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With lyrical language and blooming illustrations, Mara Plants a Seed demonstrates the transformative power of simple actions. By cleaning up an empty lot and planting fifty sunflower seeds, Mara begins to create a flourishing, wild garden — but she doesn’t do it alone. AVAILABLE NOW! How does an imaginative girl turn an empty lot into a flourishing garden? With lyrical language and blooming illustrations, Mara Plants a Seed demonstrates the transformative power of simple actions. By cleaning up an empty lot and planting fifty sunflower seeds, Mara begins to create a flourishing, wild garden — but she doesn’t do it alone. Little does Mara know, flying insects, digging worms, hungry birds, noisy neighbors, and other secret gardeners are working to help transform the lot into something even more beautiful than she imagined. Rain storms wash away seeds, but rabbits leave some behind. Some helpers nibble up weeds, and others fertilize the soil. Each time Mara visits the garden, she’s expecting to see her sunflowers growing. But as the flowers blossom, she uncovers the exciting secrets waiting for her! Mara Plants a Seed inspires young readers to develop a deeper connection to the environment around them and study the many ways natural processes and ordinary animals help plants grow and thrive. Children will watch as Mara’s simple action of restoring an empty lot transforms a community and the beautiful way the garden bursts to life. . ORDER NOW Book Details Hardcover (ISBN 978-1-958629-76-5) $18.95 Age range 2 - 7 years Grade range Pre-K - 2nd Grade Trim Size 10" x 10" Page Count 40 pages PRESS RELEASE Praise for Mara Plants a Seed "While the book’s empty-lot-to-garden conceit is well-trod ground, the emphasis on ecological interdependence offers readers an enduring takeaway." - Publishers Weekly "A sweet and endearing story of hope and all of the delicate and special pieces required to sustain it." - Tyler Thrasher, Botanist, Artist, and Author of “The Universe in 100 Colors.” “Such a wonderful book that shows children that just one small act can make a beautiful difference. 'Mara Plants a Seed' is a perfect story to share with young readers that is packed with valuable lessons." - Melissa Inferrera, 1st Grade Teacher and Plant Mom, @musicmindandsoul “This precious tale of a girl’s journey into the garden inspires us to take a look around and imagine the possibilities. People, insects, bugs and even beings one can not see all come together in harmony. Powered by hope, tenacity and the help of community, we see how magical a single seed can be!” - Tamara Elmore, Tam in the Garden @taminthegarden "A once barren and neglected lot is transformed into a gorgeous, natural garden full of life, though Mara keeps an eye out for those sunflowers she's planted. She's not at all disappointed and neither was I! We're treated to a delightful, vertical two-page spread that I couldn't help but smile wide for when I turned to it. Bailey does a fantastic job of conveying how utterly wonderful it is to behold a wild garden, and Napoli and Furrow do an equally excellent job of explaining the process of seed to flower (including a blurb in the back encouraging readers to plant their own seeds)." - Goodreads Reviewer , Charessa "The principles of seed growth are entwined into this simple story leading to further discussions in the classroom about plant needs, ecosystems as well as ways to turn the unattractive and unused into something beautiful and well-loved." - Primary Teacher, Melanie Dulaney "Mara Plants A Seed is a lovely, heartfelt, relatable, lesson-filled, and creative story! This book is absolutely charming! Mara is a precious character. With her little act of kindness a trashed vacant lot begins to flourish. Her patience, love, and kindness helps nature become activated. The reader sees all the intentional, natural, and accidental actions which help the lot turn into a garden. The resiliency of nature and the joy nature brings to everyone is on full display. I adore this book!" - Goodreads Reviewer, Bailey Young (Check out the full review here ) Meet the Authors Robert Furrow is a gardener, a wildlife educator, and a birder. He is also a professor of teaching at the University of California, Davis, where he lives with his wife and daughters and dog. He teaches many shades of introductory biology, including wildlife natural history and how to garden for wildlife habitat. This is his sixth book co-authored with his mother Donna Jo Napoli. Donna Jo Napoli has published books for preschoolers through high schoolers. She is a gardener, a dancer, and a dual citizen of Italy and America. She is also a linguist who works on sign languages, advocates for the language rights of deaf children, and co-directs the website RISE, which offers bimodal-bilingual video books for free. She lives with her husband outside Philadelphia . Meet the Illustrator Melissa Bailey is the daughter of an avid gardener and granddaughter of a farmer. She is also an award-winning illustrator of 50+ children’s books and the author-illustrator of 2 picture books. Melissa loves living in rural Michigan, thinks it would be awesome to live in a treehouse, and tries to remember to water her plants.

