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As a kid I was obsessed with geology. My bookshelf overflowed with books about volcanoes, rocks and minerals, earthquakes, and other planets, and I used my elementary school science fairs as an opportunity to try identifying random rocks I found. Did I grow up to become a geologist? No, not at all, but my early exposure to STEM got me to ask questions about the world around me and taught me how to investigate my interests both inside and outside of the classroom. National STEM Day is celebrated annually on November 8th to emphasize the importance of introducing children to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Each year on this day the internet is flooded with stories about how STEM education is important because it sets children on a path to work in high paying, in-demand jobs. While that certainly could be one benefit, STEM education teaches valuable skills that all children will benefit from, even those who don’t grow up to pursue STEM professionally. STEM invites curiosity All science starts with a question: why does the moon change shape? What makes soda fizzy? How do animals communicate? STEM educators actively encourage children to be inquisitive and investigate the world around them. Whether it is by testing a hypothesis in a lab or checking out a library book, learning STEM is an exciting process of discovery. Each answer breeds more questions, and STEM education helps to foster a natural love of learning. STEM fosters creative problem-solving Learning STEM is all about trial-and-error. Whether they are testing a hypothesis in science class, solving a difficult math question, or programming a computer game, STEM challenges students to approach a problem from multiple different angles. They learn how to create new, innovative solutions, and this form of creative thinking can be found behind many of the world’s most influential inventions and discoveries. Beyond STEM, a person with strong problem solving skills will be a valued member of any team. STEM builds perseverance In addition, STEM teaches children that failure is a normal part of the process. If one approach doesn’t work, then try the next one. Rather than giving up in the face of adversity, STEM teaches kids to keep testing new hypotheses, running new lines of code, and trying new strategies until, at last, it works! This resilience is an important tool for every child to build because it prepares them to overcome both academic and personal challenges. STEM teaches teamwork Hollywood likes to portray people in STEM as lone geniuses, obsessing over their research in a cramped lab until finally, through sheer intelligence, they discover the solution. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. The field of STEM is defined by constant sharing of ideas and collaboration among teams. While working together in lab groups, children learn how to communicate their ideas to others, how to respect the ideas of their peers, and how to compromise when there are disagreements. Communication and teamwork are often rated among the most important skills that employers look for in candidates. Early education reduces the gender gap in STEM It is well-known that women are underrepresented among many STEM professions. Currently, women comprise only 15% of engineers, 25% of programmers and computer scientists, and 40% of jobs related to the physical sciences. Less well-known is that many of the societal forces that steer women away from STEM begin impacting children at a very young age. Multiple studies have shown that children as young as six are more likely to associate math with men than women. Introducing young girls to STEM topics early and actively encouraging their curiosity can help counteract these social forces and keep the door to a career in STEM open. STEM encourages environmental stewardship The natural sciences are a key component to STEM education. Often through hands-on experiences, children learn about how the Earth supports life and how various plants and animals interact to form an ecosystem. Learning these topics at a young age helps children build an emotional connection to the natural areas around them and encourages them to be conscientious stewards of their local environment. Teaching these topics early can also help kids establish lifelong sustainable habits like reducing their waste and energy consumption. Children who learn STEM build skills that will serve them well no matter where life takes them. At Science Naturally, we believe that books are a great way to foster STEM learning, and you can also check out some of these free online resources!

Enjoy this excerpt from a Dallas Morning News OpEd by David Hu, author of The P Word, in which he discusses the importance of education and open dialogue, even in the face of book bans. Read the full article here. Banning books won’t stop puberty I’m a scientist, I’m a parent, and I’m an author. All three of these things mean that I’ve been paying attention to the rise in book bans in schools and public libraries across the country — particularly when it comes to children’s books about marginalized groups, health and sexuality. Last year, there were demands to remove over 2,500 books from library shelves. More than half of the attempted book bans targeted materials in school and classroom libraries. Of school bans in the past couple of school years, 38% featured themes of health and wellbeing and 41% featured LGBTQ+ themes. These books are hand-picked, put on shelves, and recommended by librarians who understand the needs of their schools and community members. These librarians talk with parents and spend time finding the right books for their library’s patrons — not to mention that many library books are requested by patrons, meaning actual, local community members could be requesting these reading materials. It’s no surprise — nor is it unintentional — that these topics make up a majority of the bans. With bans continuing across 26 states, more than 4 million children are losing access to books that could help them better understand themselves and their peers.

