STEM education – Katie L. Carroll

Guess what? I have another new book out. It technically came out yesterday, but we’ll just pretend that I’m organized and have been properly marketing my new book release. It’s called THE GREAT VOYAGERS: EARTH’S INTERGALACTIC AMBASSADORS. If you or your kids enjoyed SELFIES FROM MARS, you’re gonna like this one too.

This book takes readers on a journey through the solar system all the way to interstellar space. The Voyager space probes are the farthest reaching human-made objects are have been out in space for more than 45 years! And wait until you read about the Golden Records. They really are quite the incredible NASA mission.

I’m really excited to have another STEM nonfiction books for kids to get excited about space. I recently did a school visit where I talked all about Opportunity’s incredible journey on the Red Planet and my process of writing, revising, and publishing SEFLIES FROM MARS. I can’t wait to bring THE GREAT VOYAGERS to classrooms as well.

What space mission should I write about next? I have a couple in mind, but I’d love to know what your favorites are.

Book blurb:

Take a grand tour through the outer planets and beyond the solar system with the NASA Voyager space probes. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were the first spacecraft to explore all the outer planets and the first human-made objects to reach interstellar space. They each hold a golden record with the sights, sounds, music, and languages of Earth. These great Voyagers continue to reach for the stars as Earth’s intergalactic ambassadors.

Purchase THE GREAT VOYAGERS at Bookshop, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

Today’s the day! SELFIES FROM MARS: THE TRUE STORY OF MARS ROVER OPPORTUNITY is out in the world. It truly feels like a miracle every time a new book comes out. I also finally have an author newsletter, and you get two free short stories when you sign up!

@katielcarrollauthor
Opportunity was the robot that just kept on roving on Mars! #mars #marsrover #roveropportunity #spacebooks #stembooks #selfiesfrommars #nonfiction #rover #goodnightoppy #robots #spacerobot
♬ Natural Emotions – Muspace

Bringing a nonfiction book into the world was a complicated, wonderful learning experience. There were image credits and song lyrics rights to consider. Many facts to check and double-check. Even the type of paper to use for the print copies proved to be a new challenge to tackle. So many hours went into the design of this book, but I’m so thrilled with how it came out.

In addition to the main narrative for rover Opportunity (with some rover Spirit in there, too), there are so many facts and figures to discover in Selfies From Mars. I can’t wait for young readers to meet little Oppy and read the Fact Files.

I know this is a nonfiction book, but the ending makes me so emotional every time! After all, it was the emotional end of Opportunity’s incredible mission that inspired me to go into a deep dive on this rover and become enamored by it.

Who can forget the poetic interpretation of Opportunity’s last message to Earth? “My battery is low and it’s getting dark.” Or that the rover’s team played a love song, Billie Holiday’s version of “I’ll Be Seeing You,” as a goodbye? Pay particular attention to the last few lines (or read the book to see which lyrics I’m talking about!).

SELFIES FROM MARS blurb:

From evidence of water to stunning images,
Mars rover Opportunity allowed humans to
experience the Red Planet as never before.
Ride along on the 15-year mission
that captured hearts a world away!

Available from Bookshop.org, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or Book Depository (for international folks). Coming soon signed copies from Katie’s bookstore.