Science, Naturally es una prensa independiente comprometida con el aumento de la alfabetización en ciencias y matemáticas en la educación infantil. ¡Echa un vistazo a nuestra última edición de la popular serie Misterio del mes! misterio del mes Misterio del mes le mandará un correo electrónico mensual que lo desafía con uno de los misterios de los libros de nuestra serie Misterios de un minuto . Estos libros premiados presentan rompecabezas de matemáticas y ciencias basados en la literatura en una página. Cada historia toma solo un minuto para leer y desafía el conocimiento de un niño en una variedad de disciplinas de ciencias y matemáticas. Se pueden usar los acertijos como lectura independiente para niños, un juego de adivinanzas para familias, un trampolín para proyectos escolares, una actividad al fin de clase para maestros o una herramienta de evaluación para el conocimiento y la alfabetización en matemáticas y ciencias. Los educadores abrazan los misterios porque ayudan a los niños a extraer los datos importantes necesarios para resolver problemas de ciencia, matemáticas y lógica al tiempo que fortalecen y recompensan las habilidades de lectura. Los padres los abrazan porque mantienen a sus hijos entusiasmados con el aprendizaje. ¡Los niños los abrazan porque son divertidos! Sign up here to get the Mystery of the Month delivered straight to your inbox: Se puede ver a los tres Misterios del mes más recientes haciendo clic en los botones a continuación: Mayo Junio Julio

ASTC has curated these award-winning, NSTA Recommends books for its members to promote science and math while improving reading and literacy skills for upper elementary and middle schoolers. Check out these resources for your programming and after-school activities. Our literature-based STEM books are perfect tools for museum educators! One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve With Math! Preview the book Purchase with ASTC discount here! One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve with Science! Preview the book Purchase with ASTC discount here! One Minute Mysteries: 65 MORE Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Preview the book Purchase with ASTC discount here! Leonardo da Vinci Gets a Do-Over Read a sample chapter Download the Free Teacher's Guide Purchase the book with ASTC discount here! Bilingual Math Mysteries Preview the book Purchase the book with ASTC discount here! Please reload 101 Things Everyone Should Know about Math Preview the book Purchase the book with ASTC discount here! 101 Things Everyone Should Know about Science Preview the book Purchase the book with ASTC discount here! If My Mom Were a Platypus Download the Activity Guide Download our Guide to Hands-On Activities Purchase with ASTC discount here! Ghost in the Water Read a sample chapter Download the Free Teacher's Guide Purchase the book with ASTC discount here! Bilingual Science Mysteries Preview the book Purchase the book with ASTC discount here! Please reload Museum educators around the country use our titles to engage, excite, and educate: Literature-based books teach science and math while promoting reading, Fiction and nonfiction titles featuring a diverse group of young heroes, Real-life scenarios make science and math relevant to kids, Potentially intimidating topics become intriguing and accessible to scientists of all ages, Supports problem-based and project-based learning, Extensive Teacher's Guides and Hands-On Activities available for free download, Cross-curricular content provides ample learning opportunities. Our books make great resources for museum educators and our short brainteasers make great content for museum publications. For permissions to reprint, information on bulk discounts, and more information, contact Ali . Learn How Facilitators Use Our Books Extensive Educator Resources and Hands-On Activities Shop at the ASTC Bookstore