In our continued celebration of Women’s History Month, this week we’re featuring just some of the many women who have contributed to the evolution of botany over the past five centuries. Botany is the scientific study of plants, from their physiological structure and genetics to their classification and importance in medicine and health. Not only are there millions of plant species in the natural world, there are also endless ways botanists can use their skills to make the world a better place. Ynés Mexía discovered hundreds of new plant species and classified them using the Linnaean system. Other botanists specialize in experimenting and finding new uses for plants, such as Loredana Marcello, who used her garden to create remedies for the plague. Others work on caring for the environment, like conservationist Dr. Wangari Maathai, who made a name for herself by planting over 50 million trees in Kenya and winning a Nobel Peace Prize. Want to know where you would fit in among these innovators? Take the quiz below to find out!

For the second week of Women's History Month, we're spotlighting some of medicine's most influential female pioneers! Healthcare is an incredibly broad field, and women around the world have been healing people, aiding in childbirth, and discovering new treatments since the beginning of time. One innovator, Dr. Helen Taussig, created the entire healthcare specialty of pediatric cardiology. She treated babies with life-threatening heart conditions, including a condition that restricted blood flow to the lungs. After collaborating with a surgeon on her idea for an operation, the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt operation became the standard procedure to solve this problem. A form of Dr. Taussig's surgery is still performed today, and it wouldn't have been possible without people from different disciplines working together. Some of the most well-known theories and breakthroughs in science have been from teams of people with diverse specialties, and the healthcare field isn’t any different. If you’ve ever wondered what kind of healthcare worker you would be, take this quiz!

March is here, which brings the official start of Women’s History Month! We are excited to kick off Women's History Month by recognizing some of the trail-blazing women who have made incredibly important contributions to the field of engineering, a male-dominated industry. Engineering combines science and math with boundless creativity to solve problems, connect the world, explore the universe, and make our everyday lives a little easier. From Emily Warren Roebling's work on the Brooklyn Bridge to Hedy Lamarr's brilliant idea of frequency hopping, the history of women in engineering spans a wide range of discoveries and inventions across all different branches of engineering. There are chemical engineers who work on projects in medicine, fuel development, and manufacturing; civil engineers who build safe structures for the general public, like dams and bridges; and mechanical engineers who invent and create new machines that make things like washing clothes and driving cars much easier and safer. And that's just the start! There are many fields of engineering that involve different disciplines and uses of science and math. Find out which type of engineering would suit you best in the quiz below, and discover an innovative woman who made advancements in that field!

“It’s a joy to learn how women have, throughout time and place, used innovation to change lives for the better! With a charming protagonist and biographical snapshots, this book masterfully shows the relevance and beauty of engineering.” – Ashley Raynal, Ph.D., Instrument Scientist, Brandywine Photonics Engineers create important things that help advance our society. Civil engineers build bridges and tunnels, aerospace engineers design airplanes and satellites, and mechanical engineers make escalators and elevators. No matter where you are, engineers have played a role in practically everything you see! Engineering is such a prevalent field, yet only 13% of engineers are women. STEM education can be incredibly impactful and meaningful for young minds, especially young girls. Women in Engineering teaches readers that women can not only be brilliant engineers, but they can contribute in big ways. Read the excerpt from STEM Magazine below to find out more about the amazing work done by female engineers. Then, play the game to see if you can match the engineer to her discovery! Making Dreams Tangible, “Women in Engineering” Battles Underrepresentation and Encourages Early STEM Education If you take a look at all of the items in your home, classroom, or office, most of them were developed with the help of an engineer. Engineering is a huge field that consists of many branches and career options. It is constantly growing and expanding. Yet, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, women make up only 13% of engineers in the country, which is the lowest amount of female representation out of all the major STEM fields. Female role models in engineering are absolutely vital for helping young girls feel confident in pursuing STEM education. There are plenty of engineers, now and in the past, who are living proof that women can not only become engineers, but can also have an important impact in a field dominated by men. All children need to be taught that a career in engineering can be both viable and incredibly meaningful. So how do we share and celebrate what women engineers have achieved and encourage the next generation to pursue this field? A picture book, perhaps? Coming in September, Women in Engineering tells the stories of inspiring figures from around the world, breaking down the engineering process with charming illustrations and informative graphics. Reviewed by real scientists, this book explores the fundamentals of civil, chemical, mechanical, biomedical, aerospace, and electrical engineering, plus concepts like bridge construction, frequency hopping radio signals, space expeditions, biomaterials—and much more! Women in Engineering introduces children to the complexities and endless possibilities of engineering. As Kelly Dooley, the Executive Director and CEO of International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) says: “Children with different backgrounds and interests will be excited to learn how impactful a career in this field can be. What an inspiring way to discover that engineers transform ideas into reality!” Match the engineer to her incredible scientific contribution! Be sure to learn more at STEMMagazine.com and check out Women in Engineering, the fourth book in the Science Wide Open series. Answers: Huang Daopo - Invented a machine to clean raw cotton quickly, used for fabric weaving. Mary the Prophetess - Invented her own tool to purify liquids for alchemy experiments. Hedy Lamarr - Designed and patented the first frequency-hopping device to protect radio transmissions. Dr. Treena Livingston Arinzeh - Created a calcium phosphate fiber structure to help bones heal. Sandra Cauffman - Directed the team that launched a spacecraft to study the atmosphere of Mars.

