It’s a well-known phenomenon: some adults lose their sense of wonder about the natural world when they age out of the science fair years.

But grownups who write STEAM books for kids are a special breed: Meet Laura Perdew!

“One of my goals as an author is to get kids to be as amazed as I am about the world we live in!” Laura’s enthusiasm for science is in high evidence as she talks about her forthcoming book for middle schoolers, Keystone Species: Meet the Animals Key to Ecosystem Health and Biodiversity with Hands-On Science Activities for Kids, illustrated by Micah Rauch.

“Kids who are amazed tend to care more about the natural world and are more likely to be inspired to act,” she says. “If I can help accomplish that, I’ll be happy.”

Laura’s not new to the task of inspiring children—a former teacher, Laura now has dozens of books to her name, the majority of them science titles about nature and the environment for kids. From exploring the biomes of the world to examining the different causes and impacts of extinction, Laura believes in the power of books to cultivate wonder and change lives.

In her newest book, Keystone Species, her passion for the natural world combines with detailed stories of nine keystone species: sharks, gray wolves, beavers, alligators, bees, flying foxes, wildebeests, bison, and corals. Laura came across the term “keystone species” about five years ago while researching a different book. “As old as I am and as much research as I do, how did I not already know this term?” (She’s not actually very old. But she does do a ton of research in her job as a children’s book author!)

“We all grow up learning that all species play a role in the environment, that we’re all a part of food web, all that good stuff. The idea that some species are more important to that environment than others is mind blowing!” Laura dove deep into the topic, asking herself, what makes these species so crucial? The result is a stunning book for middle graders. “We’ve got animals of all types—sharks and wolves, of course, are predators who keep other species in check, and we’ve got a few herbivores who maintain the environment so all species can thrive. And ecosystem engineers! Where would we be without beavers?”

When you read the book, you’ll see a recurring pattern. Nature is very good at taking care of itself until an external force interrupts the natural balance. Beavers, for example, were hunted for their pelts and killed in staggering numbers. Bison faced the same fate when settlers began to move west. And many species, such as the American alligators, are threatened by habitat loss when humans move in.

In fact, because of the oversized effect humans have on animal species, we’re considered to be a hyperkeystone species!

“But that’s one term I have a little bit of a problem with,” says Laura. “To me, a ‘keystone species’ plays a positive, vital role in their ecosystem. Return a beaver to its ecosystem and it restores it. On the other hand, with people, it’s the opposite. Yes, we have significant impact on the environment, but it’s not positive.”

That’s not to say humans can’t live in ways that promotes balance in the global ecosystem. But we do have a lot of learning to do.

“Part of the process is changing the labels,” says Laura. “Look at sharks. There are lot of people who are scared of sharks. And before I wrote this book, I wasn’t a big fan—I was pretty ambivalent about them. But the more I learned about their role in marine ecosystem, the more I thought, ‘Wow, they’re very cool animals.’” By altering how we view certain species that might have reputations as being dangerous or pests, we can feel deeper appreciation for the ways they help keep Planet Earth—and everything that lives on it—healthy. “So many of these animals had poor reputations and so people didn’t feel badly about overhunting them or destroying their habitats,” Laura goes on. “We need to keep changing the labels. You can’t have a successful conservation program without understanding the environment you’re trying to save.”

And conversations about conservation feature in just about every book Laura writes for Nomad Press. In fact, she’s got a forthcoming book called Conservation Success: Protecting Wild Spaces and Species, coming Spring 2025.

Another aspect that draws Laura to writing nonfiction for kids has less to do with encouraging kids to act and more to do with teaching them how to learn. Information literacy for children (and adults) is changing at an incredible rate as artificial intelligence becomes more common and we’re exposed to more and more fake images and videos. That, combined with the spread of deliberate and mistaken misinformation, means we all need to work harder to discern what’s accurate and what isn’t. “Rote memorization isn’t necessary anymore, but it’s crucial to be able to tell true from fake,” Laura says. “Just like you need to know which websites are reputable, you need to know which publishers are doing a good job producing books that are based on accurate and evolving science.”

Inspiring wonder, combatting misinformation—not all superheroes wear capes. Some of them write books for kids.

“That’s why I keep doing this,” Laura says. “We think we know all about the world, but there’s so much more to it. At every turn, there’s something new and amazing to learn.”
 

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