Estroff Launches ‘The Bridge to Sharktooth Island’

On National STEM Day, Nov. 8, the program will launch the first book in its STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math)-themed chapter book series, “The Bridge to Sharktooth Island” by Atlanta’s award-winning educator Sharon Duke Estroff, M.A.T., founder and CEO of Challenge Island and author of “Can I Have a Cell Phone for Hanukkah?” with award-winning author Joel Ross and illustrator Mónica de Rivas. This book intertwines action-packed fantasy with real-life engineering as Daniel, his cousin Joy, and their new friend Kimani find themselves suddenly stranded on a mysterious island surrounded by sharks. Together the kids find clues hidden around the island and realize that if they want to escape, they’ll have to work together to build the strongest bridge they can to get to safety. The characters return in the back of the book, where they speak directly and intimately to the reader, sharing engineering tidbits learned during their adventure, cool shark facts from Kimani’s notebook, and fun STEAM activities kids can do at home, including building a bridge, mixing up a blue slime ocean, and designing ferocious paper sharks.

What makes the Challenge Island book series even more groundbreaking is that readers can experience the same STEAM adventures as the characters in the story in real life, through one of Challenge Island’s 120 franchise locations. For example, on National STEM Day, Stephanie Edwards, owner of Challenge Island in Gilbert, Ariz., will be running a Bridge to Sharktooth Island book launch celebration and field trip for nearly 300 6th grade students at the American Leadership Academy. Edwards worked closely with the charter school’s leadership to create an unforgettable engineering adventure complete with balloon arches in the gymnasium, a professional photographer, and a copy of “The Bridge to Sharktooth Island” for every student.

Atlanta’s award-winning educator Sharon Duke Estroff M.A.T., Founder and CEO of Challenge Island.

With over a hundred franchise locations and a cumulative audience of 5 million children, Challenge Island has been providing kids with award-winning STEAM learning adventures through field trips, afterschool enrichment classes, summer camps, scout workshops, and family nights for almost two decades.

“As an educator, an author, a mom, and the creator of the Challenge Island program and curriculum, the release of the first book in the Challenge Island book series is among the proudest moments of my entire career,” says Sharon Duke Estroff, founder and CEO of Challenge Island Global. “But more importantly, I truly believe that this is exactly what kids need in this moment in time. What better way to reignite a child’s love of learning than by turning a beloved STEAM enrichment program into a fantastical new book series? And – for the millions more children who will first come to know Challenge Island inside the pages of this book – to see that magical story come to life, not only in their imaginations, but in the real world!”