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Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published July 26, 2016
About the author
Rachel Ignotofsky
23 books221 followersRachel Ignotofsky grew up in New Jersey on a healthy diet of cartoons and pudding. She graduated with honors from Tyler School of Art’s graphic design program in 2011. Now she lives in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri, where she spends all day drawing and learning as much as she can. She has a passion for taking dense information and making it fun and accessible and is dedicated to creating educational works of art.
Rachel is inspired by history and science and believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. She uses her work to spread her message about education, scientific literacy, and powerful women. She hopes this book inspires girls and women to follow their passions and dreams.
Rachel is inspired by history and science and believes that illustration is a powerful tool that can make learning exciting. She uses her work to spread her message about education, scientific literacy, and powerful women. She hopes this book inspires girls and women to follow their passions and dreams.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 948 reviews
January 9, 2017
Bury me with this book.
Read
September 15, 2016I love books that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, and Rachel Ignotofsky’s Women in Science fits the bill perfectly. It’s an illustrated collection of short biographies on fifty female pioneers in the STEM field. The stories of these inspiring innovators are accompanied by stunning illustrations. This book is an absolute joy to read. Buy one for every girl and woman in your life!
–Kate Scott
from The Best Books We Read In July 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/01/riot-r...
–Kate Scott
from The Best Books We Read In July 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/08/01/riot-r...
November 3, 2021
*Everything* about this book is AWESOME….for kids and adults of all ages. Originally geared for ages 10-17.
I’ve been reading a page or two each day for over a month - (reading & enjoying the detailed illustrations), a ‘gorgeous’ hardcopy discovery….from a neighborhood ‘Little Library’ box.
I had books similar to this for my daughters when they were little… but I don’t quite remember one this gorgeous and complete.
“Women in Science……50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed The World”,
written and illustrated by Rachel Ignotofsky captures the joy of so many essential discoveries while also celebrating the extraordinary lives of women who have achieved them.
I guess I’m not the only person who thinks highly of Rachel’s work….
5,246 people submitted reviews on Amazon— with an 89% 5 star rating.
Well….I certainly agree too.
I knew a few of the women honored and represented (from around the globe) — highlighting their contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics….but most — I didn’t know. So this children’s informative book was a learning tool for me too.
Elizabeth Blackburn, Born in Tasmania, Australia, studied Molecular Biology the University of Cambridge. She was thrilled to be working with DNA sequences -and she wanted to understand what kept our bodies telomeres healthy. In 1984, with the help of her grad student Carol Greider, she co-discovered telomerase, an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres to a healthy length. In 2009 Elizabeth was awarded the Nobel peace and physiology or medicine.
Lots and lots of extraordinary women are written up in this book…. Katie Kraft, Geologist from France, Sau Lan Wu, particle physicist from Japan, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Astrophysicist from Ireland, etc. etc.
The illustrations are priceless!
*Lisi….I’ll give you this book when I see you next enjoy reading with your granddaughter .
It’s a scientific fact: Women rock!
I’ve been reading a page or two each day for over a month - (reading & enjoying the detailed illustrations), a ‘gorgeous’ hardcopy discovery….from a neighborhood ‘Little Library’ box.
I had books similar to this for my daughters when they were little… but I don’t quite remember one this gorgeous and complete.
“Women in Science……50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed The World”,
written and illustrated by Rachel Ignotofsky captures the joy of so many essential discoveries while also celebrating the extraordinary lives of women who have achieved them.
I guess I’m not the only person who thinks highly of Rachel’s work….
5,246 people submitted reviews on Amazon— with an 89% 5 star rating.
Well….I certainly agree too.
I knew a few of the women honored and represented (from around the globe) — highlighting their contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics….but most — I didn’t know. So this children’s informative book was a learning tool for me too.
Elizabeth Blackburn, Born in Tasmania, Australia, studied Molecular Biology the University of Cambridge. She was thrilled to be working with DNA sequences -and she wanted to understand what kept our bodies telomeres healthy. In 1984, with the help of her grad student Carol Greider, she co-discovered telomerase, an enzyme that rebuilds telomeres to a healthy length. In 2009 Elizabeth was awarded the Nobel peace and physiology or medicine.
Lots and lots of extraordinary women are written up in this book…. Katie Kraft, Geologist from France, Sau Lan Wu, particle physicist from Japan, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Astrophysicist from Ireland, etc. etc.
The illustrations are priceless!
*Lisi….I’ll give you this book when I see you next enjoy reading with your granddaughter .
It’s a scientific fact: Women rock!