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Kassandra, Ingrid, Quan, and Ricky are getting ready for their school's Halloween party, but something's amiss with the decorations. Can you use science help them solve this haunting mystery... before it's too late? ¿Hablas español? Haga clic aquí para resolver... Halloween Bonus Mystery Selected from: One Minute Mysteries: 65 MORE Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Halloween Hippie "Hey, I have an old picture of my grandma looking just like that, only it wasn't a costume to her," Kassandra said as Ingrid walked into the homeroom. "She said they actually thought they looked cool." Their school normally had a dress code, but it was Halloween and everyone had come in wearing costumes. Ingrid was dressed like a hippie. She had a tie-dyed shirt, beads, sandals, and sunglasses with orange lenses shaped like hearts. Ingrid took off the sunglasses for class, but put them back on in the afternoon when it was time to get ready for the Halloween party. The class was decorating the classroom and painting signs for the school parade. Quan, who though he was funny, was hanging decorations upside down. Preston was pretending to sword fight in his pirate costume with a paint brush, and Ricky was playing with fake blood after putting some on his zombie costume. When it was almost time for the parade, Kassandra noticed that one of the signs had been decorated with a red, rather than orange, pumpkin. "Okay, who's the joker here?" Kassandra asked. She looked around the room for a guilty face. REVEAL ANSWER

Publish Your STEM Book with Science Naturally | Submission Guidelines for Authors | Explore How to Share Your Insights and Contribute to Our World of STEM Literature | Learn Author Requirements and Start Publishing Today! Author & Illustrator Submissions Thank you for your interest in Science, Naturally! While we publish a select number of titles each year, we are always eager to discover manuscripts that reflect our core values. We seek books that nurture young minds through education, positive imagery, and inspiring role models—blending learning with entertainment while thoughtfully connecting to the world of STEM. Above all, our goal is to make science accessible, engaging, and unintimidating for young readers. Authors Manuscript Submissions Form Illustrators If you would like to submit your portfolio to us, please use the following form: If you are submitting a manuscript, please fill out this form: Portfolio Submissions Form Please be aware that we are a small company and response times may vary from a few weeks to a few months. If you have any inquiries or require further information, do not hesitate tocontact us at Info@ScienceNaturally.com. Thank you for considering Science, Naturally! as the platform for your creative endeavors. Note: We do not accept physical submissions. The SN Team

Can you solve this month's mystery? Spring had turned the corner and twins Frances and Fiona were pleased that they could start spending time outside in the back yard. The family’s yard was sheltered by trees with long branches, perfect for the girls’ hobby of bird watching. ¿Hablas español? Haga clic aquí para resolver... April Selected from: One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Take a Hike The students were pleased with the weather on the day of their field trip. It had rained the previous day and night, but this morning it was only cool and cloudy as the kids walked to the Visitors’ Center. The class was learning about different ecosystems, and had taken a bus to a park with a meadow, a pond, and woods. They were divided into three groups to collect samples and take pictures. They had walkie-talkies to keep in touch because cell phones didn’t work there. One group walked down a long, steep path to Frog Pond with Mr. Wysor. Marcel and Tucker’s group hiked across to the meadow with Ms. Smith, while the third group took on the task of studying the woods on a hillside with Mrs. Hammerick. After an hour or so, Ms. Smith’s group was finished. They walked back to the Visitors’ Center, but neither of the other groups had returned. Ms. Smith asked Marcel to check on them. “We’re finished in the meadow and can leave any time. How are you guys doing? Over,” he said into the walkie-talkie. “We have our samples and are just taking the last of the pictures. We will start walking back in a couple of minutes. Over,” a voice replied. “We’re getting samples, but it’s so foggy here that the pictures won’t be any good. Give us another 20 minutes. Maybe the fog will lift. Over,” another voice responded. “I didn’t recognize those voices. Which group needs more time?” Tucker asked Marcel. REVEAL ANSWER

