Early Book Review: Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist by Linda Skeers

Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist by Linda Skeers is a nonfiction picturebook that is currently scheduled for release on July 1 2020. As a kid, Mary Anning loved hunting for fossils with her father. One day, that hobby led to an unexpected discovery: the skeleton of a creature no one had never seen before! Mary had unearthed a dinosaur fossil, the first to ever be discovered. Her find reshaped scientific beliefs about the natural world and led to the beginning of a brand new field of study: paleontology. For the rest of her life, Mary continued to make astonishing finds and her fossils are displayed in museums all across the world! The daring discoveries of Mary Anning not only changed the scientific world, but also helped change people’s attitudes towards women scientists.

Dinosaur Lady is a picturebook that not only talks about the early years and discoveries in paleontology, but how women were viewed in science, and to a certain degree still are. I liked the illustrations, they added a great deal of detail and heart to each page. I thought the information included was interesting and was accessible. I think the narrative and information were well balanced and should keep the reader's interest. I also liked the additional information that was included at the end of the book. I really enjoyed the read and think the book just might inspire kids interested in topic others might try to dissuade them from perusing to keep on studying and working towards their goals.

Dinosaur Lady is a engaging and informative book that would be a great addition to all libraries. Hopefully it will encourage more young scientists to follow their interests.

Early Book Review: The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women by Ailsa Ross, Amy Blackwell

The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women was written by Ailsa Ross and illustrated by Amy Blackwell. Itis currently scheduled for release on October 25 2019.  This non fiction book is a rousing collection of biographies focused on women and girls who have written, explored, or otherwise plunged headfirst into the pages of history. Undaunted by expectations, they made their mark by persevering in pursuit of their passions. The tales come from a huge variety of times and places, from a Canadian astronaut to an Indian secret agent to a Balkan pirate queen who stood up to Ancient Rome. Author and activist Ailsa Ross gives readers a fun, informative piece of nonfiction that emphasizes the boundless potential of a new generation of women.

The Girl Who Rode a Shark tells the stories of some amazing woman. A good many of them I knew, but some (and their exploits) were new to me. I think it is wonderful that people are taking the time and effort to uncover tales of those so often forgotten in history classes. I thought that the short biographies were well written and accessible, and found the illustrations to be colorful and I think they added a nice touch throughout the book. I liked the varieties of woman included, and how they were organized by kind of adventures they had rather than time they lived or location. I also liked that such a nice variety of cultures and eras are included in the book as well. I really enjoyed the read and got a great deal from it, and I think other readers of all ages will as well. 

The Girl Who Rode a Shark is a great collection of short biographies about amazing woman. I think this is a great choice for classrooms and libraries to encourage readers to follow their dreams, and to show them that they can do anything with enough effort- no matter who they are.

Book Review: Eavesdropping on Elephants: How Listening Helps Conservation by Patricia Newman

Eavesdropping on Elephants: How Listening Helps Conservation by Patricia Newman is a non fiction book for middle grade, and older, readers. The book tells the story of research and discovery about how elephants communicate, and why that information is important. Scientists hope to understand how forest elephants communicate help scientists find ways to protect them?

Eavesdropping on Elephants: How Listening Helps Conservation is a fascinating and well written book about the work scientists are doing to understand and protect elephants. The studies began with simple curiosity, wondering about a thrumming in the air around elephants, and lead to a greater understanding of their society and communication. The read was interesting and engaging from the very beginning, giving readers a narrative that just might encourage them to do their own research and conservation work. While I think it is definitely best for middle grade and older readers, as there is a lot of information that might be frustrating for younger or less skilled readers, I think the value of the information and the images used to help impart its importance will help interested readers make their way through the book. I like that there are some interactive moments in the book, where readers can scan a QR code, and the inclusion of source materials and resources for further research and reading for those that want more.

Eavesdropping on Elephants: How Listening Helps Conservation is an interesting and informative read, and one that would be a valuable addition to school and public libraries, as well as for personal libraries for interested readers- such as those already deeply invested in animals, science, and conservation. 

