Today I would like to introduce Thomai, a mum, pharmacist, freelance artist, and writer. She will be sharing the STEM books for kids she created to introduce seemingly advanced and complex concepts to young readers – babies, toddlers and kids. A fantastic science books for kids series.
The little ones may also enjoy the Wind Up Tractor Book.
I always enjoyed reading as a child. I loved the library. I loved the smell of an old book. I loved everything about finding that perfect, compact little world I would be able to explore page by page once the day had ended.
I wanted to instil that same love of reading with my own children when I became a mother. So when my first son was born I was thrilled about the idea that maybe, just maybe, I could make a book just for him.
I should preface here to say that I am a pharmacist by trade and was able to stay home with my little ones once they came along. Being the avid reader and writer that I was, and now having years of clinical practice under my belt, I thought it made perfect sense to create a children’s science book. And not just any children’s science book that talks about the ocean, animals or space (which are fantastic topics! It just wasn’t what I had in mind for my own book). I wanted to make something truly unique for my kids; something that challenged them to think about their world, the planet, even a little bit about themselves.
After giving this much thought, I decided to write my first book about the cell. I thought to myself, “Well, young children love to play with blocks. Why not learn about the building blocks of life?” And so I began on a path that would lead me to 8 books and counting.
My children’s STEM series, “Think-A-Lot-Tots” is a read-along picture book series that focuses on science-based topics such as biology and pathophysiology. The main goal in writing my books is to introduce seemingly advanced and complex concepts to our youngest readers all the while using fun, simple sentences and colourful illustrations (which I created myself!).
My books also introduce scientific vocabulary, demonstrating that children of any age have the potential to learn anything they would like. That is not to say that my toddler will know the ins and outs of molecular biology once he reads my series, but he will have heard the word, “cell.” He will know that it’s something in our bodies. He’ll have talked about how it helps keep us healthy.
These early introductions to science will not only familiarise children with important concepts and terminology. It will also prepare them for topics that they’ll learn in school years ahead. They may not remember everything when 9th or 10th grade comes around, but they will recall that they used to read a book when they were little that talked about this same thing. So it must not be that bad, right? I mean, I’ve already learned this when I was a baby.
With concept-familiarity comes academic confidence, and with academic confidence, comes educational success. In the long-run, “Think-A-Lot-Tots” is a series that strives to promote curiosity with our youngest readers, setting them up for a lifelong enjoyment of learning and achievement.
So you might be wondering at this point what types of topics could possibly be covered in a children’s STEM series like this. I’ve put together a list of my books and a brief summary for each, all of which can be found on my website and are available for purchase on Amazon.
The following topics are all found within my “Think-A-Lot-Tots” series:
“The Animal Cell” – A step-by-step guide to the type of cell you would find in our bodies. Each page introduces one part of the cell to the reader, describing in simple and easy to understand terms what it does and how it helps the cell. At the end of the book, you and your child can say that you learned all of the parts of the cell together.
“The Neuron” – A similar book to “The Cell”, this title takes things a step further and focuses on a special type of cell: A nerve cell. Not only does it focus on a specialized cell, it also talks about what exactly makes it so special and what it does within our bodies.
“How Many Microorganisms?” – This book walks the reader through the major categories of microorganisms found on our planet. From those that are stinky to those that don’t like to move around much at all, you and your child will enjoy reading through all of the weird and wild tiny creatures that live right alongside us.
“Counting Atoms and Elements” – I will admit that I found inspiration for this book while thinking through the first few things that children would typically learn about when they are very little. One of those things is counting; specifically, numbers one through ten. This book puts a bit of a spin on this concept though with the help of the periodic table of elements. Here you can learn your numbers as well as the first 10 rudimentary elements that form the basis of all chemistry classes taught throughout high school and college.
“My Science Lab Notebook” – A notebook I designed for children that outlines the scientific theory. In short, it is a guide that teaches critical thinking skills and how to work through a question one step at a time. This is a great tool to have on field trips, vacations, even rainy or snowy days inside. With room for 10 experiments, there’s even space designated for your little scientist to draw a picture of their question and how they went about finding the answer to it.
“STEM Coloring and Activity Notebook” – A fun twist to your typical coloring book. All of the pages contained herein are about topics found in STEM, ranging from the parts of a flower to the parts of an ant; the numbers that make up “pi” to all of the different types of triangles found within geometry.
I am forever thankful to be able to pursue so many combined passions and create something so fulfilling and rewarding to myself, my family and my community.
Thomai Dion is a mum, pharmacist, freelance artist, and writer. She received her doctorate from the University of Rhode Island and believes it is never too early to start learning.