Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Marine Chemist Authors ‘A Kids Book About Being a Scientist’

What is a name for kids who grow up and never stop wondering? They're called scientists.

Woods Hole, Mass. – In his new book, A Kids Book About Being a Scientist, award-winning author and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) chemist Chris Reddy encourages young people to explore the world around them, ask questions, seek answers, and share them, but not be afraid of failure. In short, he wants to cultivate their inner scientist.

“You don’t need a laboratory or fancy equipment to be a scientist,” said Reddy. “I want to make people see that what kids do naturally when confronted with something new is very similar to what I do daily.”

Geared toward children ages 5 to 9, Reddy shares his excitement for science and outlines some traits he has seen that make a good scientist: curiosity and a willingness to ask often simple questions.  He also points to the importance of patience and perseverance because answers rarely appear suddenly. A good scientist must be willing to keep going, accept mistakes, and be open-minded—qualities he feels will help young people flourish no matter what field they eventually enter.

As a scientist studying oil spills and ocean plastic pollution, Reddy spent years honing his communications skills, which led to his first book, Science Communication in a Crisis: An Insider’s Guide, which recently won a gold medal from the Nonfiction Book Awards. As a father of three, Reddy also loves to listen to and learn from his children, whether at the beach, park, or dinner table, which prompted him to see his profession as a natural outgrowth of their excitement to learn and do new things.

With 66 pages of dynamic text and graphics, A Kids Book About Being a Scientist is an interactive journey. It's part of a collection of books published by “A Kids Book About…” that aim to teach young people about real-world issues and provide ways to understand them. These books are designed to be “better together,” encouraging joint reading with a grownup.

“Solving a problem is like scoring a goal—you feel in complete control of your world,” said Reddy. “I want all kids to know that the feeling of accomplishment is at their fingertips. Never stop asking questions and be willing to learn new things.”

A Kids Book About Being a Scientist, published by ‘A Kids Book About,’  is available here.

###

About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is the world’s largest private non-profit organization the world’s largest private non-profit organization dedicated to advancing knowledge of the ocean and its connection with the Earth system through a sustained commitment to excellence in science, engineering, and education, and to the application of this knowledge to problems facing society. Learn more at https://www.whoi.edu/