Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science by Jeannine Atkins (2017, Atheneum Books for Young Readers; 208 pages) This is a delightful book about Maria Merian, Mary Anning, and Maria Mitchell: three girls who changed science. The book is written in poetry form and it is divided into three chapters, each of them honoring one of the three scientists and narrating an episode on their lives. Maria Merian wondered how caterpillars turned into beautiful creatures with wings, and through careful observation she discovered the truth about metamorphosis. She learned to look into details from her father, a painter, and using artistic skills she documented her findings in gorgeous paintings of the life cycles of insects. More than one century later, Mary Anning helped her father collect stone sea creatures from the cliffs in southwest England. Fascinated by those creatures, the intrepid and patient girl discovered a passion that eventually led to her discovery of fossils that would change people's vision of the past. In the third chapter we learn about another girl who changed science. This time the author takes us across the Atlantic to meet Maria Mitchell, who helped her mapmaker father in the whaling village of Nantucket. At night they explored the starry sky through a telescope. Maria longed to discover a new comet, and her desire came true after years of studying the night sky. The book is weaved along the idea of how those who observe can find wonder in the world around them, and the evocative poems honor these three remarkable girls. A beautiful, gorgeous book to be enjoyed by all ages. A gem. Find this title in our catalog: Finding Wonders Recommended by: Maite
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