July 28, 2017
I bought this book for my niece’s sixth birthday and we read it together along with her mom. I loved the illustrations and learned a lot about women I’ve never even heard of, such as physicist Lise Meitner, who was driven out of Germany during WWII because she was Jewish—and was thus denied her half of the Nobel Prize for her findings in nuclear fusion. I also learned more about women I have heard of, such as Jane Goodall, Marie Curie, and Rachel Carson.
The obstacles these women faced are appalling and makes their accomplishments even more impressive. I’m going to buy a copy for myself because this is the kind of book you can return to again and again. Many of the topics were over my niece’s head—frankly, some concepts neither my sister nor I fully understood—but the different brief bios of the women provide a wonderful jumping off point for discussion of science and the evolving role of women in history.
The obstacles these women faced are appalling and makes their accomplishments even more impressive. I’m going to buy a copy for myself because this is the kind of book you can return to again and again. Many of the topics were over my niece’s head—frankly, some concepts neither my sister nor I fully understood—but the different brief bios of the women provide a wonderful jumping off point for discussion of science and the evolving role of women in history.
October 1, 2018
কথাটা শুনতে হাস্যকর শোনালেও এটা সত্যি যে অনেক বছর পর্যন্ত আমি জানতাম যে বিজ্ঞান-প্রযুক্তিতে অবদান রাখা নারী একজনই আছেন এবং তিনি হলেন ‘মাদাম কুরি।’ এই নামটা লেখা থাকতো যে সব বইয়ে। এমনকি আমি ভেবেই নিয়েছিলাম যে তাঁর নাম মাদাম কুরি! কি আশ্চর্য! তাঁর নাম যে আসলে ‘মেরী’ এটা জানতে আমার অনেক বছর লেগেছে। আরও অনেক বছর পরে জেনেছি যে তিনিই এখন পর্যন্ত পৃথিবীতে একমাত্র মানুষ (নারী না কিন্তু, মানুষ!) যিনি দুটি সম্পূর্ণ আলাদা বিষয়ে তাঁর যুগান্তকারী আবিষ্কারের জন্য দুটি আলাদা নোবেল পুরস্কার পেয়েছেন।
ছোটবেলা থেকে পড়ে আসা বইগুলোতে নিউটন-আইনস্টাইন-ইবনে সিনা-লিউয়েন হুক-ওয়াটসন-ক্রিক এবং আরও অনেক পুরুষ বিজ্ঞানী কিংবা আবিষ্কারকের কথা খুব সুন্দর করে লেখা থাকলেও, মেরী কুরির দুটি ভিন্ন বিষয়ে দুটি নোবেল পাওয়ার ব্যাপারটা কিন্তু বইগুলোতে সেভাবে কখনোই উঠে আসে নি, উঠে আসে না। আর মেরী কুরি তো মাত্র একটি নাম। আরও ভুরি ভুরি নাম আছে যা ঠিক ঐ লিস্টে জায়গা করে নিতে পারতো খুব সহজেই। কিন্তু তা হয়ে ওঠেনি, কারণ তাঁরা ছিলেন ‘মেয়েমানুষ!’
অথচ তাঁরা কিন্তু সহজেই বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে পড়বার অনুমতি পাননি! পুরুষ শিক্ষার্থীদের পড়াশোনায় যেন কোন ব্যাঘাত না ঘটে, তাই তাঁদের পর্দার আড়ালে থেকে লেকচার শুনতে হয়েছে! তাঁরা তাঁদের কাজের জন্য ল্যাব পাননি, কাজ করেছেন অন্ধকার বেজমেন্টে! তাঁরা তাঁদের পুরুষ সহকর্মীদের মতো অনুদান পাননি, নিজের গাঁটের পয়সা খরচ করে এক্সপেরিমেন্ট চালিয়েছেন! মেয়েমানুষ বলে তাঁদের আবিষ্কারকে কোন প্রাধান্য দেওয়া হয়নি। কিন্তু তাঁদের সেই আবিষ্কারের খুঁটিনাটিকে সূত্র ধরে এগোনো পুরুষদের মহা-মহা আবিষ্কারের কথা পড়ে আমরা বড় হই! আমরা চিনি নিউক্লিয়ার ফিশনের আবিষ্কারক অটো হ্যানকে, কিন্তু লিজ মাইটনারের নামও আমরা শুনিনি কোনদিন যিনি প্রথম নিউক্লিয়ার ফিশনের বিষয়টা পরিষ্কার করে তুলে ধরেছিলেন অটো হ্যান-এর সামনে। তারপর অটো হ্যান একাই নোবেল পান, বইয়ে শুধু তাঁর নাম ছাপা হয়, আরও কত কি! এমন ঘটনা অনেকবারই ঘটেছে। রোসালিন্ড ফ্র্যাঙ্কলিন এবং ওয়াটসন-ক্রিকের গল্প সবাই কমবেশি জানি হয়তো!