Meteorology is defined by National Geographic as the science of the Earth’s atmosphere. While many people associate this field solely with weather forecasting, it is certainly much more than that. It is also concerned with climate change and different atmospheric phenomena that may affect human life, as well as the world around us. For children across the globe, meteorology may not be the first field of study that comes to their minds when they think about science. But the Earth’s atmosphere plays a vital role in our daily lives, and there are many skills and important insights that kids can learn by studying the weather. Here are just a few reasons why learning about meteorology is important for kids: It helps introduce environmental issues This field of science is the perfect segue to start a discussion about caring for the environment. Meteorology is inherently connected to studies about the water cycle, ocean levels, global temperatures, air and water pollution, greenhouse gasses, deforestation, and clean energy solutions such as wind turbines and solar panels. With the rise of climate change and damaging industrial emissions, we should be teaching the current generation of children about the problems facing our planet, so they will be equipped to help us find creative solutions when they become adults. Studying the weather is a fun and relatable starting point to help kids understand these important topics. It gives kids information to keep them safe Since meteorology also encompasses certain natural disasters like storms and tornadoes, children who learn about it will be equipped with information that keeps them safe and can even save their lives! Teach kids to recognize the warning signs of impending disasters, such as the color of the sky before a tornado, rising water levels in a stream before flash flooding, or the shape of clouds that bring a thunderstorm instead of a rainstorm. This will help them prepare for the worst-case scenario and hopefully keep them safe in the event that they are affected. The knowledge they gain can also be used well into their future, especially if they live in a calamity-prone state. It opens up an exciting career path It is never too early for children to start the path toward their dream jobs. TV meteorologist Guy Brown, author of the new picture book Look Up to See What the Weather Will Be, discovered his passion for learning about the weather at the age of nine! Encouraging kids to dabble in STEM subjects while they are young can lead them to pursue related careers in the future. As Maryville University’s write-up on STEM careers notes, the field of meteorology is expected to grow by an above-average rate of 12%, meaning more skilled individuals are needed each year. This makes meteorology, in particular, a highly viable (and valuable) science profession that shouldn’t be overlooked. Educating kids about the weather early on may pique their interest in meteorology and point them toward an exciting and rewarding career. It promotes outdoor exploration With today’s technology and the vast online worlds now available for kids to enjoy, it can be easy to forget to appreciate the natural wonders of the Earth. Meteorology makes good use of technological advancements — with cutting-edge satellites, radar equipment, and computers to process information — but it also requires going back to nature. Meteorology is about understanding the sophisticated way that the environment works, leading to a greater appreciation of it as a whole. For kids, learning weather basics encourages stepping outside and thinking about the world around them. They can make their own weather station in the backyard or take Guy Brown’s My Weather Journal out into nature to record their observations of the sky. Children who love the outdoors will be excited to take their science lessons outside of the classroom, and kids who love technology and computers will be coaxed to build an appreciation for the incredible patterns and processes found in the natural world. There’s no doubt that fostering an interest in meteorology will not only help children become more confident exploring this branch of science, but will also inspire a greater understanding and love for the planet as they get older. There are many resources to help young kids get started on their weather journey. Picture books can be a great way to make science education fun and engaging, with easy-to-understand language and fascinating images that will surely catch their interest. The following is a list of recommended books for your budding meteorologist: 1. Look Up to See What the Weather Will Be by Guy Brown 2. This Beautiful Day by Richard Jackson 3. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder by Jon Nelson and Mark Cassino 4. Hurricanes by Gail Gibbons 5. Maisy’s Wonderful Weather Book by Lucy Cousins Article specially written for sciencenaturally.com By Alicia Winston