Book Review: Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics by Tabitha Williams

Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics by Tabitha Williams is a full-color, non fiction book that takes a look at the forgotten influence of women in the development of mathematics over the last two thousand years. The book is divided in three parts: I - The Pioneers, II - From Code Breaking to Rocket Science and III - Modern Math Mavens, detailing the careers and achievements of thirty women scientists, with brief mentions of few others. The book brings mathematic powerhouses like astronomer-philosopher Hypatia, theoretical physicist Emmy Noether, and rocket scientist Annie Easley to life for readers and helps us understand that trailblazing women have always existed, we just do not always know their stories unless we take the time to discover them.

Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics is a wonderful and long overdue book. I thought I knew a great deal about the women that have helped shape the world of technology, science, and mathematics. However, this book showed me that I only knew a small number of the women that made such huge impacts on the world. I learned about some women I had never heard of, and learned more about some that I though I knew much more about. Anyone that thinks they cannot make an impact, or that a particular field is not for them because of prejudice or culture, I urge you to read the book. The pictures included with the text about these dynamic women make them more real, and helps the reader connect with them and relate their own lives to those of these women- giving them the inspiration to forge their own path. 

Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics is an inspirational and informative book. I hope that it encourages others to follow their dreams, and to do the work they love regardless of what society and culture might tell them. 

Book Review: Ada Lovelace (Little People, Big Dreams) by Isabel Sanchez Vegara, Zafouko Yamamoto

Ada Lovelace, written by Isabel Sanchez Vegara and illustrated by Zafouko Yamamoto, is part of the Little People, Big Dreams series. Meet Ada Lovelace, the British mathematician and daughter of poet Lord Byron. From her early love of logic, to her plans for the world's first computer program, learn about Ada's life in this mini biography for readers as young as four years. This inspiring story of her life features a facts and photos section at the back.

Ada Lovelace is a biography for young readers, that is well done and charmingly illustrated. I found the combination of facts and cute to be inspiring and informative for readers of all ages that want a quick lesson on the woman behind the technology that changed our world. I like that the book encourages children to combine the things they love with the things they need and learn about. That just might be the encouragement the next game changer needs to follow their dreams and create something that will change the way we think and work all over again. I liked the time line and additional information that is included at the end of the book intended for older readers and those that might be sharing this book with younger readers. I think I am going to need to explore this series a little more, both for myself and the school library. 

Book Review: Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World by Laurie Lawlor

Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World  by Laurie Lawlor profiles six amazing women who defied prejudice to succeed in the sciences using genius, ambition, and perseverance. Each of these pioneers refused to take no for an answer, pursuing their passions through fieldwork, observations, laboratories and research vessels in the face of sexism. Lawlor tells the stories of Eugenie Clark, an ichthyologist who swam with sharks; Marie Tharp, a cartographer who mapped the ocean floor; Katherine Coleman Johnson, a mathematician who calculated trajectories for NASA flights; Florence Hawley Ellis, an anthropologist of Pueblo cultures who pioneered tree-ring dating; Gertrude Elion, a pharmacologist who developed treatments for leukemia and AIDS; and Margaret Burbidge, an astrophysicist who formulated a theory of quasars.

Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World  is all about women that have stood out in scientific fields that are still male dominated, and stood out in very important ways. The chosen women are nicely varied, and their stories are important. The hows and whys of each of these women fighting for their place in their fields of choice, and the factors that hindered or helped their progress. I would have liked more of the background history for some of this, but still found the shared information to be interesting and important. I think each of the biographies was long enough to give a good grasp of the woman described, but none were so long or ponderous that it would lose the attention of the children that this book is marketed toward. I did find some of the vocabulary to be a little advanced for some of the younger readers that might be interested in the subject matter, with few context clues to help them figure it out, but I almost expect this in any text dealing with scientists or science history. However, to counter this- if readers take a moment there is a wonderful glossary in the back of the book the help them. I just know must of the students I work with are not likely to check for that glossary on their own. 

Super Women: Six Scientists Who Changed the World is a nice selection of brief biographies of a few of the talented female scientists that have made important contributions over the years. While not a perfect text, it is a good start and can inspire young scientists and start conversations about what has, and has not, changed over the years.