মেরী কুরি, লিজ মাইটনার এবং রোসালিন্ড ফ্র্যাঙ্কলিনের মতো আরও অনেক নারীই ছিলেন, যারা নিরন্তর চেষ্টা করে গিয়েছেন পৃথিবীকে নতুন কিছু উপহার দিতে। তাঁরা তাঁদের কাজের জন্য বাহবা পাননি ঠিক, কিন্তু তাঁরা কাজ করে গিয়েছেন কারণ তাঁরা তাঁদের কাজকে ভালোবাসতেন। এরকমই পঞ্চাশজন নারীর গল্প তুলে ধরা হয়েছে এই বইয়ে, যারা Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM)-এ এপর্যন্ত বিভিন্ন সময়ে বিভিন্নভাবে অবদান রেখেছেন। বইয়ের শেষের দিকে এই পঞ্চাশজন ছাড়াও আরও কয়েজন নারীর অবদান অল্প কথায় নোট আকারে প্রেজেন্ট করা হয়েছে।
অনেক কিছু জানলাম, অনেক কিছু শিখলাম এই বই থেকে। বইয়ে গল্প ছাড়াও রয়েছে চমৎকার ইলাস্ট্রেশনস, টাইমলাইন, নোটস। খুবই সুন্দর এবং ইনফরমেটিভ একটি বই। বইটা কিনবার খুব ইচ্ছা ছিল। কিন্তু টাকায় এর দাম ২২০০+! হতাশ হই আর ইবুক পড়ি। এজীবনে এরকম আরও অনেক বই কিনাবার ইচ্ছাগুলো হয়তো অপূর্ণই থেকে যাবে!
ছোটবেলা থেকে পড়ে আসা বইগুলোতে নিউটন-আইনস্টাইন-ইবনে সিনা-লিউয়েন হুক-ওয়াটসন-ক্রিক এবং আরও অনেক পুরুষ বিজ্ঞানী কিংবা আবিষ্কারকের কথা খুব সুন্দর করে লেখা থাকলেও, মেরী কুরির দুটি ভিন্ন বিষয়ে দুটি নোবেল পাওয়ার ব্যাপারটা কিন্তু বইগুলোতে সেভাবে কখনোই উঠে আসে নি, উঠে আসে না। আর মেরী কুরি তো মাত্র একটি নাম। আরও ভুরি ভুরি নাম আছে যা ঠিক ঐ লিস্টে জায়গা করে নিতে পারতো খুব সহজেই। কিন্তু তা হয়ে ওঠেনি, কারণ তাঁরা ছিলেন ‘মেয়েমানুষ!’
অথচ তাঁরা কিন্তু সহজেই বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে পড়বার অনুমতি পাননি! পুরুষ শিক্ষার্থীদের পড়াশোনায় যেন কোন ব্যাঘাত না ঘটে, তাই তাঁদের পর্দার আড়ালে থেকে লেকচার শুনতে হয়েছে! তাঁরা তাঁদের কাজের জন্য ল্যাব পাননি, কাজ করেছেন অন্ধকার বেজমেন্টে! তাঁরা তাঁদের পুরুষ সহকর্মীদের মতো অনুদান পাননি, নিজের গাঁটের পয়সা খরচ করে এক্সপেরিমেন্ট চালিয়েছেন! মেয়েমানুষ বলে তাঁদের আবিষ্কারকে কোন প্রাধান্য দেওয়া হয়নি। কিন্তু তাঁদের সেই আবিষ্কারের খুঁটিনাটিকে সূত্র ধরে এগোনো পুরুষদের মহা-মহা আবিষ্কারের কথা পড়ে আমরা বড় হই! আমরা চিনি নিউক্লিয়ার ফিশনের আবিষ্কারক অটো হ্যানকে, কিন্তু লিজ মাইটনারের নামও আমরা শুনিনি কোনদিন যিনি প্রথম নিউক্লিয়ার ফিশনের বিষয়টা পরিষ্কার করে তুলে ধরেছিলেন অটো হ্যান-এর সামনে। তারপর অটো হ্যান একাই নোবেল পান, বইয়ে শুধু তাঁর নাম ছাপা হয়, আরও কত কি! এমন ঘটনা অনেকবারই ঘটেছে। রোসালিন্ড ফ্র্যাঙ্কলিন এবং ওয়াটসন-ক্রিকের গল্প সবাই কমবেশি জানি হয়তো!
