Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! I can’t think of a more fabulous way to usher in the New Year than to sing Happy Birthday to a brand-new STEAM book by author Lydia Lukidis, illustrated by Juan Calle, published by Capstone Editions.

WOW! Just look at that cover! The art by Juan Calle is amazing!
And here’s a few words about the book from the Amazon sales page:
Deep, deep down, at the very bottom of the ocean, lies a secret world. Through lyrical narration, this spare-text STEM picture book takes readers on a journey to a place very few humans have ever been–the Mariana Trench. The imagined voyage debunks scary myths about this mysterious place with surprising and beautiful truths about life at Earth’s deepest point. Deep, Deep Down shows a vibrant world far below, and teaches readers how interconnected our lives are to every place on the planet.

Author Lydia Lukidis stopped by to share a few words about the path to publication for this book…I know we are always happy to get an inside peek into that for new books:

LYDIA: Writing DEEP, DEEP DOWN was a special experience. From the very first draft, I found the right structure, tone, and flow. Believe me, I was doing my happy dance because that had never happened to me before! I wish the process were that smooth each time.

But then I faced a new challenge. This book, without a doubt, was the most difficult to research. The Mariana Trench is remote and mysterious. Although we have journeyed to its depths and started to unravel its secrets, there’s still a lot we don’t know. I used what I thought were reliable sources on the internet for my early drafts.

And then, surprise! I interviewed a slew of experts and it turns out that 90% of the sea creatures I featured don’t actually live in the trench. I had to rewrite the book over 55 times to get it right. The most frustrating part was often in the details. It took 2 different experts, a dozen emails, and two weeks just to figure out how many legs a trench amphipod has. Multiply that by the number of sea creatures and facts I cover in the book, and the back and forth editing process seemed endless. I’m so grateful these experts took the time to answer my many questions, and that I was finally able to finish the book.

WOW!!! That’s an incredible story, Lydia! Thank you so much for stopping by!

Inside spread from DEEP, DEEP, DOWN – art by Juan Calle

Dear friends…if you’d like to learn more about Lydia, here is her bio:

Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children, as well as 31 e-Books. Her titles include DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) and THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST(Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award. A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

Lydia is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. She’s very involved in the kidlit community and also volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story. Another passion of hers is fostering love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

And if you’d like to connect with her, here are her social media links and website info:

Website & preorder links:http://www.lydialukidis.com/
Twitter: @LydiaLukidis
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis
Blog:https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/

And here’s a trailer for the book:
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3fATvqtKDk

And last but certainly not least, Lydia is generously offering a fabulous giveaway – a signed copy of DEEP, DEEP, DOWN or a PB Critique (1000 words or less, nonrhyming) – winner’s choice!

LYDIA: I’m happy to do a giveaway for a signed copy of DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench! (Us & Canada). I can offer a free PB critique instead (non rhyming, <1000 words) if the winner prefers.

Inner spread from DEEP, DEEP, DOWN – art by Juan Calle

Three cheers for Lydia, Juan, and Capstone and their brand-new book!

Happy New Year, everyone! I’m wishing you all a year filled with peace, love, good health, and many magical moments! It’s going to be a magical year ahead for me with the launch of the board book edition of PIPPA’S PASSOVER PLATE on January 17th.