SAXONBURG — Two authors were on hand earlier this month to launch the robotics program to be held at South Butler Community Library this summer.

Jasmine Warga, author of “A Rover’s Story” and Elaine Kachala, author of “Superpower? The Wearable-Tech Revolution” talked about their books before an audience of children and their parents on June 9 to kick off the library’s four-session robotics program this summer.

Michelle Lesniak, library director, said that the Mars Robotics Association will collaborate with the library to offer the sessions.

The free sessions will be open to youths in grades four through 12, and no robotics expertise is required, she said. NASA scientists will virtually attend at least one session, Lesniak said.

The dates of the sessions will be announced soon, she said, but those interested in the program should sign up as soon as possible, as space is limited.

The first session will see participants build lunar vehicles with Legos and drive them over a room-sized map of the moon. Prizes will be awarded.

The second session is on the NASA helicopter Ingenuity, which was designed by NASA scientists to fly over the surface of Mars.

The third session will be on rockets, which participants will design and launch, and the final session will be based on the lunar launch and landing planned for July by NASA.

Four sessions for those in first through third grades, titled Robotics Jr., will be held for younger children on Friday mornings in July, Lesniak said.

The authors on June 9 talked about their books and took questions from children and parents who attended.

Copies of each book were raffled off to delighted youngsters in the crowd.

Wargo said that her book tells the story of the Mars rover, Resilience, as if the vehicle had human feelings about being sent to Mars.

The idea struck the author after her young children responded very differently to her family’s watch party when a rocket was blasted off into space carrying Resilience.

While most of the family clapped and cheered when the rocket left the Earth’s surface in dramatic fashion, her daughter seemed upset.

When Wargo asked the young child to share her feelings, the girl responded “Do you think the rover was afraid?”

That question inspired the children’s author to compose her first science fiction children’s book, whose story is told from the perspective of Resilience.

Questions from children and their parents at the library included how long it took Wargo to write the book, to which she responded two years.

Kachala’s book on wearable technology is aimed at slightly older children, and showcases inventors of amazing wearable technology like virtual reality apparatus worn by military personnel and astronauts so they can join family celebrations remotely using the technology.

The book discusses the pros and cons of technology like exoskeletons strapped onto wearers for construction and military purposes as well as brain-computer interface technology that can actually transfer thoughts to a computer using a virtual keyboard, and turn those thoughts into actions.

The positive side of brain-computer interface, Kachala said, is that the thoughts of those who struggle with communication due to cerebral palsy can be transferred to a computer and shared.

But computers reading the thoughts of humans is a step too far for some, she said.

“Really, it allows telepathy,” Kachala said. “These are questions we need to ask and choices we need to make in society.”

Other topics in her book include designing responsible technology codes of ethics to be followed by governments and scientists worldwide.

“It’s fascinating and scary,” Kachala said of the very latest technologies being created.

Jude Ivan Siemer of Buffalo Township had read “A Rover Story,” and appreciated hearing how Wargo came up with the idea through her daughter’s comments.

“There is something so different and so similar from humans at the same time,” Ivan said of robots and rovers.

Courtney Markiewicz, of Penn Township, brought her daughter, Abby, 15, and son, Ben, 9, to hear the authors.

“I’m a math teacher, so I try to include STEM into our daily lives wherever I can,” she said. “I think STEM is the future, and I want them to learn about it and get excited about it.”

Ben chose to see the sunny side of new technology in “Superpower? The Wearable-Tech Revolution.”

“It tells about inventions that could help people, so that’s nice,” Ben said.

He signed up for the four robotics sessions to be held at the library this summer.

“I’ve always been interested in how things work,” Ben said.

Amber Kelly, of Jefferson Township, brought her three children and nephew to the author talk.

“We absolutely love our library,” Kelly said. “We come for all the summer reading programs.”

Her son Avery, 9, wanted to learn more about the Mars rover, and was fascinated that a computer described in Kachala’s book can transfer thoughts from a brain to a computer.

Avery also appreciates all of Lesniak’s efforts at the library.

“I learn a lot and I get to read more,” he said of being a frequent library patron. “I’ve been coming to this library since I was nine months old.”

Lesniak was thrilled with the presentations by both authors.

“All the kids were really engaged and that’s exciting to see,” she said.

The dates and times for the summer robotics sessions will be announced soon on the library’s website, southbutlerlibrary.org.