মেরী কুরি, লিজ মাইটনার এবং রোসালিন্ড ফ্র্যাঙ্কলিনের মতো আরও অনেক নারীই ছিলেন, যারা নিরন্তর চেষ্টা করে গিয়েছেন পৃথিবীকে নতুন কিছু উপহার দিতে। তাঁরা তাঁদের কাজের জন্য বাহবা পাননি ঠিক, কিন্তু তাঁরা কাজ করে গিয়েছেন কারণ তাঁরা তাঁদের কাজকে ভালোবাসতেন। এরকমই পঞ্চাশজন নারীর গল্প তুলে ধরা হয়েছে এই বইয়ে, যারা Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM)-এ এপর্যন্ত বিভিন্ন সময়ে বিভিন্নভাবে অবদান রেখেছেন। বইয়ের শেষের দিকে এই পঞ্চাশজন ছাড়াও আরও কয়েজন নারীর অবদান অল্প কথায় নোট আকারে প্রেজেন্ট করা হয়েছে।
অনেক কিছু জানলাম, অনেক কিছু শিখলাম এই বই থেকে। বইয়ে গল্প ছাড়াও রয়েছে চমৎকার ইলাস্ট্রেশনস, টাইমলাইন, নোটস। খুবই সুন্দর এবং ইনফরমেটিভ একটি বই। বইটা কিনবার খুব ইচ্ছা ছিল। কিন্তু টাকায় এর দাম ২২০০+! হতাশ হই আর ইবুক পড়ি। এজীবনে এরকম আরও অনেক বই কিনাবার ইচ্ছাগুলো হয়তো অপূর্ণই থেকে যাবে!
July 29, 2016
Please read this book. Buy a copy for your niece and your little brother and your obnoxious uncle who thinks he understands the world because he majored in history 40 years ago. Buy one for your local elementary school. Buy one for friends who haven't even had babies yet, because they're going to want their kids to have this.
August 20, 2018
This gorgeously illustrated, easy and fun to read, slim little volume full of fun facts is a must-read for girls of all ages (including mine)! I am so in love with this gorgeously packaged, inspirational little gem that I am going have to invest in a permanent copy for my bookshelf. This is a keeper!
January 1, 2017
I found this quite readable for the way it was published, which necessarily throws a lot of information and names at you one after another. I learned quite a few scientific tidbits whilst reading about these noteworthy women. The infographics and illustrations were really wonderful. The information provided was a perfect blend of biography, fun facts and scientific explanations. I highly recommend this, especially as a gift for anyone interested in science, women, history, art and pretty books!
February 21, 2017
This book irritated the heck out of me. I am a scientist and a children's book writer (and a woman). I was super excited to read it. But there were so many factual misrepresentations and errors in the introduction alone that I didn't know if I could trust anything in the book. It wasn't until I got to the profile of Lise Meitner that I wanted to throw the book across the room, though.
First off, Meitner came from a well-educated, well-off family. Though it was, in general, less common for women to be college-educated at the time, I have never read anything that suggested she had a particularly hard time of it. She was also nearly immediately awarded a university appointment--and at one of the best research institutes in the world. She was a well-respected and active member of the German intellectual community, and her struggles within it had far more to do with her being Jewish than being a woman. In addition, and most important: Lise Meitner DID NOT DISCOVER FISSION. There are a million systemic reasons that women have not made the contributions to science that men have, but to take an invention/contribution and falsely attribute it to a woman, as this author seems to do a number of times, is not doing anyone any favors.
In fact, Lise Meitner did make an important contribution to the history of Fission research. Otto Hahn discovered fission in their lab after Meitner was forced to flee Germany before WWII. He did not understand how his apparent results could be possible. Meitner and her nephew came up with a theoretical model for fission which explained his results. This was, I gather, how their research generally worked. Hahn did the experiments and Meitner explained them with models.
In any case, I was so curious about where the author was getting her facts that I looked at the back of the book: no references. Looked on her website. Also nothing about Lise Meitner.
I suspect that there are factual misrepresentations and errors about a lot of the people profiled in this book, I just don't happen to know as much about them. I get the point of a book like this, but I don't think misleading children with shoddy reporting and then covering up your sources is doing a good deed.