Enjoy this excerpt from an Association of Library Service to Children blog by Shahnoor Islam, translator for the bilingual English/Bengali editions of Cuddled and Carried and Atoms. Read the full blog here. An immigrant from Bangladesh finds herself at home in libraries New York City, with its towering skyscrapers and endless avenues, is one of the most diverse and multicultural cities in the world. It is home to 3.1 million immigrants with new Americans arriving each day. Twenty years ago, as a Bangladeshi teen, I was one of those newcomers. New York City was big and loud and noisy. It took some effort, but I soon learned how to navigate the streets, feel at home on the subway, and explore all that it had it to offer. There was no shortage of things to discover. However, one thing in particular stood out to me—something that most Americans simply take for granted—I was amazed to discover how much my local library offered the community and me. I spent many hours at the library. The staff was always welcoming, hanging out there did not cost any money, and it was an incredible source for meeting people and learning about local events and resources. I was struggling to feel comfortable reading, writing, and speaking English. The library was a remarkable place for me in an often chaotic and overwhelming world. My passion for books and community outreach inspired me to continue pushing forward. It came as no surprise that, years later, I chose to pursue a career as a community librarian, a position where I could welcome strangers, excite people about books, share local resources, and shepherd new Americans. I have now been working in a public library in Queens for 17 years. I particularly enjoy bilingual children’s books. A bilingual title gives young new Americans and their families the wonderful opportunities for children to read in English while parents read in their native language — and then they can all talk about it. And, it also encourages native English speakers to explore a new language. One of the fun things about being a librarian is connecting with other groups who promote literacy and a passion for reading. For instance, Reach Out and Read of Greater New York partners with healthcare providers to have them “prescribe” books for children. They also connect the children with local librarians, who help the families sign up for library cards and story times. Recently, I was offered the chance to translate two children’s books from English to Bengali. Reach Out and Read of Greater NY had collaborated with Platypus Media, a Washington, D.C. publisher, to make some of their books available to children in the New York Bangladeshi community. They needed a Bengali native speaker who was familiar with the local community to assist in the translation. The translations had to be both accurate and meaningful for children. I was thrilled to take on this challenge. This was my first time translating a book from start to finish. It used my skills as a Bengali speaker and as an international language materials cataloger. I love being a librarian in the most diverse city in this country and hope that I inspire today’s youngsters, no matter what their original language, to love books and treasure their local library.

What could be better for a young child than a doctor “prescribing” reading? To increase early exposure to books, the national literacy organization Reach Out and Read (ROR) partners with healthcare providers in all 50 states to incorporate reading into pediatric care. Nationwide, Reach Out and Read has 6,100 program sites that work to promote literacy, equity, and understanding in children from birth through age five. With over 230 programs across New York City, Long Island, and the Greater Hudson Valley alone, Reach Out and Read of Greater New York (ROR GNY) works with an incredibly diverse community of children and provides books to over 250,000 families each year. Reach Out and Read's Mission As part of their core program, ROR trains pediatric care providers to deliver early literacy guidance during doctor’s appointments. Each time a child comes in for a visit, the appointment begins with a culturally and developmentally appropriate book, which is provided by ROR at no cost. In addition to fostering early literacy skills for young patients, these readings serve as an assessment tool for providers and caregivers by providing important insight into a child’s growth and development. The visits are also beneficial to parents, who learn firsthand how to stimulate their child’s literacy development. According to Kristen Rocha Aldrich, Program Director for ROR GNY, “one of the best things about this model is that it contributes to the ultimate goal of getting children to read while also working to meet parents and caregivers where they are.” “We build on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop essential early literacy skills in young children via the existing health infrastructure.” - Reach Out and Read of Greater New York Another aspect of ROR’s mission is creating literacy-rich waiting areas and exam rooms for children and their families. From intellectually stimulating books to educational posters