Today’s nonfiction picture book biography astonishes for many reasons.  Read on to find out why!

Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was shortlisted for a Silver Birch Express (Forest of Reading) award and nominated for a Cybils award, THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.  You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Twitter or on Facebook.

DANCING THROUGH SPACE is a nonfiction picture book about Dr. Mae Jemison who is most famous for being the first black woman to travel into outer space.  Yet when she was younger, she was torn between her love of science and her love of dancing.  The book explores both passions in equal measure, reassuring young readers that they don’t have to choose between their interests.  Instead, there can be a wonderful middle ground.

Welcome Lydia!

Me: Can you talk a little bit about yourself and about your writing journey up to this point?  What brought you to this book?

Lydia: I began reading at age 4 and writing at age 6! I loved writing poetry and was self-taught.  It was my biggest hobby, though I didn’t consider becoming an author until years later. I was a puppeteer for about 5 years and then realized I loved writing stories and working with children, so writing kidlit seemed obvious.

What led me to write this book? The usual, I’m a curious cat. I like to understand things and I absolutely love to research topics that fascinate me. Dr. Mae Jemison is a phenomenal person and I felt compelled to write about her. 

Me: I love that Dr. Mae Jemison was interested in both science and dance.  How did you first hear of her?  What made you want to tell her story?

Lydia: Most people know Mae was the first African American woman to fly to space. But what many may not know is that she also has a deep passion for dance. This fun fact informed my hook, which is the intersection of dance and science. As a result, I structured the book as a dual narrative that features both her passions.

I feel personally connected to this story because it mirrors my own experience. I studied science many years ago and then left that world to study literature and art. At the time, I saw these two disciplines as distinct but now, many years later, I see that that are in fact connected.

Me: I would struggle to figure out what to focus on with Dr. Mae as she is both logical and creative.  Many times, those things are at war with one another, but from the very first pages of this book, you have them side-by-side as equal interests for Dr. Mae.  That’s a brilliant strategy.  Was your writing always this tight?  Did it undergo many revisions?

Lydia: Finding that hook was a process that took years. The early manuscripts were not straight forward narrative nonfiction, and there was always a missing element. But I kept coming back to the same point, that I was fascinated with the fact that she loves dance. That’s when I started toying with writing a dual narrative. As the story unfolds, the two worlds merge together, illuminating how art and science are both essential parts of our world.

It may seem like creativity and science are different realms that can be at war with one another but after many years, I’ve learned that they are in fact connected. There’s so much creativity in science and there’s so much science in art.

Me: Can you tell us a bit about your research process?  How long did it take you to research all the different facts and tidbits that went into this story?

Lydia: Research is fun but takes time. I start online with reputable sites and then I take a trip to the library. Speaking to experts is also often a part of the process.

While I research, I take notes of what stands out for me. The important thing while writing nonfiction is to craft a narrow focus. Once you find that focus, you have to keep to it. So, a ton of things you research may not make their way into the story, but they definitely still inform the story. 

Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?

Lydia: That it took TEN years to write, edit and publish! The longest one yet. But that’s just part of the process. I was a newbie when I started and I learned an important lesson about how critical hooks are. Sometimes it takes time.

Me: The illustrations by Sawyer Cloud are perfect for this story.  I loved how she showed so much movement and how she captured the night sky.  Were there any illustration surprises for you?  Any favorites?

Lydia: I absolutely love the illustration of Mae floating in the spacecraft, because it truly encapsulates both her dreams of going to space but also dancing, which is why I picked the title DANCING THROUGH SPACE.

Me: Any advice for other new picture book writers?

Lydia: DON’T GIVE UP. If you truly believe in your concept, keep going.

But also, and this may sound counter intuitive, have the wisdom to know which ideas aren’t working and when it may be time to “shelve” a manuscript. That only comes with experience, so just keeping writing, reading, and learning about the industry.

Good advice.  Thank you for stopping by my blog today Lydia.

Dear readers, if you haven’t yet had a chance to track down this story, you won’t want to miss it.  It’s a fascinating story of Dr. Mae Jemison who is still inspiring all who hear her speak, as well as an excellent addition to STEAM picture books.  I highly recommend it.