A Science Themed Children’s Book (Stella the Stem Cell)
Who are you?
Marta
What is your project?
As a developmental biologist by training, I was overjoyed when friends gifted my firstborn books like “ABC’s of Biology”, “Goodnight Lab”, and “Ada Twist Scientist”. The idea for my own science-themed children’s book emerged shortly after discovering this new genre, but only came to being this year. This is our creation story from a cell biology perspective. The main character, Stella, is a stem cell who starts out with unlimited potential as she journeys through the developing body. Stella’s journey involves learning about the different cell types that make up our organs and determining her place in the body, not unlike children forging their own identities as they grow up and figure out their passions and purpose in life.
Can we see some photos?
Me!
A Roadmap to Human Development (Source: Types of Stem Cells - Labster Theory)
Trying to make the above process of embryogenesis digestible to 5-8 year olds through approachable characters like Stella, below.
Stella the Stem Cell
Show us your work in progress.
Excerpt: first half of story
Have you ever wondered how you became YOU?
Place your hand on your chest – do you feel your heart beating?
Look at your tummy – do you see it rising and falling with each breath?
These things are possible thanks to the tiny but mighty building blocks that formed each part of your body.
They’re called cells, and you can’t see them but they all have different jobs in your body to help you breathe, move, see, and even think!
Close your eyes and think about your favorite animal – can you picture what it looks like in your head? Those are your brain cells working.
This is Stella.
She’s a stem cell who has the potential to become any part of the body.
Stella is about to go on a journey to find out what kind of cell to become.
Will she become a cell that helps you breathe? Or one that helps you think? Let’s find out!
One morning, Stella wakes up yawning with her hundreds of brothers and sisters.
She is sleepy until she remembers that today is the big day!
“Hooray! It’s the day I find out what I’m supposed to become in the body!”
Stella waits excitedly for the PS Express, a special train that will take the stem cells on their journey through the three layers of the developing body.
Along the way, the stem cells will learn about different jobs in the body and decide whether to stay in that layer or keep moving on the PS Express.
Stella boards the PS Express and suddenly – WHOOSH – she and the stem cells are swept down through a tunnel.
They are headed to Endoderm Land - the innermost layer of the developing body.
Stella thinks about all of the interesting cells and parts of the body she will encounter.
She is therefore a little puzzled when the PS Express stops in front of an ordinary-looking tree stump.
“This must be the wrong stop,” says Stella out loud. “I don’t think there are any cells here!”
The stump is actually lined with cells, and suddenly, two stalks spring out of the stump. “Hello there! We are the cells of the future lungs and windpipe,” one of the stalks says before more cells branch out. Soon there are hundreds of cell-lined branches, and two beautiful trees grow out of the stump.
“Next, tiny balloons will form at the tip of each branch, but they won’t be blown up yet,” explains a lung cell. “We connect with the mouth and nose to bring air into the balloons, filling them up and giving the body its first breath.”
“It would be fun to blow up balloons in a tree while helping the body breathe,” thinks Stella, “but I think I’m meant to become something else!”
“Good luck figuring out where you beLUNG!” shout the future lung cells as Stella continues her ride down the PS Express.
Stella and the PS Express are off to the Land of Mesoderm now – the middle layer of the developing body.
Lub-dub. Lub-dub. “What was that?” says Stella with surprise. Lub-dub. The sounds gets louder and louder as the PS Express nears their stop.
Stella exits the PS Express and her eyes widen with wonder. Hundreds of cells are joined together and beating as one, the powerful, loud lub-dub echoing all around.
One of the cells waves down to Stella. “Hello! Are you a cardiac progenitor cell like us?” Lub-dub. “We’re getting ready to twist and loop like a pretzel to form the heart. Our job in the heart is to pump blood and food throughout the body to help it grow and stay healthy.” Lub-dub.
The drum-like lub-dub of the future heart cells makes Stella want to dance – but something stops her.
“Your job sounds so fun! But I think I’m meant to become something else.”
Lub-dub. The future heart cells reply in unison, “We can HEART-ly wait to see where you end up!”
What will you ship at the end of 6 months?
I plan to have a solid first draft and the next phase of identifying a publisher/illustrator in the works.
Seeking feedback on:
How is the flow of the excerpt?
Are there any parts that are unclear, confusing, or perhaps not needed?
Is Stella resonating as the main character?