Do you have a child or teen who seems fascinated by all things science related? Or maybe you are the one in your family who loves to read about the work of scientists. “Scientists in the Field” is a wonderful book series that explores that actual scientific research being done by modern-day scientists around the world. Each book in the series features a particular research focus: insects, under-sea volcanoes, bees, whales, conservation, gorillas, and many more topics. The books have been consistently praised by reviewers from School Library Journal and have won numerous awards including the Robert F. Siebert Award for Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot.
These books are great for learning about the actual subject being studied, but the real strength of the books is the ability to place the reader at the very center of the research process. These are very much focused on the application of the scientific method. As readers, we get to see the problems, the set-backs, and the refining of the research. We also get to see how different people with different careers all work together in the research field!
Here are a few of the books that illustrate the wide variety of scientific fields covered.
A few of the titles will be of special interest to people in our geographic area. Dr. Terri Roth from the Cincinnati Zoo is featured in Emi and the Rhino Scientist. Dr. Roth is the director of the Cincinnati Zoo’s research on endangered animal species, including the extremely rare Sumatran rhino. The Bug Scientists features Tom Turpin a long-time professor of entomology at Purdue University. Turpin, who retired in 2017, spent 45 years making the study of insects seem cool at events like Purdue’s annual Bug Bowl.
Several of the books in the “Scientists in the Field” series are written by Cincinnati author Mary Kay Carson.
Our latest addition in this book series is Life on Surtsey: Iceland’s Upstart Island, a fascinating look at the way plant and animal life is developing on a volcanic island that was formed in 1963.
Fascinating stuff, wouldn’t you say? Stop by to check out one of these amazing books!