Meet the Team Dia L. Michels Founder and Publisher Dia L. Michels founded Science Naturally in 2006. With Platypus Media focusing on attachment parenting, she wanted a vehicle to promote entertaining and accurate ways to engage children in STEM topics. She loves working with the authors and selecting illustrators, and really enjoys developing and licensing world language editions of the books Science Naturally publishes. In addition to editing and publishing manuscripts, she has written or coauthored over a dozen books for children and adults. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Dutch, Bengali, Hebrew, Haitian Creole, and Washoe. A popular speaker, Dia presents at healthcare, parenting, and education conferences across the country. She is the mother of three grown children, who still keep her busy with their crazy lives, and has several cats. Favorite Children's Books: Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau by Jon Agee Tommy at the Grocery Store by Bill Grossman Ali Trujillo Chief Operating Officer Ali keeps Science Naturally running by managing day-to-day operations and logistics. He works with the publisher to implement systems to streamline operations and finances. Ali also works on production coordination, proofreading, and translating Spanish titles. Prior to joining Science Naturally, Ali worked at World Wildlife Fund as senior assistant for the food waste program where he managed contract processes for private sector consultants. At WWF Ali also collaborated in admin meetings with clients and colleagues on conservation efforts. He also worked at R Street Institute, a DC-based think tank as a finance and operations associate. Previously he was a production coordinator at Asia Pacific Offset, an international print management company. Favorite Children's Book: The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Charlotte's Web by E.B. White Eileen M. Halpin Senior Editor and Art Director Eileen is a creative professional with a passion for storytelling and collaboration. At Science Naturally, she operates in a cross-functional capacity, supporting project development, outreach, and marketing initiatives. In her dual role, she helps guide the visual and narrative direction of projects, working closely with authors, illustrators, and partners to execute and grow the company’s content and brand. Eileen’s dedication to bookmaking stems from a desire to inspire wonder and create books that stay with a child long after the final page is turned. She is especially drawn to the intersection of narrative, education, and visual strategy, ensuring every page bridges ideas and hearts. When she isn’t shaping new titles for the press, she is working on her own mythic stories, whimsical illustrations and reading books to her new baby. Favorite Children's Books: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll The Lorax by Dr. Seuss The Hilda Series by Luke Pearson Samantha DeWeese Associate Editor and Marketing Coordinator Samantha is interested in how storytelling shifts across forms. At Platypus Media, she moves between marketing and editorial work, bringing the same attention to voice and tone whether she’s shaping messaging or reading a manuscript. As a marketing major and creative writing minor, she’s especially drawn to the space where strategy and story overlap. Outside of work, she writes poetry and is always thinking about how language can feel different depending on where it lives, such as on a page, in a film, or in a campaign. Samantha attends Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, where she is pursuing a B.S. in Marketing with a minor in Creative Writing. Her coursework focuses on consumer behavior, marketing strategy, creative writing workshops, and digital media production. She additionally has a background in accounting and finance. Favorite Children's Books: Where the Wild Things Are The Harry Potter Series Darwin Castillo Information and Technology Coordinator Darwin has many talents that keep the company afloat, like building and repairing computers, troubleshooting technical difficulties, designing and building storage solutions, and generally fixing everyone's problems. He also has experience in graphic design and home renovation. In his free time, Darwin enjoys mountaineering across the US. Favorite Book: Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Interested in joining our team? Learn more about our Editorial and Marketing Internship Program here .

Can you solve this month's real-world math mystery? “Hannah!... Would you please come out here already? Your sister, father, and I have been waiting for you for almost 10 minutes!”... ¿Hablas español? Haga clic aquí para resolver... November Selected from: One Minute Mysteries: 65 MORE Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Home on the Range Guillermo and Fiorella’s family was enjoying their last hike of the fall before the weather turned too cold to go hiking. Halfway up a mountain on a trail they had never taken before, their father said, “This would be a great spot to have a house.” They looked around the edge of the sunny meadow, down to a stream, feeling a fresh breeze coming down the mountain. “You’re right, Dad,” Guillermo said. “I would love to live here, too,” said Fiorella. “It’s so pretty and I’m sure there are deer and all kinds of other animals here. It would be great to watch wildlife right from our front porch.” “I don’t know about living in a place like this,” their mother said. “There’s no electricity and you kids couldn’t live for more than a day without your gizmos. You could never get the power company to run an electrical line this far out into the woods.” “Well, if we were allowed to build a house here, we could make our own electricity,” Fiorella said. “But making electricity requires energy. Where would we get it?” their father asked. REVEAL ANSWER