and toys, these resources entertain and engage families throughout an entire doctor visit. ROR GNY also has an array of community programs and partnerships that provide literacy tools for children outside of their time at the doctor’s office. In collaboration with the New York Public Library System, some clinics connect patients with local librarians, who help families sign up for library cards and weekly story times. Additionally, ROR hosts virtual read alouds in English, Spanish, and other languages each week on their Facebook page. ROR GNY also posts bilingual workshops for parents and caregivers, covering diverse topics ranging from child nutrition to the acquisition of math skills through literature. Serving the Community During a Pandemic Throughout the past year, ROR has found incredible ways to continue their work for the greater New York area despite a pandemic. When the number of in-person well-child visits began to decrease in March of 2020, ROR partnered with the NYC Health+Hospitals Test & Trace Corps to reach families in need. Over 75 resource navigators from Test & Trace were trained to deliver the ROR model at testing locations, and any parent who came for a COVID-19 test received early literacy guidance and a book for their child. In six months alone, this initiative succeeded in providing 45,000 books to children in the NYC area! ROR also worked with community partners like City’s First Readers, WNET, and the Children’s Museum of the Arts to gather materials for “take care kits” during the pandemic. Complete with cleaning supplies, PPE, children’s books, activity books, and art supplies, these kits were offered to families in NYC who tested positive for COVID-19 and were quarantined at home. Tackling Tough Conversations in Native Languages In addition to providing services through a pandemic, ROR GNY is committed to “tackling some of today’s tough conversations about racial bias, equity, and inclusion” (reachoutandreadnyc.org). One place where this mission can be seen at work is in their diverse book collection. In a region where English may not be a child’s first language, Aldrich recognizes that “it is our responsibility to provide families with books in their home language. Having kids learn a home language in addition to English is setting them up for future success and to be stronger readers later in life.” Platypus Media has worked with a number of ROR programs to provide books in bilingual English/Spanish editions. Recently, we had the honor of partnering with ROR GNY to produce Bengali titles for the many Bangladeshi-American families that they serve. With the help of our translator Shahnoor Islam, a Bangladeshi-American and librarian in Queens, NY, we released two award-winning early childhood books in bilingual English/Bengali editions: Cuddled and Carried / আদরে ও আলিঙ্গনে and Atoms /পরমাণু. These books, as well as other world language and multicultural titles, are valuable additions to ROR’s collection and bring the program one step closer to what Aldrich calls “complete inclusion.” “It’s incredible to have high quality children’s books translated into Spanish and Bengali.” -Kristen Rocha Aldrich In the future, we hope to have the opportunity to produce books in Mandarin and Arabic, two languages for which ROR GNY also has significant demand. Linguistic diversity, however, is not the only factor that ROR considers when finding books for the children they serve. Aldrich and other Program Directors seek to “diversify the book collection” in as many ways as possible, including by finding titles that spark conversation about race and racism, LGBTQ rights, ableism, equity, and more. As Aldrich explains, these topics are present and influential in all aspects of life and are “not something that we can just pick up off the shelf when we feel it’s convenient … or when we feel kids are old enough to talk about it. These are things that every child should learn about and come to understand starting from the day they are born.” How to Support Reach Out and Read If you would like to contribute to Reach Out and Read’s mission of promoting literacy while fostering physical, mental, and emotional development in children across the nation, there are several ways to get involved: Visit Reach Out and Read of Greater New York’s website to make a donation. Just $21 provides a child with books for an entire year! Donate new or gently used books to your local Reach Out and Read site or to Reach Out and Read of Greater New York Volunteer for virtual or in-person read alouds. Select Reach Out and Read of Greater New York, Inc. as your Amazon Smile charity organization. Follow Reach Out and Read of Greater New York on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. To learn more about our world language titles in Bengali, Haitian Creole, Dutch, Hebrew, Korean, Washoe, and more, or to explore the possibility of creating a book in a new language, contact Caitlin@PlatypusMedia.com. If you are interested in branding books for your organization, visit our customization page.

