Rachel Carson: Pioneer of Ecology

by Kathleen V. Kudlinski

Rachel Carson was always fascinated by the ocean. As a child, she dreamed of it and longed to see it. As a young woman, she felt torn between her love for nature and her desire to pursue a writing career. Then she found a way to combine both. Rachel had a talent for writing and talking about science in a way that everyone could understand and enjoy. With her controversial book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson changed the way we look at our planet.
 
“Kudlinski has admirably captured the driving force of spirit of a shy but courageous woman in a succinct, respectful approach.”—Booklist

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Science

80 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1988

About the author

Kathleen Kudlinski is the author of 40 children’s books. Her works range from picture books to the YA level and include natural history, biographies and historical novels.
When not writing, she is a popular speaker and writing instructor. Building on a BS in Biology and six years of classroom teaching experience, Kathleen later trained as a “Master Teaching Artist” with the Connecticut Commission on the Arts as well as presenting at regional and national conferences. Now she eagerly Skypes with classroom, book-, and home-school groups, world-wide.

In her spare time, she paints and leads several SCBWI (Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators) critique groups, and teaches writing for children.

She writes at home beside a deep, wild lake in Guilford CT or at her woodland cabin in Weathersfield, VT with a a rescue macaw clinging to her shoulder and a pitbull warming her feet.

Reviews

[Lu · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a little interesting to read about her life but not overly so.

Short summary: the girl liked writing. When she went to college, she had to take a science class which as it turned out she liked. Changed major. She wanted to get a job as a scientist after, but didn’t (possibly because she couldn’t because of her gender). She became a science writer instead and wrote some successful books about ocean life and pesticides.
—-

P 4
Years later, she said of those who love science: “we are never bored. We can’t be. There is always something new. “

She would wait patiently for her answers.

P4-5
If Mrs. Carson couldn’t sell the mystery for Rachel, she would show her how to find answers in science books.

P5
There was coal beneath their property, but he would not let coal mining companies dig the riches of their land. The land, he told her, with all the wealth they had.

P6 inaccurate information—> The book says the house has no electricity and radio or television hadn’t been invented yet. (But this book is talking about after 1914 and radio was invented in the 1890s.)

P19
Alfred Tennyson’s poem Locksley Hall

“For the mighty wind arises, roaring Seaward, and I go.

P25
One place where he worked had no money left at all. They paid Robert with a cat.

P40
Rachel answered that “if there is poetry in my book “it was only “because no one could write truthfully about the sea and out the poetry. “

P45
There most important thing for them to learn, she wrote, is “a sense of the beautiful, the excitement of the new and the unknown.”

P53
She said, “Man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is… A war against himself.” The viewers believed her.

P55
She said she had found a “deep happiness “in knowing that “it is a natural end, not unhappy thing that a life comes to its end.“

——

Books by her:
Silent Spring (about pesticides)
The sense of wonder (unfinished)
Under the sea wind
The edge of the sea
The sea around us

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A children’s biography of the life of Rachel Carson.


I preface this review with a few things: I still stand by my review of her book Silent Spring and this was in a group of books donated for my community’s lending library that I have been asked to clean up and out. So naturally, I was curious about it. I’m not the only one whom is charged with this task. We’ll meet in a few weeks to decide the handful of books set aside.

I fully admit my bias against her. She worked hard to get a Masters in science, get a job with the government, and also as a writer.

[Kurt Garfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful primer and a wonderful woman. It’s a very quick indigestible read, perfect for young readers. It makes Carson’s life very personable while presenting important facts from her, definitely another one I will be directing towards my students.

[Janett · Rating 5 out of 5]

she nice kind helpful I think

[Happy Heise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this book for a class and it was very historical and informative. Great for kids!

[Desiredmath · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A YA biography read as part of the 5th grade curriculum. I enjoyed learning about Carson (especially her work protesting DDT in the early days), but the book was a little dry.

[Bethany Buckley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this with my class and everyone including me thought it was kind of boring, but good to learn about someone new

[Kiwi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My high rating could be from the fact that it's been a while since I've read an adult Rachel Carson biography and may have missed some incorrect facts. There were a few points where I raised my eyebrow at the writing style, but otherwise I enjoyed reading this little tale of Rachel. I giggled to see things like 'scholarship' explained and the chance to look at Rachel's life from a child's point of view. I especially loved the mention of Tennyson's poem as aiding a turning point in Rachel's life. I'm on to the Women in Science edition on Rachel Carson for a more young-adult view of her. I'm sure I'll be back to biographies of her written for adults soon.

[Iris · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book gives a basic biography of an amazing woman, perfect for little kids. just at some point I got lost with all the names.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Kudlinski writes an inspiring book about Rachel Carson, who accomplished much as a scientist, daughter, aunt, and sister. This book motivates those who are young or old to use their talents to strengthen their homes, communities, and natural surroundings.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My students enjoyed learning about the life of Rachel Carson. There are also a few great picture books that can provide additional perspective. This was a great lit circle title for sequence and cause and effect text structure.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I had to read this for a class but it was very good and going to have my kids read it

[Ricardo Sosa-Melo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal read, very informational

[Gogeta Supper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is pretty good.

[Rebecca Rolnick]

I got this as a Christmas present. This biography is a good introduction (or refresher) to the life of Rachel Carson, especially for younger audiences. I knew most of the information but I still learned some things about her and her story. Rachel Carson has always been a source of inspiration for me.