. You’ll find a complete round-up there tomorrow.

February 15, 2013April 25, 2015

AAAS 2013

Boston is hosting the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science this weekend, and there is lots of crazy cool science-y stuff going on.

Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to kids and families, with interactive science exhibits, tabletop science demos, and plenty of science peeps to talk shop and answer questions for students of all ages. These Family Fun Days are held in the Hynes Convention Center from 11am to 5pm on both days and are completely free. Check out the details here.

If science books are your thing, consider attending the award ceremony for the SB&F Prizes on Saturday. Here are the details:

Saturday, February 16, 2013

6:30-8pm

Sheraton Hotel, Liberty Ballroom

39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA

And on Sunday, SB&F authors (including me!) will be reading and signing books at the Hynes Convention Center as part of the Family Fun Days festivities. Here’s our schedule:

Readings in Booth #69/70

11:30 -12:00 Sy Montgomery (author of TEMPLE GRANDIN)

12:15-12:45 Penny Chisolm (author of OCEAN SUNLIGHT)

1:00-1:30 Loree Griffin Burns (author of CITIZEN SCIENTISTS)

1:45-2:15 Terrie M. Williams (author of THE ODYSSEY OF KP2)

Signings in Booth #321

12:15-12:45 Sy Montgomery (author of TEMPLE GRANDIN)

1:00-1:30 Penny Chisolm (author of OCEAN SUNLIGHT)

1:45-2:15 Loree Griffin Burns (author of CITIZEN SCIENTISTS)

2:30-3:00 Terrie M. Williams (author of THE ODYSSEY OF KP2)

I hope to see you in Boston!

February 21, 2011April 25, 2015

SB&F Fun

The SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, coordinated by the wonderful editors at the review journal Science Books and Films (SB&F) and sponsored by the science-loving folks at Subaru, were awarded this past weekend at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In case the abundance of acronyms have you doubting there was much fun to be had, allow me to elaborate …

They painted our book cover onto the hood of a Subaru:

And since I couldn’t drive the car inside the convention center, I posed on top of it instead:

Ellen Harasimowicz and I signed books beside it, too:

And I met Ms. Frizzle! Okay, not exactly Ms. Frizzle … but I did meet Joanna Cole and Bruce Degan, creators of the Magic Schoolbus books and SB&F Prize winners in the picture book category (below, right). And I met Sean Connolly, too, the SB&F Prize winner in the hands-on category (below, left). Here we all are clutching our fancy new awards:

Call me crazy, but that was fun!

Thank you to Subaru, AAAS, SB&F, Heather Malcomson, Terry Young, Maren Ostergard and all of the scientists, librarians, editors, and book lovers who helped make this weekend celebration of science books for kids such a blast.