It’s easy to think of rainbows as nothing more than a backdrop for our favorite fairy tales, but for a group of young women around the world, the rainbow is more than that - it’s a way of life. In 1922, the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls was launched as a service organization for the daughters of Masons. Open to girls from ages 11 through 20, it is now a global service group inspiring thousands of young women to pursue their passions and give back to their communities. With over 850 assemblies across the world, including in Aruba, the Philippines, and Romania, Rainbow is a wide-reaching organization that continues to foster positive growth and change daily. A Tradition of Service Rainbow Girls have numerous service projects ranging from small local projects to statewide Grand Service Projects. In the last ten years, the California Rainbow Girls have partnered with myriad organizations on Grand Service Projects, including Families Forward, A Place Called Home, and the Bay Area Crisis Nursery. This year, we are honored to be contributing to a unique project that Bailey Schmidt, a California Rainbow Girl, has created for her local assembly. Part of the Rainbow Girls’ mission is to “prepare girls for responsible and purposeful adulthood through character and leadership development.” Seventeen-year-old Bailey, a dedicated Rainbow Girl from the Santa Rosa, CA Assembly, is living proof of this mission. During her six years as a Rainbow Girl and her preparatory year as a Pledge Girl before that, Bailey has learned how to plan projects and fundraisers, how to speak in front of a crowd, how to interview for a job, and even how to apply for college. Additionally, Bailey and her Rainbow Girl sisters have participated in a multitude of service projects, including food drives, caroling for seniors, painting an elementary school, and working at a food bank. Through these experiences, Bailey and countless others have learned the true meaning of service and seen firsthand how much an act of kindness can brighten someone else’s life. “Rainbow really inspired me to keep service in my life. Once I’m out of Rainbow, I hope to have more opportunities to serve my community, wherever that may be.” —Bailey Schmidt As a Rainbow Girls leader, Bailey has had the chance to create her own service projects, and she continues to inspire those around her even despite unique challenges posed by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey’s Project - Bilingual Books for Kids in Hospitals With the help of adult advisors, fellow Rainbow Girls, family, and friends, Bailey has spent the last two months improving the lives of patients at Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento, CA. The Shriners Hospital Book Drive, organized by the Santa Rosa Rainbow Assembly, has worked hard to collect new bilingual books from community members in order to donate them to the hospital’s on-campus library—one that Bailey remembers visiting when her older brother stayed at the hospital after surgery. Bailey says that she always found the atmosphere at Shriners Hospital to be “homey” and welcoming, so when the opportunity arose for her to plan this term’s service project, she thought, “Why not do a book drive for the library?” Because of COVID-19 guidelines, spending time outside of the hospital has been even more difficult than usual for Shriners patients. Bailey knew that in addition to being a fun and engaging activity, reading could also be a much-needed escape for Shriners patients, so she set a goal to donate at least 50 new books to the hospital library. According to 2021 demographic data, over 200,000 Sacramento County residents over the age of five, as well as 30% of all California residents over the age of five, speak Spanish at home (Sacramento County Demographics). Additionally, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that just over 20% of all U.S. residents over the age of five have grown up speaking a language other than English at home (U.S. Census Bureau). With a mission to “provide the highest quality care to children” all across the state of California and beyond, Shriners Hospital is dedicated to welcoming patients of all linguistic backgrounds, which is why the Santa Rosa Assembly has decided to collect bilingual English/Spanish reading materials for the hospital library. The work of the Rainbow Girls does not stop there, however, as Bailey wishes to expand the project to include other hospitals and reach more children across the nation: “I would love to donate to more Shriners Hospitals across our state or even out of state. The more books we donate, the better!” Advice from the Rainbow Girls During her time with Rainbow, Bailey has learned the value not only of community service but also of determination and leadership. As a young person, it can sometimes be hard to make your voice heard and to believe that your ideas are capable of making a difference. However, as Bailey has so aptly shown us this year, making the world a better place does not have a minimum age requirement, and there is no better time to serve the community than right now. “If you think of an idea, go for it. Don’t let anyone tell you not to do it or that you’re too young to do it. You can do anything you want.” —Bailey Schmidt How You Can Help The Santa Rosa Assembly of the Rainbow Girls will be accepting financial and book donations for Shriners Children's Hospital through the first week of December, 2021. Any new Spanish, bilingual, or English books for ages 5 to 18 are welcome. Donations can be sent to Mary-Beth Dunlap at 509 San Juan Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95409. If you would like to purchase books to contribute, please click here to view English, Spanish, and bilingual titles available from Platypus Media and Science Naturally. Email Caitlin at C.Chang@ScienceNaturally.com so we can offer you the Shriners Book Drive pricing ($4.00 for books under $9.99; $5.00 for books over $10.00). We will send you a gift receipt and make sure the book gets to Bailey. Monetary donations are also being accepted and will help to fund the purchase of new books for the Shriners library. Checks should be made payable to “Santa Rosa Assembly #156.” For additional information, please contact Rosanne Gephart at Rosanne@Sonic.net or (707) 327-6911. Platypus Media is working closely with Bailey on this project. By providing discount pricing, we are working towards our goal of getting books into the hands of children who need them most. If you, or anyone you know, would like to partner with us on a fundraiser or literacy campaign, contact our other Caitlin at Caitlin@ScienceNaturally.com. We can also produce custom books for your organization. Learn more about this on our customization page.