First off, Meitner came from a well-educated, well-off family. Though it was, in general, less common for women to be college-educated at the time, I have never read anything that suggested she had a particularly hard time of it. She was also nearly immediately awarded a university appointment--and at one of the best research institutes in the world. She was a well-respected and active member of the German intellectual community, and her struggles within it had far more to do with her being Jewish than being a woman. In addition, and most important: Lise Meitner DID NOT DISCOVER FISSION. There are a million systemic reasons that women have not made the contributions to science that men have, but to take an invention/contribution and falsely attribute it to a woman, as this author seems to do a number of times, is not doing anyone any favors.
In fact, Lise Meitner did make an important contribution to the history of Fission research. Otto Hahn discovered fission in their lab after Meitner was forced to flee Germany before WWII. He did not understand how his apparent results could be possible. Meitner and her nephew came up with a theoretical model for fission which explained his results. This was, I gather, how their research generally worked. Hahn did the experiments and Meitner explained them with models.
In any case, I was so curious about where the author was getting her facts that I looked at the back of the book: no references. Looked on her website. Also nothing about Lise Meitner.
I suspect that there are factual misrepresentations and errors about a lot of the people profiled in this book, I just don't happen to know as much about them. I get the point of a book like this, but I don't think misleading children with shoddy reporting and then covering up your sources is doing a good deed.
November 30, 2022
WOMEN IN SCIENCE by Rachel Ignotofsky - I bought this hardback for my niece, and I always read her and my nephews books first... no, shut up... it is not stealing from little kids... I want to make sure it's a good book, okay... I swear, geez!
This is a good one, a really good one. Brilliant illustrations, entertaining, great information. The author doesn't talk down to the kids in this one, either, so all joking aside, read it before you gift it!
Rating ⚗️⚗️⚗️⚗️⚗️/5 beakers
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
📓 Nonfiction
👩🔬 Science and scientists
👩🚒 Strong women
📆 History
🎨 Great illustrations
This is a good one, a really good one. Brilliant illustrations, entertaining, great information. The author doesn't talk down to the kids in this one, either, so all joking aside, read it before you gift it!
Rating ⚗️⚗️⚗️⚗️⚗️/5 beakers
Finished November 2022
Read this if you like:
📓 Nonfiction
👩🔬 Science and scientists
👩🚒 Strong women
📆 History
🎨 Great illustrations
July 14, 2018
Quirky, whimsical illustrations accompany 1-page biographies of each female scientist. Each woman profiled worked incredibly hard, and was subjected to all sorts of resistance since women were either believed to be unable to learn, or forbidden to learn, or had a variety of obstacles thrown in their way, both at school and at work. And yet the amazing things each of the featured women did, contributing equations, methodologies, techniques and approaches still in use, or that became critical stepping stones for other research and development.
I loved this book, and was in awe of each scientist I read about. Coming from a STEM background, I firmly believe that it's important to give girls around the world education, opportunities and support so they can explore, discover, and create.
I loved this book, and was in awe of each scientist I read about. Coming from a STEM background, I firmly believe that it's important to give girls around the world education, opportunities and support so they can explore, discover, and create.
January 5, 2019
Such an interesting and inspiring read!!
Also LOVED the illustrations!
Also LOVED the illustrations!
April 29, 2022
REVIEW OF THE KINDLE EDITION
Yes, there certainly are a large amount of interesting and educational details provided by author Rachel Ignotovsky about the fifty pioneering women of science being presented in Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World (from Hypatia to Maryam Mirzakhani) and unfortunately but of course also naturally, Ignotofsky’s mini-texts are equally at times rather frustrating in scope and feel, considering that we all know how hard women have had to fight to be recognised and accepted as legitimate scientists and indeed that even today, there are still far too many barriers for women at both the educational and also at the job level. However, the very obvious and annoying fact remains that with the Kindle edition of Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World, I for one have most definitely found the general format and textual set-up to be annoyingly reader unfriendly, with a font size that is so minuscule it has been almost impossible for me to read with any kind of ease and this even when I am wearing my strongest reading glasses and zooming in (and having to be constantly doing the latter is totally and utterly infuriating and painful anyway and thus not leading to either reading pleasure or even retaining my interest enough to keep reading Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World in and with any kind of specific detail).
And as such, I have really only been willing and even able to skim through Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World rather cursively and very generally (since being forced to peruse the tiny tiny scripts of the Kindle edition and constantly having to make use of the zoom function was definitely and totally giving me a massive headache). But even vaguely skimming through Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World has already shown me that there sadly are problematic factual errors encountered with some of Rachel Ignotovsky’s printed words (and far too often with Ignotovsky making the living, working and educational conditions and the struggles faced by a number of her selected women of science being shown as considerably worse and more dire than they in reality were, such as for example for Maria Sibylla Merian and Lise Meitner, whose life stories I am quite familiar with and who both encountered much more active family support than Rachel Ignotovsky ever textually shows), and that therefore and in my humble opinion ALL of the author’s presented information should definitely be read and approached with more than a bit of caution and not be simply uncritically believed (and of course to also check the included bibliographic materials to verify what is truth and what is not or not quite reality).
