Talking Science

A cozy hug is one meter wide, a good night's sleep is 41,400 seconds long, and an African elephant weighs almost 5,500 kilograms. No matter where you are in the world, scientists use these same units of measurement to communicate with one another.

Talking Science brings science vocabulary to life for even the youngest children. Written by award-winning children's book author Mary Wissinger, with inviting and fun illustrations by Lilia Miceli, this innovative children's book uses kid-friendly examples to show readers how big ideas can be shared―and how science connects us all.

The International System of Units is a group of seven measurements―seconds, meters, kilograms, amperes, kelvins, moles, and candelas―that allow scientists anywhere in the world to understand each other. With this system, people from different places, who speak different languages, can describe and solve the same problems.

In the past, scientists measured things in all kinds of different ways. But it's difficult to share science across the globe when one person uses their arm and another person uses their foot to measure the same thing! Now, using the universal language of science, we can work together to make discoveries.

Mary Wissinger was born in Wisconsin where she spent most of her childhood singing, reading, and daydreaming. She dove into storytelling through acting, singing, and writing (and writing and writing!). A former teacher, she can now be found at her standing desk in St. Louis, MO, writing stories that inspire curiosity about the world and connection with others. She is the author of the Science Wide Open Series and the My First Science Textbook Series. To learn more about Mary, you can check out her website, MaryWissinger.com.

Lilia Miceli grew up in Turin, Italy, where she loved to use her drawings to tell stories. She studied 2D animation at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematrografia of Turin and is now a professional illustrator. Drawing is her primary form of communication and she likes to use her creativity to make the world a better place by dealing with important topics and creating something beautiful that raises the soul of those who see it. She also enjoys sharing food and drinks with friends, cuddling every cute animal she meets, and pretending to be a mermaid.