It’s hot outside, but it’s never too hot to enjoy a good book! Summer reading is more important than ever, especially with so many students missing classroom time this year. Continuing to enjoy books during the summer break promotes reading skills, expands vocabulary, builds empathy, opens the mind to new experiences, and helps prepare kids for the next school year. If you are looking for a way to keep young kids occupied and intellectually engaged, check out our recommendations for reading resources: National Summer Learning Association is a nonprofit that offers resources, information, and summer learning programs to help close the achievement gap. Prepared Parents has information about the importance of cultivating curiosity and encouraging reading throughout the summer. Reading is Fundamental offers tons of free resources for summer reading, including reading lists, activity sheets, and advice for starting a book club. Common Lit has over 2,000 free reading passages for grades 3-12. Khan Academy has free reading and vocabulary resources organized by grade level. Reading Rockets is full of great summer reading resources for early readers. The best resource of all: your local public library. This year, the Collaborative Summer Library Program has picked a fun theme to kick off summer reading: Tails and Tales. Cheri Crow, the Youth Services Coordinator at Delaware County Libraries in Media, Pennsylvania, supports this theme, saying that animal books are an engaging way to foster compassion, stimulate emotional intelligence, and encourage social responsibility. In fact, she used a number of our books for the Delaware County libraries’ summer reading events. Check out her blog post about it! Librarians from around the country are picking high-quality books and educational resources for children of all ages to enjoy this summer, and your local library is promoting summer reading with the Tails and Tales theme, too. Dive deeper into the theme with the Delaware County Libraries Wildlife Education page. You’ll find many different activities to help kids discover more about animals. You’ll also find some of our Activity Sheets. These sheets come from our extensive Teacher’s Guides, which include hands-on activities, discussions, worksheets, and more to accommodate all types of learning styles. Some of the Activity Sheets include: Who Snuggles and Who Nuzzles? What’s at the End of Your Arm? What is a Mammal? Animal Adventure Summer is the time to jump into the deep end, grill your favorite meal, and enjoy setting aside time to read with the kids. Have fun!

Today’s holiday recognizes all the games you play on a tabletop—from chess and checkers to Pictionary and puzzles. If you haven’t had a family game night in a while, today’s the perfect excuse to clear off the table and start a fun family competition! International Tabletop Day was founded in 2013 by Boyan Radakovich, a producer of the popular YouTube Channel, Geek and Sundry, to take a break from video games, and have a reason to crack open a puzzle with friends and family. Break Out These Facts While Breaking Into a New Game Some of the most beloved tabletop games have very interesting origins. Did you know that Candy Land was invented in the polio wing of a hospital? Yes, that’s right! In the early 1940s, Eleanor Abbott, a school teacher, was diagnosed with polio. As she spent her days in the hospital, she created Candy Land as an outlet for her imagination and an escape from the polio ward. Another interesting game origin: Jenga! The very popular tabletop stacking game was created by Leslie Scott. As a child, Leslie and her family developed the game using wooden building block toys from a sawmill in Ghana. The name comes from the Swahili word “kujenga,” which means “to build.” Tabletop games are a beloved pastime, often passed down through the centuries! Take a look at some of these other board (but not boring) game facts: The longest game of Monopoly went on for 70 days. In Chess, the word “Checkmate” comes from the Persian phrase “Shah Mat,” which means “the King is dead.” There are 50 different versions of Uno. Whoever goes first in Connect Four can win 100% of the time. Monopoly’s original name was “The Landlord’s Game.” Operation started as the college project of a sophomore industrial design student. Chutes and Ladders (or Snakes and Ladders) originated in India as early as 200 BC. Scrabble is an official sport in several countries. There is an international speed-puzzling competition called the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship. Tonight, dig out some old tabletop games, gather up your family, and dazzle everyone with your newfound knowledge! Tabletop Puzzles to Get You Started To blend family competition and education, put together Dr. Livingston’s Anatomy Puzzles. With anatomical reference guides included, learning anatomy has never been so much fun! Because of their scientific focus, Dr. Livingston’s Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles make puzzle-building an educational activity for the whole family. Spleen, stomach, sternum, and skull. With these anatomy puzzles, no minute will ever be dull! Dr. Livingston’s Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles—now available through Science Naturally.