Children鈥檚 author and illustrator Lindsay Ford says children are naturally inquisitive, but that curiousity isn鈥檛 always nurtured, especially in girls.
Ford鈥檚 new book she aims to change that by showing how that habit of always asking 鈥渨hy?鈥� can lead to a career in the sciences.
On March 6, she is holding a virtual book launch for the latest in her Awkward and Awesome series, Science Girl. At the launch Ford will read from and discuss the book and take questions from viewers.
Watching B.C. health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry鈥檚 regular COVID-19 updates made the Nanaimo-based author think about women in the sciences. She said she was interested to learn that women are underrepresented in the field, citing United Nations data that less than 30 per cent of those employed in science and technology are women.
Ford hopes to address that discrepancy through her book, as it encourages little girls to develop an interest in the sciences at a young age.
鈥淚 feel like if the future is anything, it鈥檚 more science,鈥� Ford said. 鈥淲e need to be looking at sciences more and maybe more women in the sciences could help.鈥�
鈥淸Children] are always very curious and inquisitive and that鈥檚 what science is, right?鈥� Ford said. 鈥淎sking questions, being curious 鈥� that鈥檚 what science is and I was like that as a kid and I kind of wish I had followed that. I still am like that as an adult.鈥�
Ford said the book looks at how science can be applied to questions children ask, accompanied by her 鈥渂ig and bold鈥� illustrations. She said characters from her previous stories make appearances in Science Girl.
Ford said she鈥檚 wanted to write a science-themed book ever since she saw her young daughter playing with a magnifying glass, but the coming of COVID-19 and constant news about viruses and vaccines brought science back to the fore. Ford said 2020 was 鈥渁 year of science.鈥�
鈥淚 felt I just became way more interested in bacteria and vaccines and all this science-y stuff,鈥� Ford said.
Science Girl comes out March 8, International Women鈥檚 Day. It is available at .
WHAT鈥橲 ON 鈥� Science Girl book launch takes place on on March 6 at 11 a.m.
For more news from Vancouver Island and beyond delivered daily into your inbox, please
RELATED:
RELATED:
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
Like us on and follow us on
