http://www.lydialukidis.com
Bio
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 is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
For more information, please visit www.lydialukidis.com.
Artist Statement
I’ve been fascinated and somewhat terrified of the deep sea since I was a young girl. It’s both that fascination and fear that led me to constantly research the deep sea and watch documentaries and movies that try to capture its elusive beauty and majesty. It’s also what got me curious about trenches and why I wrote the children’s book DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench.
I think the deep-sea biological sciences are critical in understanding the fundamentals of life and how it can thrive even under extreme conditions. Examining the diversity of deep-sea life helps us truly understand ourselves. The deep sea holds the answers to many questions regarding evolution and adaptation.
Having studied both art and science, I see a clear connection between both disciplines. They’re not mutually exclusive worlds, both are necessary to have a more comprehensive view of the world. That’s why I like to write books with STEAM topics (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), and themes that feature the intersection of art and science.
Other Information
Short summary of my book DEEP, DEEP, DOWN:
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: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench shows a vibrant world far below, and teaches readers how interconnected our lives are to every place on the planet.
Link to its trailer:
Link to an interview with Dr. Gerringer, trench specialist:
Link to an interview with U.S. Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh, one of the first humans to travel to the Mariana Trench:
In addition, here’s a Teacher Guide that provides dozens of curriculum standards in Common Core ELA and Math, and Next Generation Science Standards that align with the narrative. It proposes various curriculum-based activities for students K-6: PDF link.
