Lydia Lukidis Finds Poetry in Space. ~Christy Mihaly

Welcome back to all, and best wishes for a creative and fulfilling 2025. 

Today GROG is thrilled to welcome author Lydia Lukidis to tell us about her new book, UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth's Atmosphere, illustrated by Katie Rewse and published by Capstone Editions, a Capstone imprint.

Lydia has written more than 50 trade and educational books for children, including DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone. 2023), which you can read more about in this GROG post.

Lydia's new book explores Earth's atmosphere -- how about that for a picture book topic! Curious about where this idea came from? I asked!

GROG: What inspired you to write this book? Did you think about it when writing your earlier book about Mae Jemison? 

Lydia: It started in 2019 when I began writing DEEP, DEEP DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench. Unbeknownst to me at the time, that book would turn out to be very special. It taught me that I can write about STEM topics using lyrical language. This was a turning point for me as a writer.

DEEP, DEEP DOWN won numerous awards (my first time!!) like the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner for the Canada and North America Division and the Silver Birch Express Honor (Forest of Reading). My agent Miranda Paul suggested I write a book UP, UP HIGH that journeys up high into our universe. I knew it was a winner.

P.S.: I had written DANCING THROUGH SPACE, my book about Mae Jemison, ten years prior so they weren’t connected. But now I clearly see I love writing about the deep sea and space!

GROG: What is your favorite line from Up, Up High?

Lydia: It's here:

The text is:

Up,
up
high
you go.

Soon the entire window
begins to glow
as an aurora
dances across the horizon.

Waves of blue,
yellow,
and green
merge together like magic,
shimmering
and shifting
in a sea of color.

GROG: Nice! And which illustration do you love the most?

Lydia: Also this one--Katie did such a terrific job illustrating the aurora lights!

GROG: It really is lovely. Okay, how about your research process? Your note thanks an expert, Dr. Zhang – did you conduct many interviews?

Lydia: This is what I’m learning with nonfiction; that primary resources and interviews with experts are sometimes essential and lend more credibility and accuracy to the work. My research starts with a few trips to the library where I consult books, periodicals, and magazines. Then I scour the web for reputable sites. From there, I’m usually able to write the first drafts. BUT- there are often holes or inaccuracies in the text. For UP, UP HIGH, I consulted three different experts:

1. Dr. Zhang who works for the NOAA. He’s a whiz who was able to answer all my weather/atmosphere questions. 

2. NASA astronaut Linda Godwin, who spent time aboard the International Space Station. How amazing is that? 

3. Alan Eustace, a computer analyst who, gasp, SPACE JUMPED! Yes, you heard that right. I'm sure you've heard of skydivers. They jump from planes at about 10,000 feet up. But Eustace took a jump in space, from 26 miles up (137,280 feet). He free fell for more than 14 minutes and traveled faster than the speed of sound. Can you imagine??

GROG: All three of these people sound like amazing sources of information and insight.

Now, tell me about the “poetry” in your title. Do you consider the whole book a single poem or did you write discrete poems about different topics or themes within the book?

Lydia: The reason I chose poetry and lyrical language for DEEP, DEEP DOWN is because the Mariana Trench itself is a poem (I watched hours of footage). The same applies to our atmosphere, it’s mysterious and poetic all at once. It’s something we take for granted yet gives us life. This book honors that. I see each spread as having its own little poem that attempts to encapsulate the magic of the element it describes.

GROG: Why do you like to combine nonfiction with poetry?

Lydia: First off, it should be said that poetry is my first love, I’ve been crafting poems since I was six years old. So, if that language works, I’ll use it! But that’s not always the case, it varies from project to project. Sometimes, the content calls for a funny tone, or a more serious one. I play around with structure and tone until it feels right.

Poems penned by young Lydia

GROG: What are your thoughts about how to write nonfiction to engage young readers?

Lydia: Children are naturally curious. If you structure a nonfiction book in an engaging way and pick a topic with kid appeal, many children will likely gravitate to it. As an author, you need to think like a child. What would a child find interesting? That way, you can find your way ‘in’ to the book. Sometimes, it doesn’t happen. I have many WIPs that end up in the garbage.

GROG: I love the way the graphics in Up, Up High note the altitude above Earth for various features. How did you formulate the format for the book, with the fact boxes and altitude notations?

Lydia: Thanks! That format was perfected in DEEP, DEEP DOWN. I wanted to be as accurate as possible and really give context to all these atmospheric elements. The information on the internet is not the most accurate so consulting with the NOAA was essential.

GROG: Would you call Up, Up High trade or educational? Or both?

Lydia: It’s definitely trade as it’s published by Capstone Editions. I had been struggling for years to make the leap from work-for-hire to trade and it wasn’t easy. The good thing is, Capstone is also very much an educational publishing company and many of their clients are schools and libraries. So it flows into both worlds.