But yes, considering the absolutely horrible and visually painful Kindle edition font size, my issues with possible factual inconsistencies and errors regarding Rachel Ignotofsky’s featured narratives and that I also do majorly find the accompanying artwork visually strange, oddly coloured and gratingly distracting, I really and truly am only willing to grant two stars maximum for Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World and to certainly NOT AT ALL consider recommending the Kindle edition to interested readers.
Yes, there certainly are a large amount of interesting and educational details provided by author Rachel Ignotovsky about the fifty pioneering women of science being presented in Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World (from Hypatia to Maryam Mirzakhani) and unfortunately but of course also naturally, Ignotofsky’s mini-texts are equally at times rather frustrating in scope and feel, considering that we all know how hard women have had to fight to be recognised and accepted as legitimate scientists and indeed that even today, there are still far too many barriers for women at both the educational and also at the job level. However, the very obvious and annoying fact remains that with the Kindle edition of Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World, I for one have most definitely found the general format and textual set-up to be annoyingly reader unfriendly, with a font size that is so minuscule it has been almost impossible for me to read with any kind of ease and this even when I am wearing my strongest reading glasses and zooming in (and having to be constantly doing the latter is totally and utterly infuriating and painful anyway and thus not leading to either reading pleasure or even retaining my interest enough to keep reading Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World in and with any kind of specific detail).
And as such, I have really only been willing and even able to skim through Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World rather cursively and very generally (since being forced to peruse the tiny tiny scripts of the Kindle edition and constantly having to make use of the zoom function was definitely and totally giving me a massive headache). But even vaguely skimming through Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World has already shown me that there sadly are problematic factual errors encountered with some of Rachel Ignotovsky’s printed words (and far too often with Ignotovsky making the living, working and educational conditions and the struggles faced by a number of her selected women of science being shown as considerably worse and more dire than they in reality were, such as for example for Maria Sibylla Merian and Lise Meitner, whose life stories I am quite familiar with and who both encountered much more active family support than Rachel Ignotovsky ever textually shows), and that therefore and in my humble opinion ALL of the author’s presented information should definitely be read and approached with more than a bit of caution and not be simply uncritically believed (and of course to also check the included bibliographic materials to verify what is truth and what is not or not quite reality).
But yes, considering the absolutely horrible and visually painful Kindle edition font size, my issues with possible factual inconsistencies and errors regarding Rachel Ignotofsky’s featured narratives and that I also do majorly find the accompanying artwork visually strange, oddly coloured and gratingly distracting, I really and truly am only willing to grant two stars maximum for Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World and to certainly NOT AT ALL consider recommending the Kindle edition to interested readers.
June 4, 2017
Perfect for what it is: a vibrantly illustrated series of snapshots of influential, inspirational women in science, aimed at younger readers. It's beautiful to look at, and the casual, peppy style just made me happy while reading it. The bios are short, but tantalizing. I want very badly to know more about some of these scientists.
Even though I've read quite a few popular science books, I was only familiar with a handful of these 50 women (even enough to recognize names), which is a shame.
Even though I've read quite a few popular science books, I was only familiar with a handful of these 50 women (even enough to recognize names), which is a shame.
Read
March 11, 2022Uma forma fácil de conhecer algumas mulheres que contribuíram para a ciência. Histórias inspiradoras. Tantos nomes que eu desconhecia.
March 28, 2019
:D Inspiring! Now I feel like I can take on the world after reading about all of these phenomenal extraordinary people who faced all manner of set backs and challenges in their lives! :)
I would most DEFINITELY Recommend this to anyone who has young daughters, or just to anyone who wants to learn about women's contributions to science and the STEM fields as a whole!
Most of these women I had Never heard of in my life! I didn't know that Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered the pulsar, or that Vera Rubin discovered proof that dark matter exists! I didn't know that Rosalind Franklin discovered the DNA double-helix, or that Grace Hopper invented the first compiler and the first complex computer language COBOL.
For any silly person who claims that civilization and all modern-day society was crafted by the work of men alone, I DARE you to read this book.
But for me:
I feel inspired to grab my binoculars and star-chart and start studying the sky!
I feel inspired to go online and start learning to code!
