Born Curious by Martha Freeman
Discover the histories of twenty incredible female scientists in this inspiring biography collection from beloved author Martha Freeman and Google Doodler Katy Wu. Why do galaxies spin the way they do?What's the best kind of house for a Komodo dragon?
Can you cure malaria with medicine made from a plant? The scientists and mathematicians in Born Curious sought answers to these and many other fascinating questions. And it's lucky for us they did. Without their vision, insight, and hard work, the world would be a sicker, dirtier, and more dangerous place. The twenty groundbreaking women--including Rosalind Franklin, Marie Tharp, Shirley Anne Jackson, and more--came from all kinds of backgrounds and had all kinds of life experiences. Some grew up rich. Some grew up poor. Some were always the smartest kid in class. Some struggled to do well in school. But all had one thing in common: They were born curious. Are you curious, too? Read on.
A collective biography of 20 groundbreaking women in scienceArranged chronologically, the compilation begins with Ellen Swallow Richards, a white geochemist born in 1842, who not only became the first woman to earn a degree in chemistry in the U.S., but used her research in nutrition, sanitation, and health to establish the first school-lunch program and first water-quality standards in the country. A few women who follow, such as Sylvia Earle, may be recognizable, but most will be new to readers. Each profile starts with an anecdote that describes the scientist's childhood influences in the present tense before switching to the past tense to focus on her professional accomplishments and impact on science. A full-page portrait with clues to each woman's focus and a concluding roundup of her major achievements, a reflective quote, and a fascinating fact accompany the profile as well. Freeman aims for diversity in both the range of disciplines covered and in the scientists themselves, who include Chinese pharmacologist Tu Youyou, African American physicist Shirley Ann Jackson, and Colombian geologist Adriana Ocampo. While the thematic emphasis, as the title suggests, is on the curiosity that drove each woman to pursue science, the profiles also highlight the role failure played in their paths and how they overcame such challenges as sexism, racism, illness, and disability to reach their goals. An inspiring look at women who realized curiosity plus tenacity equals success. (afterword, glossary, source notes) (Collective biography. 8-12) -- Kirkus Reviews * November 1, 2019 *
FREEMAN, Martha. Born Curious: 20 Girls Who Grew Up To Be Awesome Scientists. illus. by Katy Wu. 128p. S. & S./Paula Wiseman Bks. Feb. 2020. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781534421530.
Gr 3-5-Freeman shares 20 short biographies of women scientists-from geologists and molecular biologists to mathematicians and all the disciplines in between. The author finds a common thread between all of them: They were born curious. But it wasn't enough to simply be born curious. These scientists had obstacles and challenges to overcome. Each woman dealt with societal barriers that could have derailed their studies. Geochemist Ellen Swallow Richards (1842-1911) overcame poverty and sexism. Physicist Shirley Ann Jackson (born in 1946) was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While at MIT, Jackson started the Black Student Union and became a passionate advocate for equal education, which continues to define her life's work. The biography of Iranian mathematician and professor Maryam Mirzakhani (1977-2017) highlights the struggle of surviving a war and living with a terminal illness. Readers will learn that intelligence is only one factor of success and that hard work and persistence are also required. VERDICT These stories may help motivate readers to channel their curiosity into deeper scholarship and become the next generation of inspirational women of science and math.-Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta -- School Library Journal * February 2020 *
Few of the women in this captivating compendium are household names: Joan Beauchamp Proctor pioneered humane design for zoo habitats; Tu Youyou, a pharmacologist, used traditional Chinese medicine to develop a treatment for malaria; and Ingrid Daubechies's wavelet theory led to image compression technology. Freeman uses direct quotations and childhood anecdotes (of Daubechies: The girl likes making doll clothes because she likes solving problems) to convey character, an approach amplified by Wu's stylized portraits, which incorporate references to each woman's work (climate scientist Susan Solomon gazes over snowy mountaintops; a rat peers over neuroscientist May-Britt Moser's book). Each scientist receives a dedicated chapter that closes with a quote, a fascinating fact, and an achievement summary, and Freeman's afterword offers 13 lessons to be gleaned from their stories, notably: be curious about science and everything else. Supplemental materials include a glossary, sources, and index. Ages 7-12. (Feb.)
-- Publishers Weekly * March 16, 2020 *
FREEMAN, Martha. Born Curious: 20 Girls Who Grew Up To Be Awesome Scientists. illus. by Katy Wu. 128p. S. & S./Paula Wiseman Bks. Feb. 2020. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781534421530.
Gr 3-5-Freeman shares 20 short biographies of women scientists-from geologists and molecular biologists to mathematicians and all the disciplines in between. The author finds a common thread between all of them: They were born curious. But it wasn't enough to simply be born curious. These scientists had obstacles and challenges to overcome. Each woman dealt with societal barriers that could have derailed their studies. Geochemist Ellen Swallow Richards (1842-1911) overcame poverty and sexism. Physicist Shirley Ann Jackson (born in 1946) was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While at MIT, Jackson started the Black Student Union and became a passionate advocate for equal education, which continues to define her life's work. The biography of Iranian mathematician and professor Maryam Mirzakhani (1977-2017) highlights the struggle of surviving a war and living with a terminal illness. Readers will learn that intelligence is only one factor of success and that hard work and persistence are also required. VERDICT These stories may help motivate readers to channel their curiosity into deeper scholarship and become the next generation of inspirational women of science and math.-Elaine Baran Black, Georgia Public Library Service, Atlanta -- School Library Journal * February 2020 *
Few of the women in this captivating compendium are household names: Joan Beauchamp Proctor pioneered humane design for zoo habitats; Tu Youyou, a pharmacologist, used traditional Chinese medicine to develop a treatment for malaria; and Ingrid Daubechies's wavelet theory led to image compression technology. Freeman uses direct quotations and childhood anecdotes (of Daubechies: The girl likes making doll clothes because she likes solving problems) to convey character, an approach amplified by Wu's stylized portraits, which incorporate references to each woman's work (climate scientist Susan Solomon gazes over snowy mountaintops; a rat peers over neuroscientist May-Britt Moser's book). Each scientist receives a dedicated chapter that closes with a quote, a fascinating fact, and an achievement summary, and Freeman's afterword offers 13 lessons to be gleaned from their stories, notably: be curious about science and everything else. Supplemental materials include a glossary, sources, and index. Ages 7-12. (Feb.)
-- Publishers Weekly * March 16, 2020 *
Freeman, Martha: - Martha Freeman wrote her first story when she was four years old. The illustration shows a house, because a house was the one thing she knew how to draw, and two nose-less girls. Over one girl is a speech bubble that says: A home. Over the other is another speech bubble: Our home. After that, Martha Freeman grew up, traveled around the world, worked as a reporter and a teacher, and wrote twenty-seven books for young readers, including The Year My Parents Ruined My Life, Fourth-Grade Weirdo, The Secret Cookie Club books, Who Stole Halloween?, and Effie Starr Zook Has One More Question. Home remains a theme in many of Martha's books, but none is as pithy as that early effort. Home for Martha is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781534421530 |
| ISBN 10 | 153442153X |
| Title | Born Curious |
| Author | Martha Freeman |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Year published | 2020-02-18 |
| Number of pages | 128 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |