SuperQuesters Mission: River Crest Rescue by Paul Ian Cross

SuperQuesters Mission: River Crest Rescue is a science-packed adventure chapter book featuring puzzles and experiments to try yourself. It is perfect for this year’s National Share-a-Story Month theme, Saving the World, One Book at a Time, as it includes environmental issues and how STEM can help with these. Author, Paul Ian Cross tells us about his love of STEM and storytelling. Also check out the free downloadable activity pack and teacher pack now.

1. Tell us a bit about SuperQuesters Mission: River Crest Rescue?

It’s an action-packed adventure that blends magic, problem-solving, and STEM learning. When best friends Lilli, Leo, and Bea discover an old board game, they are transported to Questland, where they transform into the SuperQuesters! They become superheroes who must use their problem-solving skills and team work to defeat the villain, Mortifer. Readers can expect exciting puzzles, secret codes to crack, magical creatures, and a thrilling battle to save the village of River Crest from being destroyed!

2. How was it building on a series to create a chapter book?

This was an exciting new challenge for me, and it has been an incredible experience from start to finish. I was a little nervous about writing a book involving characters that children already knew and loved! I had a lot to live up to as the SuperQuesters already has many fans. But it has been wonderful for my creativity. For example, brainstorming with other authors, editors, publishers and STEM experts! Also, while I have always loved science fiction, I’m now very interested in developing more young fiction stories in the future.

3. Why is it so important for children to read books featuring STEM subjects?

Sadly, research shows that from an early age many children believe that Science and STEM is not for them. But STEM is for everyone! It’s all around us and impacts our lives and the world in so many ways. I bet if you think about something you love, it has some element of STEM involved. For example, if you like gaming, then tech was involved to develop it. If you love animals, then science and nature are part of that too. If you love baking, then science is involved in following the recipe and mixing the ingredients.

When children see relatable characters like the SuperQuesters solving problems with science and technology, they can picture themselves doing the same!

4. What is the hope for this chapter book series?

I hope readers feel empowered to see themselves as scientists, engineers, and inventors. The book shows how teamwork and creativity can overcome challenges. I hope to inspire a love of STEM too, something I’ve loved ever since I was a kid!

Also let’s just say the SuperQuesters’ adventures are far from over! Without giving too much away, in the second book in the series, there will be wonderful rainforests, mystical cloud mountains, cute capybaras and a beautiful, wise jaguar! I can’t wait to share it with readers.

5. How easy was it to create the puzzles/challenges throughout the book?

This is my first children’s chapter book combing fiction and STEM, but I have been writing fiction for over a decade now. My first fiction book was about a naughty alien who made his robot tidy his room for him, with disastrous consequences! So, I was always including STEM ideas in my stories.

With non-fiction, you focus on facts and explaining concepts clearly. With fiction, you weave those facts into a story. Writing SuperQuesters Mission: River Crest Rescue was an exciting challenge because I wanted to make sure the STEM learning was part of the storytelling.

It was also a team effort. I brainstormed with Thomas Bernard, co-author of the SuperQuesters picture books and STEM education expert, to come up with ideas for the puzzles and challenges. Thomas played a key role as he has a STEM background with degrees in Physics, Mathematics and Engineering along with a PhD in Computer Engineering. We also worked with UK educational experts to ensure they met the national curriculum. From there it was then an iterative and interactive process. We tested puzzles, challenges and activities with primary teachers, subject matter experts and children, and refined them. Once we had perfected them, I weaved the puzzles/challenges/code breaking into the story.

6. What do you hope children will take from reading SuperQuesters?

I hope that readers will come away from SuperQuesters Mission: River Crest Rescue knowing that they must keep asking questions and being inquisitive. The SuperQuesters don’t always have the answers right away. But by working together they experiment and think critically until they find the answer. That’s the mindset that I’d love readers to develop as it will help them throughout their entire lives in all aspects of everyday life.