Author Nina Schneider died of a stroke on 8 September 2007 at her home on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Born Nina Zimet in Antwerp, Belgium, on 29 January 1913, she co-wrote many science books for children with her husband, Herman, who died in 2003.
Starting in the mid-1940s, the Schneiders wrote nearly 80 books, with Nina asking the questions a child might, and her former-science-teacher husband giving the answers. Some of their books include Let’s Find Out About Heat, Weather, and Air (1946), Science for Work and Play (1955), Science Far and Near (1966), How Your Body Works (1971), Quick Science: Science Experiments You Can Do in a Minute (1987), Now Try This to Move a Heavy Load, Push, Pull and Lift (2000). All of their science books are out of print.
As a solo author, she wrote a series of books retelling myths for very young readers, starting with Hercules, the Gentle Giant (1947).
Schneider has a far-flung family. She is survived by a sister, Judith Singer (living in Los Angeles, California); a brother, Julian Zimet (Rome, Italy); a son, Steven, (Bordeaux, France); two daughters, Elizabeth Schneider of (New York City) and Lucy Schneider (Portland, Oregon); six grandchildren; five step-grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.