Eric Lagatta The Columbus Dispatch @EricLagatta

Not many authors can say that their books have traveled to space.

Two Ohioans whose children's books are bound for the International Space Station as part of an educational reading program will soon join that exclusive club.

The works by Jessica Fries-Gaither of Hilliard and Emily Morgan of West Chester, north of Cincinnati, will be aboard SpaceX Falcon 9,a rocket that is scheduled to launch Sunday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Once the books arrive at the space station probably within a day of the launch astronauts will record themselves reading the works aloud as part of the Story Time From Space program, which is designed to excite children about science.

Its such a unique opportunity to help put kids onto reading and learning science concepts, said Fries-Gaither, 39, who teaches science to elementary students at the Columbus School for Girls.

Kids are fascinated by space I mean, I think we all are.

"Notable Notebooks: Scientists and their Writings" by Fries-Gaither and "Next Time You See a Sunset" by Morgan both published by the National Science Teachers Association were two of four that the publisher sent last fall to be considered for Story Time From Space, saidClaire Reinburg, director of NSTA Press, which publishes about 30 books each year for both teachers and children.

I love these books, Reinburg said. Theyve really been able to translate some pretty complex ideas about science into language and an engaging storyline that children can learn from.

The two books are among nine science-themed children's works from a variety of publishers that will be included in the latest planned cargo-resupply mission.The payload willbring the total to20 books that the reading program has sent into orbit since Patricia Tribe founded it five years ago.

Tribewas the director of education at Space Center Houston for 13 years before she started Story Time from Space as a way to combine literacy with education in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). She and her team of six among them an astrophysicist and an astronaut seek books with accurate science and engaging storytelling.

The project of the nonprofit Global Space Education Foundation relies on support from NASA and theCenter for the Advancement of Science in Space, the nonprofit that manages the space station,to coordinate deliveries and record the readings.

The videos of the astronauts reading the books eventually end up online at http://www.storytimefromspace.com, where teachers are encouraged to integrate them into their curriculum. Some of the readings are tied to videotaped experiments.

Ive seen the power of space exploration being used to help space education, and what I feel we really need to work on is supporting educators in teaching STEM, Tribe said. We want childrens books that have accurate science (and) good information but are also really fun childrens books.

Published last August, "Notable Notebooks," written by Fries-Gaither and illustrated by Linda Olliver, tells the stories of several famous scientists whose discoveries were made possible because they meticulously documented observations and experiments in writing.

Although Fries-Gaither has published two books as teachers guides for lesson plans, the children's book is the first that she has written.The concept was a natural extension from her classroom, in which she requires her students to take notes on their projects.

By including both male and female scientists of different backgrounds and ethnicities, Fries-Gaither hoped to invoke curiosity about the world among young readers. The book's selection for the space program will only help expand its reach, potentially to an international audience, she said.

I want students to see themselves in that field, and having this wide global audience is really exciting to think that maybe this book will help spark a kids interest, Fries-Gaither said.Its been very rewarding, and I think its had the impact I hoped it would.

Morgan's book, "Next Time You See a Sunset," speaks to the science behind the everyday occurrence that some children might take for granted.

My hope is that after hearing the astronaut read (the book), that kids watching it will have a new sense of wonder when they watch a sunset from Earth, said Morgan, 43. Youre not just reading about nature, but youre experiencing it as well.

Morgan is a former middle-school teacher who also worked at the Hamilton County Educational Service Center. In 2000, she and Karen Ansberry, an elementary-school teacher, founded Picture-Perfect Science," a nonfiction illustratedseries published by the science teachers association, which helps elementary-school educators teach science concepts to students.

Morgan's career as a published children's author began in 2012 with Next Time You See a Sunset and Next Time You See a Seashell. The booksare now two of eight in the Next Time You See series, which alsohas entries on maple seeds, fireflies, pill bugs, clouds, the moon and spider webs.

Neither Morgan nor Fries-Gaither knew that the association had submitted their books to be considered for Story Time FromSpace. It was quite a surprise and honor when they learned in the spring that they had been selected.

Morganplans to attend the launch this weekend with her 9-year-old son, Jack.

It was kind of a moment of disbelief, Morgan recalled. Thats not even something you dream about because its just so wild.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

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Two Ohio authors to have children's books read from space station - The Columbus Dispatch