GROG: Generally, what do you take inspiration from? Where do you look for ideas?

Lydia: I don’t need to actively look for ideas, they literally come to me every day. My issue is that I need to practice the art of discernment, this is critical. Most of the ideas are just that, ideas, and they don’t necessarily translate into a strong book with a narrative arc. When an idea has potential, I’ll start my research and develop it to make sure it has what it takes.

GROG: I'm wondering how Up, Up High is related to Deep, Deep, Down? Did you have a contract for a series? And can you share what you are planning to write next? 

Lydia Lukidis

Lydia: UP, UP HIGH is definitely a companion book to DEEP, DEEP DOWN. They follow the same structure and tone, but explore our beautiful world in opposite directions. The second book wasn’t “in the bag” with Capstone right off the bat, but my agent Miranda Paul submitted it to their editor first, as an exclusive. They said yes! It was meant to be. Will there be more books in this series? Maybe! One never knows. 

I love writing nonfiction STEM. But I also like writing funny! I have a new early graphic novel series coming out in July, "Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog," which is a nod to Garfield, slapstick humor, and Seinfeld. All things I love!

I also wrote two novels in verse on very tough topics. I’m hoping they will get picked up! One is on sub and the other is with my agent.

Lastly, I’m working on three different STEM books. One of them is flowing well and the other two, not so much! Sometimes it takes time.

GROG: That's a lot! Good luck with all of the above. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Lydia: I wanted to tell all aspiring writers: DON’T GIVE UP! Keep writing, it takes time. It took me many years to find my footing, and I had to go through three different agents until I found my dream agent. And still, it’s hard. I get rejections all the time. But I don’t give up, and neither should you.

More about Lydia Lukidis 

Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024) and DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, and Cybils Award nominee. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Another passion of hers is fostering a love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools across Quebec with the Culture in the Schools program. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. 

Social Media Links: 

Website & preorder UP, UP HIGH: http://www.lydialukidis.com/

Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LydiaLukidis

FB: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lydialukidis.bsky.social

Lydia Lukidis Dances Through Space ~Christy Mihaly

I'm very pleased to welcome Lydia Lukidis to GROG. Lydia has written 50+ children's books including her most recent, Dancing through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud. I had a few questions for Lydia:  

Welcome, Lydia! Please tell us about your writing life and why you write for kids. 

LL: I began reading at age 4 and writing at age 6. I loved writing poetry and was self-taught, it was my biggest hobby, though I didn’t consider becoming an author until years later!

I love writing for children because of their innocence, imagination, and wacky sense of humor. I somehow connect to children and I suppose my mind still thinks like a child's. I prefer writing nonfiction but I don’t want to put myself in a box either, and I still like writing fiction. I have a new early reader graphic series coming out next year based on a comic I created when I was 10. I’m lucky that my agent, Miranda Paul, allows me the freedom to write from the heart, wherever that may take me.

CM: I agree, I worry about getting tired of always sticking to the same genre -- it's fun to play around and explore. But I've noticed you love STEAM.

What do you love best about writing nonfiction?

LL: I prefer writing nonfiction because we live in such a wondrous world and I think children are naturally curious, just like I am. Having a degree in Pure and Applied Science, I love finding ways to make information about our world interesting and accessible for children.

CM: So you are a Serious Scientist, and also an Artistic Person.

How are you staying creative? What do you do to fill your creative well?

LL: I was always an artist first. I drew, made crafts, crafted jewelry, and wrote poetry. I studied science in college and I do have an analytical side. But I believe that to truly understand all facets of our world, we need to look at it through the lens of both art and science. Writing is a creative outlet for me, but I also love making graphics. I still craft in my spare time and make art with my daughter. Creativity is what drives me!

CM: Yes, making art with kids can be inspiring!

Okay, some questions about how you wrote this picture book biography of astronaut (and dancer) Mae Jemison.

How long did it take to get from inspiration to finished book?

LL: I began writing DANCING THROUGH SPACE in 2014 and it took TEN years for the book to get published! It went through many incarnations and I also went through several agents, it was part of my journey. I learned a lot about the kidlit industry and about myself as a writer with this book. Everything unfolded the way it was meant to!

A spacey spread from Dancing through Space

CM: Ten years ... but the book is better for it, right? Books often take a long time. I'm looking forward to the 2026 publication of a picture book biography that I started writing in -- wait for it -- 2012. Lots of drafts, many revisions, and a dose of publishing craziness.

In Dancing through Space, you highlight the twin passions of Jemison's life by telling a dual narrative. Tell us more about what sparked your story concept and how you made it work.