Science, Naturally is an independent press committed to increasing science and math literacy in early childhood education. Check out our latest edition of the popular Mystery of the Month series! MYSTERY OF THE MONTH Mystery of the Month is a monthly email that challenges you with one of the mysteries from the books in our One Minute Mysteries series . These award-winning books feature one-page, literature-based math and science brainteasers. Lee esta pagina en español Each story takes just one minute to read and challenges a kid’s knowledge in a variety of science and math disciplines. The brainteasers can be used as independent reading for kids, a guessing game for families, a springboard for school projects, a bell ringer for teachers, or an assessment tool for math and science knowledge and literacy. Educators embrace the mysteries because they help kids extract the important data needed to solve science, math, and logic problems while strengthening and rewarding reading skills. Parents embrace them because they keep their kids excited about learning. Kids embrace them because they are fun! Check out the most recent Mysteries of the Month by clicking the buttons below: May Mystery June Mystery July Mystery Sign up here to get the Mystery of the Month delivered straight to your inbox:

Looking for bilingual gift and/or stocking stuffer ideas this holiday season? Our bilingual book selections make for the perfect gift! Plus Free Shipping through the end of 2018! Free gift wrapping and gift notes available. Gifts for Language Learners Looking for the perfect bilingual holiday gift? We have a wide array of languages and topics to choose from for kids of all ages and their parents! Babies Nurse / Así se alimentan los bebés This beautifully illustrated book’s overarching theme of breastfeeding inspires conversations about parenting, biology, habitats, survival, and more, making this book an engaging choice for young children as well as elementary school readers. La lactancia como tema central del libro motiva conversaciones acerca de la paternidad, la biología, los espacios naturales, la supervivencia y demás temas afines, haciendo de este libro una opción entrañable tanto para los infantes como para lectores en la escuela primaria. Click Here to View Cuddled and Carried / Consentido y cargado Beautiful images introduce the reader to attachment in the natural world. Watching mothers lend a paw, wing, flipper, or hand to care for their young fosters empathy, kindness, and compassion. Supplemental back matter and a free Teacher's Guide helps parents, librarians, educators, and healthcare providers creatively describe caretaking, while introducing a range of early science concepts. Un hermoso libro bilingüe que celebra la entrañable relación entre un padre y su crío en el reino animal. Click Here to View Bilingual Science and Math Book Set / Conjunto de libros bilingües Two award-winning titles from the One Minute Mysteries series are now available as bilingual, Spanish-English, editions. These books are filled with entertaining, literature-based brainteasers that take just one minute to read. These books help kids see science, math, and—now—a new language, as approachable and learnable. Put on your Super Sleuthing cap and try solving these engaging and educational challenges! Dos títulos premiados de la serie One Minute Mysteries ahora están disponibles en ediciones bilingües, español-inglés. Estos libros están llenos de rompecabezas entretenidos y basados en literatura que toman sólo un minuto para leer. Los libros ayudan a los niños a ver la ciencia, las matemáticas y, ahora, un nuevo lenguaje, como accesibles y posibles de aprender. ¡Póngase su estupendo casco de sabueso y trate de resolver estos desafíos atractivos y educativos! Click Here to View One Minute Mysteries: More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! / Misterios de un minuto: ¡Más misterios cortos que resuelves con ciencias! Become a science sleuth with the bilingual edition of our award-winning book, One Minute Mysteries: Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! Each one-page mystery is featured in both English and Spanish. Conviértase en un genio de la ciencia con está edición bilingüe de nuestro premiado libro, Misterios de Un Minuto: ¡Más misterios cortos que resuelves con ciencia! Cada misterio de una página es disponible en inglés y español. Click Here to View One Minute Mysteries: Short Mysteries You Solve With Math! / Misterios de un minuto: ¡Misterios cortos que resuelves con matemáticas! The need and interest in bilingual education has never been greater, and this book is a powerful tool for helping English Language Learners to see math as approachable, learnable, and solvable--while continuing to improve their English skills. As a parallel reader, this book will help both native Spanish speakers and English speakers on the road to bilingualism. This book joins the bilingual Science Mysteries book as the second book adopted from the One Minute Mysteries series. This series of entertaining and educational literature-based math and science challenges for kids, is recognized as valuable supplemental resources for schools, extended learning programs, and home education. The bilingual editions make these powerful tools accessible to young students learning the English language. Click Here to View