I feel inspired to learn more and expand my knowledge further than that which it is right now! :D
;) Read the book! It'll give you a "I-can-do-anything!"-kind of high XD Lol
But seriously :) if you need inspiration and feel stuck in a rut, then this is a book for you. People who faced all types of hard knocks in their lives and who kept right on trucking along and following their dream to the end... Reading about their lives and what they did to accomplish all that they had makes you want to go out there into the world and challenge dragons :)
I would most DEFINITELY Recommend this to anyone who has young daughters, or just to anyone who wants to learn about women's contributions to science and the STEM fields as a whole!
Most of these women I had Never heard of in my life! I didn't know that Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered the pulsar, or that Vera Rubin discovered proof that dark matter exists! I didn't know that Rosalind Franklin discovered the DNA double-helix, or that Grace Hopper invented the first compiler and the first complex computer language COBOL.
For any silly person who claims that civilization and all modern-day society was crafted by the work of men alone, I DARE you to read this book.
But for me:
I feel inspired to grab my binoculars and star-chart and start studying the sky!
I feel inspired to go online and start learning to code!
I feel inspired to learn more and expand my knowledge further than that which it is right now! :D
;) Read the book! It'll give you a "I-can-do-anything!"-kind of high XD Lol
But seriously :) if you need inspiration and feel stuck in a rut, then this is a book for you. People who faced all types of hard knocks in their lives and who kept right on trucking along and following their dream to the end... Reading about their lives and what they did to accomplish all that they had makes you want to go out there into the world and challenge dragons :)
March 18, 2020
What a great fast read on remarkable women who made a change in this world. Women who risked their lives and made their dreams come true to discover things that we use and know today.
March 7, 2020
One of the drawbacks of listening to audiobooks is that you don't see the book. Had I seen this I would have realized it wasn't made for a nearly 50-year-old reader. This is, however, a solid primer designed for young readers. I figured it out when the narrator used "poop" when "feces" could have been used. Oh well, I still enjoyed the book and learned a little bit about a few of the lesser known women in the STEM fields.
I bought my 10-year-old niece a book very much like this for Christmas. Instead of it focusing specifically on scientists, it was more about adventurous women in general, so it included Earhart and such. I hope she's read it and I hope it instills in her a drive to smash the glass ceiling just as this book strives to do.
I bought my 10-year-old niece a book very much like this for Christmas. Instead of it focusing specifically on scientists, it was more about adventurous women in general, so it included Earhart and such. I hope she's read it and I hope it instills in her a drive to smash the glass ceiling just as this book strives to do.
December 13, 2020
Un libro entretenido y que da una visión general de las grandes desconocidas de la ciencia.
October 4, 2017
great book and a great gift suggestion to any girl/woman interested in or doing science! I love the illustration and all texts are as informed as needed for such a book... Totally suggested
Read
December 4, 2016I hate the description of this being "charming" because that's so diminutive, but this book is damn charming. The illustrations are excellent and the scientists that Ignotofsky highlights feature those whose names we know (like Marie Curie) and those who we don't. It's inclusive, and it's just the right amount of information written out to intrigue readers to want to know more. The design, which features short facts about the women featured, does a huge service so that it's not information overload.
July 31, 2016
This book is such a delight, well-researched but accessible, fun but encouraging and educational. It acknowledges in full how hard it was and still is for women to have the same access to education, funding and resources as men have but doesn't leave a bitter aftertaste and finishes with a positive outlook into the future. I really hope this book will find accompany whole new generations of girls in science, and that it will be soon translated into as many languages as possible.
August 1, 2016
I almost cried when I started to look through Women in Science. I wish someone had told me that it was okay to think that math was hard, but that I would get through it. That science was difficult at times, but since I loved it, I would be able to make it. It's hard not to get upset when so few women have pushed their way through a man's field. In this day and age, when girls have more access to tools that will help them get the help they need to go into a STEM profession, these women did it all on their own.
The book is tight, sturdy, and chalk full of heroines of the STEM field. From current geniuses, to historical science mavericks, this book covers fifty female scientists that have shaped our world today. Women in Science is written and illustrated by the talented Rachel Ignotofsky. The colors are bright, the art is fantastic, and the information is inspiring for any geek girl looking to go into the science field. I couldn't recommend it enough.
***I received a review copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review***
You can read more of my reviews at www.amandadana.com
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The book is tight, sturdy, and chalk full of heroines of the STEM field. From current geniuses, to historical science mavericks, this book covers fifty female scientists that have shaped our world today. Women in Science is written and illustrated by the talented Rachel Ignotofsky. The colors are bright, the art is fantastic, and the information is inspiring for any geek girl looking to go into the science field. I couldn't recommend it enough.