LL: I didn’t figure out the hook (the intersection of dance and science) for years. Yes, it took years to figure it out! My early drafts were probably terrible. But every time I read about Mae, I was drawn to the same thing; that she loved to dance and appreciated the arts. I finally realized that’s the hook I was missing! It brought the story to the next level and it felt right to structure this as a dual narrative.

Showing the dual narrative structure of Dancing through Space

CM: Anything you want to share about your illustrator, Sawyer Cloud, or the publisher, Albert Whitman?

LL: I’m really lucky because I felt that Josh, my editor at Albert Whitman, really understood what I was trying to do. The editing process was very smooth. I was equally lucky to be paired with Sawyer Cloud, whose mesmerizing illustrations captured both reality and magic.

CM: In reading your book, I noticed Mae’s parents were so supportive. Some of her teachers and peers were not. Can you tell us more? 

LL: Mae’s parents were instrumental in helping her discover her inner scientist. When she had a question, instead of answering that question, they would ask her to look it up. That helped her foster autonomy and confidence. Her parents encouraged her to study whatever she wanted, whether it was science or dance.

Unfortunately, girls were not encouraged to study science at that time, especially Black girls. Her Kindergarten teacher questioned Mae’s desire to be a doctor and asked her if she would like to be a nurse instead, which was offensive. And when Mae attended Stanford University, many of her professors ignored or belittled her, despite her brilliance.

But none of that mattered to Mae. The word “no” did/does not exist in her vocabulary. She doggedly pursued her dreams time and time again. She made history being the first Black woman to fly to space and accomplished whatever else she set out to do.

CM: Mae is amazing and kids are going to love this book.

For our GROG readers, do you have any wise writing advice? Recommended resources? Revision tips?

LL: Revising is not the easiest process for me. Sometimes, I know something is wrong with a manuscript but I have no idea how to fix it. There’s no specific equation that works for me each time, but here’s a breakdown of how I edit:

➜ Once I pound out the first draft, I put it aside.

➜ I revisit it and make any necessary edits, playing around with structure and voice (it’s important to experiment).

➜ When I feel the manuscript is the best it can be, I send it to my critique partners (if you don’t have any CPs, get some!! They are an essential part of the process).

➜ I take what critiques resonate, and then get back to editing.

➜ Again, I put the work aside (for me, this is an essential step).

➜ During this time, I read and write other books, this helps keep the creative juices flowing.

➜ When I return to the manuscript, I may realize it’s still not working, in which case I shelve it indefinitely.

➜ If I feel strongly about trying to make it work, I may pay an editor to take a look at it.

➜ If I feel the manuscript is “amazing,” then I send it to my agent Miranda to get her feedback, and then we usually edit some more until we submit it to editors.

CM: Y'all, this is all great advice! Thank you, Lydia.

What upcoming projects are you excited about?

LL: I’m excited to announce UP, UP HIGH, a companion book to DEEP, DEEP DOWN published by Capstone. It ventures up high into the Earth’s atmosphere to uncover its secrets. Though it may seem like there’s nothing up there, readers will be surprised at what you can actually find. That book spins into our universe in 2025.

I also occasionally write funny fiction! I just landed a contract for a 2 book early graphic novel deal, GROUCHO THE GROUCHY GROUNDHOG, the first book releases in 2025.

Lydia, thank you for sharing about your book and your process today. Congratulations on all your writing -- and good luck with the writing (and revision) ahead.

Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was shortlisted for a Silver Birch Express (Forest of Reading) award, THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.

Lydia's Social Media Links: 

Web: http://www.lydialukidis.com/

Purchase links: https://www.albertwhitman.com/book/dancing-through-space/

Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LydiaLukidis

FB: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis/

Welcome to A Mysterious World: Lydia Lukidis' Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench by Kathy Halsey

Deep, Deep Down Book Review

Lydia Lukidis has created a mesmerizing nonfiction picture book that is also poetry– a hard feat for a writer to execute. The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench is so lyrical, I felt the dance of the underwater creatures on a journey to the ocean depths. Repetition, onomatopoeia, and diction that directs the movements of the submersible gives a realistic experience of the trench that is still being explored by scientists today.

Realistic and atmospheric illustrations by Juan Calle, a former biologist now science illustrator, draws readers into a dark but illuminating space as these creatures are introduced in all their amazing quirkiness. Back matter includes a glossary, thoughts on why studying this mysterious world is important, and interesting facts. Curious kids, teachers and librarians will enjoy a deep dive into this fascinating wonder hidden at the bottom of the Western Pacific Ocean. 

Craft Chat with Lydia

Kathy: Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench is written as poetry and nonfiction. Yet, since it’s an imagined voyage that “debunks scary myths,” according to the CIP in the introduction and it’s cataloged as nonfiction in the Dewey Decimal system as 577.7. Was any version straight nonfiction? (So many writers are concerned about how their books will be categorized.)

