Julia Garstecki – författare

Parents and teachers, turn nagging about hand washing, covering your cough, and other healthy practices into STEM learning moments with Pick, Spit & Scratch. Weird, disgusting science facts (a sneeze or cough can spray germs 25 feet through the air!) behind a range of bad habits, accompanied by hilarious illustrations, give kids the vivid answers they need to change their ways and tips that show them how—including step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to wash viruses and bacteria off your hands like an expert.As any parent or teacher will attest, all kids have bad habits from, er, time to time. They pick their nose. They hold their pee. Or pee in pools. They pick their nose. They don’t brush their teeth. They pick their nose. But we seldom stop to think that there are science lessons in these habits.Each spread in Pick, Spit & Scratch describes a specific bad habit, and provides multilayered reading opportunities in the form of incredible, revolting facts that ratchet up the gross factor. Bad habits are transformed into relatable concepts for kids; for example, we swallow up to a quart of snot a day—enough to fill a small milk carton.In some cases, the author even debunks myths about bad habits by introducing counter-intuitive scientific research (boogers may actually have health benefits) or humorously turning the tables on adults (one study showed that most adults pick their noses, too).Kids will love Pick, Spit & Scratch because it's gross. Parents will love it because it says, “I told you so.” Everyone will love the health benefits.

With Science in a Jar, kids and grown-ups need only gather a jar and a few other inexpensive and readily available household objects to begin investigating and confirming the science at work all around them. The 35+ experiments included cover various scientific disciplines: life science, earth science, physical science, weather, and more. Some activities, like creating a cloud in a jar, are quick experiments that can be performed over and over again. Others, like the earthworm habitat, will be enjoyed over time. Science in a Jar also features several projects that help demonstrate how science and art intertwine—the sometimes overlooked “A” in STEAM!Each experiment is headed by a supplies list and difficulty level, as well as a short description of the project to be undertaken and the scientific principles with which the readers will interact. Directions and photographs guide readers through the scientific method in each experiment, while short features offer multileveled reading opportunities with explanations of terms, interesting quick facts, and brief descriptions of how scientists apply the specific concepts that readers just witnessed in the larger world today.In addition to providing readers with a better understanding of basic scientific concepts, Science in a Jar ignites curiosity, increases confidence to investigate scientific concepts, and fosters a love of science.