Q&A with Ruth Spiro

  

Photo by Robin Subar

 

 

Ruth Spiro is the author of the new children's board book Baby Loves Robotics!. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Baby Loves Science board book series, which now includes 26 books. Spiro lives in Chicago. 

 

Q: You’ve said that in coming up with the Baby Loves Science books, you didn't set out to teach science to babies. Can you say more about that?

 

A: Babies and toddlers are natural scientists in that they learn by exploring the world around them to find out how things work. Research shows that even in the first year of life, babies can make and test predictions. As an example, repeatedly dropping a toy to watch it fall.

 

In creating the Baby Loves Science books my goal is to encourage this natural sense of wonder, introduce new and accurate vocabulary, and help parents and caregivers turn everyday experiences into fun learning opportunities.

 

Q: How did you come up with the ideas for Baby Loves Robotics!, the new book in the series?

 

A: As with all of the Baby Loves Science books, I begin with a common childhood experience or observation and then introduce the science behind it. Robotics felt like the most logical topic to cover next because robots are fascinating to both kids and adults and seem to be increasingly present all around us.

 

Q: How do you research the books, and have you learned anything that especially surprised you?

 

A: I usually begin my research by reading as much as I can about the topic, both online and in books. Each Baby Loves Science book is reviewed by an expert in the field for accuracy, both the text and the illustrations. I’ll often consult with my chosen expert during the writing and revision process as well, just to make sure I’m on the right path.

 

In Baby Loves Robotics I was surprised to learn that all robots follow the same basic “sense, compute, act” cycle, and also how often we interact with them throughout our day!

 

Q: How would you describe the impact of the series over 10 years?

 

A: When I wrote the first Baby Loves Science books, I never imagined that 10 years later there would be 26 titles in the series. Throughout the years parents have tagged me in social media photos of their children with my books – even on the potty!

 

Amazingly, I’ve kept in touch with some of these parents, watching their children grow and develop through the photos they continue to post. Knowing that my books are being enjoyed in homes worldwide is truly rewarding.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: A few years ago, we began receiving requests from parents and educators for the “next step,” books for readers of Baby Loves Science who had outgrown the board book stage.

 

I worked with my editor at Charlesbridge to develop a picture book series, How to Explain Science to a Grown-Up. These are designed for the early elementary level with additional content, diagrams, and backmatter.

 

As of this writing there are four books in that series: How to Explain Coding to a Grown-Up, How to Explain Robotics to a Grown-Up, How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up, and How to Explain Aerospace Engineering to a Grown-Up. There’s a fifth title in the works and I hope to announce the topic sometime soon.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I have another new picture book that I’m proud of, Growing Together (HarperCollins). It takes place in an urban community garden and is a celebration of community, while introducing readers to the variety of fruits and vegetables that gardeners commonly grow.

 

I’d also like to share the names of the talented artists who illustrate these books: Growing Together is illustrated by Paola Escobar, How to Explain Science to a Grown-Up is illustrated by Teresa Martinez, and the Baby Loves Science series is illustrated by Irene Chan, Kat Uno, and Greg Paprocki.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Ruth Spiro.