 

Lydia: Great question! This is always a concern, specifically with nonfiction. I assumed DEEP, DEEP DOWN would be placed in the nonfiction section of stores and libraries since it’s based on facts and doesn’t insert an invented character as informational fiction does. I think it falls in the expository nonfiction category as its purpose is to explain, describe, or inform readers on a certain concept or idea. Debunking incorrect myths while shining a light on the truth seems to connect to this category. But it’s also true the book asks readers to imagine themselves inside the submersible, journeying to the depths of the Mariana Trench. That angle wasn’t in the initial drafts, but as edits progressed, we thought it would be fun to speak to the reader directly, although I never actually use the pronoun “you,” which was deliberate.

The reader is invited to imagine going on this voyage, too.

 

Kathy: The creatures of the Mariana Trench are so unusual! What is your favorite creature? Why?

 

Lydia: I fell in love with all of them! And I confess I had never heard of amphipods before. While all the creatures are fascinating in their own right, I fell madly in love with sea cucumbers and learned so much more about them. I literally spent hours watching real footage of them drifting and floating through the deep sea like underwater ballet and was instantly mesmerized. Their graceful and rhythmic movements made them appear poetic to me and that’s when I understood that the trench itself is a poem.

 

Kathy: As a nonfiction writer myself, I’m interested in the sidebars for each spread. Why two sidebars? Were they always in the text proper or in the back matter at some point? When you queried this book, how did you distinguish the sidebar sections? (This again can stymie writers.)

 

Lydia: I’m going to be honest: I spent SO MUCH time obsessing over sidebars!! In my initial drafts, I included some as they contained useful and interesting information. At that point, I had written dozens of nonfiction books for the educational market but had yet to make the leap to trade nonfiction. In an attempt to make this book less “educational” and more “commercial,” I decided to remove all sidebars and place the information in the backmatter (though I kept the depth indications on each page as I felt they were important).

 

I was resolute about this decision but my editor saw it differently. Capstone publishes so much trade nonfiction that appeals to the library and school market, so sidebars are a norm for them. Every author needs to make certain concessions and I ultimately agreed to keep the sidebars. What I learned is that trade nonfiction CAN feature sidebars, but the structure, language, and voice are what make it more commercial.

Language and voice capture the reader at the beginning.

 

Kathy: I noticed in your acknowledgements that you thanked six experts. At what point in the writing and research of Deep, Deep Down did you consult experts? How did you find them? What process do you suggest for writer new to contacting experts?

 

Lydia: This book could not have been written without all six experts. Each one brought their expertise to the table, although Dr. Gerringer was the main consultant. She’s a truly remarkable scientist and person!

 

Part of the issue was that a lot of the information on the internet was false and even the scientifically accurate details from reliable sources were always changing since our understanding of the trench itself is evolving. I wrote ten versions of the manuscript when I finally got in touch with experts who study and have visited the trench, and then realized most of my facts were wrong. It was a wakeup call for me. I had to completely rewrite the manuscript and edited it over fifty-five times but it was worth it.

 

I reached out to Schmidt Ocean Institute in 2019 (they study the deep sea, including ocean trenches) and it snowballed from there. I highly encourage all nonfiction writers to seek out experts as they write their books. It could be as easy as doing an internet search and finding scientists or professors in the field as well as those who wrote articles on topics you’re researching. These experts are usually more than willing to share their knowledge, and to date, each one I reached out to agreed to help.

 

Kathy: What draws you to writing nonfiction? What writing techniques do you use to engage readers in nonfiction?

 

Lydia: I’m eternally curious about our world and equally mesmerized by it. I find every fact interesting (like, I’m obsessed with tardigrades, still trying to fit them into a book!) I also love reading nonfiction, so it naturally follows that I write it as well.

 

Writing engaging expository literature is tricky, at least for me. Narrative nonfiction tells a story and it’s easier to infuse the text with conflict, tension, and emotion. But expository literature is based on facts and concepts, and it’s harder to infuse the text with emotion. For me, the key is to connect to my own passion and excitement, and let that shape my words and tone.

 

Kathy:What are you working on now?

 

Lydia: I just announced my second nonfiction STEM trade book, DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights, illustrated by Sawyer Cloud and published by Albert Whitman. I’m excited!

 

And right now, I’m working on something totally different and unexpected. It’s a fictional graphic novel based on my life and it’s forcing me to dig internally at some difficult periods in my teen years. It’s been challenging and who knows if it will ever get published. But as we all know, writers write because we feel compelled to, not because we have any guarantee the manuscript will ever be published. We move forward out of love for our craft!

  

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.

 

Social Media Links

Website & preorder links here.

Twitter: @LydiaLukidis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaLukidis

Blog: https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/

Watch the trailer now.