***I received a review copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review***
You can read more of my reviews at www.amandadana.com
March 8, 2017
Happy International Women's Day!
This book features 50 women who have made invaluable contributions to science - ranging from the ancient Hypatia of Alexandria, to Maryam Mirzakhani, a winner of the 2014 Fields Medal. I got to learn about the trailblazing work of a lot of women in STEM I didn't know of previously, thanks to the well written short biographies complemented by the excellent illustrations. Truly an inspiring read. In our society where gender stereotypes are still very prevalent, I wish all little science-curious girls could have access to a copy of this book, to know that if they want to do this stuff, they're not alone. https://xkcd.com/896/
This book features 50 women who have made invaluable contributions to science - ranging from the ancient Hypatia of Alexandria, to Maryam Mirzakhani, a winner of the 2014 Fields Medal. I got to learn about the trailblazing work of a lot of women in STEM I didn't know of previously, thanks to the well written short biographies complemented by the excellent illustrations. Truly an inspiring read. In our society where gender stereotypes are still very prevalent, I wish all little science-curious girls could have access to a copy of this book, to know that if they want to do this stuff, they're not alone. https://xkcd.com/896/
April 4, 2020
বহু দিন পর একদম চিন্তা না করেই ৫ তারা দেওয়ার মতো বই। অস্বাভাবিক সময় নিয়েছি পড়তে। মূল কারণ হলো এটা এক রকমের ডিমের কুসুম বা ভাজা চিংড়ি জাতীয় বই। মানে আস্তে-ধীরে খাওয়ার উদ্দেশ্যে পাতের কিনারে জমিয়ে রাখার মতো ঘটনা ঘটেছে আর কি। অনেক অনেক কারুকাজ করা বইয়ের ভেতরটা। তবে কি এই বিষয়বস্তু আমাকে টয়লেট পেপারে লিখে দিলেও আমি ৫ তারাই দিতাম। অনেক অন্যায্য আচরণ, বৈষম্য, অস্বীকৃতি আর বঞ্চনার উল্টো পিঠে দুর্দমনীয় কৌতূহল, প্রতিবাদ, অধ্যবসায়... মোদ্দাকথা কঠোর লড়াইয়ের ইতিহাস আছে এতে। এই বইয়ের কাছে মনে হয় আমি বারবার ফিরে আসব।
November 25, 2018
Simpatic desenată, excelentă ca informație scurtă despre femei care au cucerit nobelul în științe și au reușit să-și depășească condițiile. Recunosc, pe majoritatea nu le cunoșteam.
Ilustrațiile duc spre o carte ptr cei mici, însă nivelul informației e dificil și probabil nu atât de interesant pe cât ar părea ptr cei mici. Însă e excelentă ca sursă de informare și de promovare a implicării femeilor în știința ultimelor secole!
Ilustrațiile duc spre o carte ptr cei mici, însă nivelul informației e dificil și probabil nu atât de interesant pe cât ar părea ptr cei mici. Însă e excelentă ca sursă de informare și de promovare a implicării femeilor în știința ultimelor secole!
August 20, 2017
I bought this book yesterday and it's so beautiful! There is even a card box: 100 postcards of the illustrations of this book!
I read most of the part yesterday and was happily surprised to know some of the women and getting introduced to many.
I just was so sad that there are no Arab women in the list, and I know I met many friends and teachers who loved science; it's sad none of them made her mark yet or if she did she was unknown.
I read most of the part yesterday and was happily surprised to know some of the women and getting introduced to many.
I just was so sad that there are no Arab women in the list, and I know I met many friends and teachers who loved science; it's sad none of them made her mark yet or if she did she was unknown.
January 5, 2022
This book contains mini biographies of fifty women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Some are famous, such as Marie Curie, and others are lesser known. The book is short, so it does not provide much depth about each individual, but I enjoyed seeing so many women of science accumulated in one place. It gives the reader a sense of the many obstacles these women faced. I read this book as a precursor to reading more in depth about women in STEM. It definitely served my intended purpose.
July 17, 2017
I learned a ton from this book. So many female scientists that I knew absolutely nothing about. I really liked the set-up, with the artistic renderings of the scientist, a quote from or about them at the bottom of their portrait, and little interesting facts sprinkled around the text. So much great information in this.
December 31, 2021
my kids really enjoyed reading the facts about these women and got super excited when a name they knew came up and they started talking about what they knew about that person.
highly recommend for middle graders.
highly recommend for middle graders.
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