Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Dee White!
It’s a pleasure to welcome back Dee White, author of many, many books for children including Beyond Belief, the Eddy Popcorn series and more! The Aussie STEM Stars series are real-life stories of Australia’s pioneers in science and engineering, each book written by different award-winning children’s authors. Dee White has contributed an absolutely fascinating account of the work of media and TV-commentator and highly esteemed marine biologist, Professor Emma Johnston. This inspiring narrative non-fiction is one of the many books in the series that engages and empowers readers to help advocate for humanity and our precious planet. Love this! Thanks, Dee! 🙂
About the Author
Dee White is the award winning, international author of more than 25 books for children and young adults.
Through her blog Writing Classes for Kids, Dee runs writing classes for students all over the world. She is cofounder of Author Pen Pals and a strong advocate for literacy and for young writers. She has a passion for history and has presented author talks and writing workshops throughout Australia and overseas, including the SCBWI Europolitan Conference in Amsterdam and the Sharjah International Book Fair.
Visit Dee at www.deescribe.com.au or on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at Dee White Author.
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WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
Emma Johnston Marine Biologist and TV Presenter was written by Dee White and published by Wild Dingo Press as part of their Aussie STEM Stars series.
WHAT is it about?
Emma Johnston Marine Biologist and TV Presenter follows the life of Professor Emma Johnston and her work in marine exploration and preservation. She is a world leader in marine ecology.
Her research group at UNSW investigates human impacts in marine systems and she conducts her research in diverse field environments like Sydney Harbour, Antarctica, the Great Barrier Reef and temperate Australian estuaries.
She’s a regular media commentator and, as co-presenter of the Foxtel/BBC television series Coast Australia, has helped take Australian marine science to an international audience. She also launched a Sydney Harbour cruise called Underwater Secrets’ – Sydney Harbour Revealed, which focuses on scientific research into the waterway.
What is your favourite part of this book?
I loved learning all about Emma’s trip to Antarctica, how she prepared, what she was trying to achieve by going there, and how amazing the experience was. It inspired me to want to visit Antarctica and observe the amazing marine life for myself. (Now a bucket list item). I also loved learning about Emma’s work to preserve the marine life in Sydney Harbour and on The Great Barrier Reef.
WHEN did you begin writing this book?
I started writing the Emma Johnston Marine Biologist and TV Presenter in 2021 and it was published in 2022.
When is its release / launch date?
It was released in July 2022. Here’s the book trailer.
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
The inspiration came from Emma herself and her amazing work. I’ve always been interested in the environment and committed to preserving our precious animal and plant life, and I loved learning all about what Emma has achieved through her work and the things that inspired her.
WHY is this book meaningful to you?
My mother was a scientist with the CSIRO from 1943 to 1954 so I was really interested in writing about a contemporary woman scientist and learning about how things have changed, and also stayed the same.
Why would its message resonate with readers?
Emma is committed to learning about and preserving the environment, and she’s also a huge advocate for women in science.
HOW do you feel about the illustrations / cover design? How do they convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
I really love how the marine themed cover design depicts all the important elements of Emma’s story, and the colours are also stunning.
How have you promoted this book and how can we find it?
I’ve spoken about it and read an excerpt on ABC Radio National’s science show.
I’ve also chatted about it on the Alphabet Soup Blog.
And blogged about it at my blog.
Emma’s story is available at all good book stores and online through Booktopia, and other outlets.
Teachers Notes can be downloaded from the publisher’s website.
Thanks so much for sharing and for your contribution to this amazing series, Dee! What an interesting and inspiring life Emma leads! 🙂
#thequicksixinterview #aussiestemstars #emmajohnston #marinebiologist
