Book Trailer Premiere: 3 Weeks in the Rainforest and a Q&A with Jennifer Swanson Q&A

Are you in the mood for a little good news today?

Certainly the news out in the world is bleak bleak bleak, these days. Sometimes I wonder if I incline towards books for children because, at their best, titles written with youth in mind have a way of maintaining an honesty about the state of things while also giving a healthy dose of hope as well. Another thing children’s nonfiction and informational books accomplish? They can highlight those heroes that don’t necessarily get their day in the sun other ways.

Jennifer Swanson is an expert at highlighting such heroes. In her career she has written more than fifty books for kids, many of them focused on scientists, activists, researchers, and more. In her latest title, 3 Weeks in the Rainforest (out as of yesterday) she follows a team making a difference in the world. Or, as the book is described:

“A women-led team of scientists save the Amazon rainforest from destruction as readers get a firsthand account of real-life fieldwork in action.

A compelling, nonfiction, photo-illustrated STEM read for 8-12-year-olds who aspire to be future scientists, environmentalists, and conservationists!

Over 22 years, a team of scientists from the Field Museum in Chicago has helped conserve 28.9 million acres of the Amazon rainforest. Follow the team as they race to gather data over three precious weeks in the field.”

Today we get to premiere this title’s book trailer, right after I speak with Jennifer herself about the title, where it came from, its research, and more!

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Betsy Bird: Jennifer! Thank you so much for talking with me today about 3 WEEKS IN THE RAINFOREST. Here we have a book that gives a glimpse into the complexity required to gather evidence for the sake of conservation. How did you first hear of the Field Museum’s Rapid Inventory team and what drew you to write about this project?

Jennifer Swanson: In 2018, I was in Chicago visiting my daughter while she was working on a summer internship at her university. On the weekend, we decided to visit The Field Museum. That is where I first saw the exhibit about the Rapid Inventory Project. The exhibit begins with a short video that takes you on a journey deep into the Amazon with the scientists. The vivid images, the amazing conservation efforts, and the team of awesome scientists made the Amazon come alive.  I was enthralled to learn how these scientists would count every single animal they saw, collect samples, and literally take aninventory of the biological creatures of that area. But I think the coolest part was that the social scientists made a great effort to include the local communities and Indigenous Peoples in their reports. The people who live in that area should have a lot of say in how it would be set up as protected lands.

I spent about an hour or more walking through the rest of the very informative and descriptive exhibit and the entire time I just kept thinking, why haven’t I heard about this? This needs to be a book for kids! Then I was hit by an overwhelming feeling of excitement, I knew then that I wanted to be the one to tell this story. Less than a week later, I reached out to Dr. Corine Vriesendorp, the head of the Rapid Inventory Project at the time, to request a meeting. 

I really wanted to write this book for kids because I think it’s a great way for them to see how people from different backgrounds and different countries can come together and collaborate to protect one of the world’s most amazing resources: the Amazon rainforest.

BB: The book really plunges you into the team’s life and work in what feels like real time. In doing so, it can be unclear to the reader if you were really there in the Amazon with them or doing all this work and research stateside. How involved were you and how did you conduct your research? 

Jennifer: I’m so glad it sounds that way, however, I did not actually go on an inventory with the team. I did, however, spend many, many hours on Zoom interviewing the scientists and I traveled to The Field Museum multiple times to immerse myself in that exhibit. I wanted to soak in everything that goes on during one of their projects and give my reader the same experience. I give great credit to the team for taking a lot of time out of their very busy schedules to provide both the overall structure of the project, but also all of the small details that made our readers feel like they are actually traveling through the Amazon. 

BB: Your books are so enticing to kids partially because of your use of full-color images that just plunge you into the story. I know that getting the rights to photos for a book is almost a job in and of itself. Can you tell us a little bit about the process you go through and how you got the photos for this particular title? 

Jennifer: Thank you for that observation.  To me, science is best when it can be experienced, or in this case, a way for kids to feel as if they are experiencing this expedition. The photos are all owned by The Field Museum, but they worked out a contract directly with Charlesbridge Publishing for the licensing of the photos. The Field Museum was gracious enough to allow us to use as many photos as we wished.  The best part was that the museum also provided a contact who worked closely with our fabulous designer, Cathleen Schaad, to ensure that we used the proper photo with each campsite, and also that we used the correct captions for each scientific photo. (There were a lot!) 

BB: As you conducted your research and learned more, did you encounter anything unexpected or that surprised you along the way? 

Jennifer: The coolest part of doing research was listening and learning from the amazing scientists.  What they do for science is really awesome, and surprising to some extent. For example, Dr. Lesley deSouza, an ichthyologist or fish scientist, has no problem reaching her ungloved hand into holes in the mud banks of the rivers to see what kinds of creatures she can find. Yes, she has occasionally grabbed the wrong end and been bitten. Lesley has walked through many unfamiliar rivers and other bodies of water (with just jeans and boots– no waders!)  to catch and count fish and other aquatic creatures, like caiman (alligators). You might wonder about the anaconda, you know, giant snakes found in the waters of the Amazon. When I asked Lesley about them she shrugged and said, “the key is to not let it wrap itself too far up your leg” (Yikes!). Piranha? Lesley says that they aren’t as bothersome as you might think.  Seriously, all of the scientists on this woman-led team were–and are–rock stars and are completely dedicated to the idea of saving our planet. I’m not surprised at their dedication, but I do think that the way in which they perform their jobs is somewhat unexpected. They are so much more brave than I’d ever be while interacting with a strange environment. 

BB: An author has zip, zero, zilch control over how educators and parents use their materials, but if you could, how would you like 3 WEEKS IN THE RAINFOREST to be used with kids?

Jennifer: I would love for kids  to take this book and use it to find ways to help their own environments. I want them to understand that while this book is about the Amazon it could be about your own backyard or local park. Some ideas of ways to use this book: Take a biological inventory of the plants and animals around where you live. Find out which ones might be indigenous to your area, and which ones are not. Learn how you can help to keep your environment healthy and long-lasting. Ask people what they think about the environment they live in. What would they like to change? What would they want to stay the same? Charlesbridge Publishing has also made a bunch of activity sheets for kids to use to help inspire them and explore their world. You can find them here.

BB: Awesome! Finally, what else are you up to these days? What else is piquing your interest?

Jennifer: At the moment, I just finished a book tour for my new STEM book, The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide to Inventing the World. I co-authored this awesome book with Dylan Thuras, a co-founder of the Atlas Obscura company. I’m so very proud of this book! It takes readers on a STEM-tastic journey of inventing around the world and through time. If you love learning about how inventions are connected throughout history, this is the book for you. It’s gorgeously illustrated by Ruby Fresson and chock full of fun facts! It even got a starred review from SLJ! 

I am also getting ready to hit the road with Janet Ivey-Duensing of Janet’s Planet. We are going to visit kids around the country and get them excited about space and the ocean with our Astronaut vs. Aquanaut stage show. Finally, I’m really embracing outer space in the next manuscript that I’m currently writing for Harper Collins. It’s titled, How to Talk to an Alien (Should you ever meet one). It’s a mind-boggling and exciting mix of astrobiology, linguistics, and of course, aliens. It’s basically a guide for kids to create their own alien language. Look for that in 2027. 

Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Betsy! 

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Huge thanks to Jennifer for taking the time, care, and attention to come here today.

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for…. check out this trailer!

Just fabulous stuff.

3 Weeks in the Rainforest is, as I mentioned, out now. Be sure to check it out for all your older nonfiction reading needs.

RAINFORESTS!!!!!

Filed under: Interviews, Videos