Science and Me: Inspired by the Discoveries of Nobel Prize Laureates in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine

by Ali Winter, Mickael El Fathi (Illustrations)

Discover some of the inspirational men and women who have received Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine from 1901 to the present day, among them Marie Curie, Hermann Joseph Muller, and Donna Strickland. A glimpse into the often surprising lives and sometimes accidental discoveries of a group of extraordinary scientists, this fascinating collection shows that the science you learn at school really can change the world. "Winter and El Fathi give a satisfying flavor of the work that guided scientific and moral compasses, while highlighting aspects of the scientists’ personal histories"― The New York Times , 5 Picture Books About the Wonders of Science “Rich material for readers seeking scientific role models who made differences both in and beyond the lab”― Kirkus Reviews “This beautifully presented book invites young readers to consider the values of science and how it carries the potential to change the world for the better”― Mat Tobin, Senior Lecturer in Education

Genres: Science, Health, Biography

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 2, 2021

Reviews

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives short biographies of 13 Nobel Prize winners in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, and Medicine. From Marie Curie to Einstein, each page lists their discoveries, their challenges and setbacks, and their determination to succeed.

I really like how this book encourages the reader to be strong in overcoming obstacles. You never know what you might achieve with hard work and compassion. Some of the stories are really inspiring, as the scientists face prejudice and criticism. They live through wars. They are ridiculed by their peers. But their inventions and discoveries have saved countless lives and promoted further scientific knowledge.

I liked the unique art style. Each page has a portrait illustration of the Nobel laureate, and shows something about their work and how it was used. The art uses mixed media in an interesting and attractive way.


Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Hannah Franks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes all the Nobel prize winners in science. Each Nobel prize winner gets a page in the book describing their life and their contributions to science. I think this book would be good for an early childhood education class to teach them about the history of science and to inspire them to become scientist themselves. One thing I really like about this book is that it describes hardships that each prize winner had to overcome to become a Nobel prize winner. Some prize winners faced discrimination, yet were still able to win the Nobel prize. This book will help teach resistance to children and to persist even when things are hard.

[Kristin Guay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book looks at the scientific achievements of 13 different people from around the world--all Nobel Prize Laureates. Some of the scientists featured include Curie, Marconi, Muller, Chandrasekhar, Tu, Einstein, and Strickland, just to name a few. We not only see what they invented or discovered (radio waves, how plants produce chlorophyll, our body's own natural antiseptic, laser light, and a treatment for malaria), but the reader can also see how these achievements helped people around the world. The reader can also see the heroism of Marie and Irene Currie during WWI as they risked their lives to help wounded soldiers, how the work of Guglielmo Marconi helped rescued hundred of people when the Titanic sank, how Hermann Joseph Muller understood the dangers of radiation exposure and pleaded to the United Nations to end nuclear weapons testing, and how the work of Mario J. Molina proved that CFCs found in many household products were actually causing damage in the ozone layer. This book does feature so many wonderful advancements and contributions to the field of science, but more importantly, how these discoveries made life better for our world.

The artwork provided by Mickaël El Fathi is nothing short of amazing. The illustrations are in a collage fashion, but if you look closely, the reader will see interesting bits of information in the different sections. For example, there is an illustration featuring Marie and Iren Curie driving a medical van during WWI. The brown exterior of the van is made by using several headlines from newspapers featuring the events of the war. Iren Curie’s lab coat resembles a typical medical coat, however, the elements chart is displayed over the white of the coat. I especially loved the illustration featuring the efforts of Hermann Joseph Muller in protecting people from the harmful effects of radiation. It appears to be a bomb (looks like a bright yellow sun) that was dropped from a plane overhead. Muller is seen holding a shield that is refracting the effects of the radiation from a group of people below. The illustrations truly enhance the understanding of the contributions of these scientists.

This book is perfect for children between the ages of eight and twelve years old. Each story is just a small sampling of the accomplishments, but I feel there is enough there that will encourage children to find more information. This is a wonderful book for children who love science, but it also features stories of persistence, believing in yourself, and fighting for what is important--those are all concepts that will appeal to a wide range of children.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

After an introduction to the Nobel Prize and its origins, readers learn about 13 recipients of the prize in the areas of physics, chemistry, and medicine. A map on a double-page spread shows where the prize-winners live, and brief biographies of each winner describes their formative years and their accomplishments. The text also carefully includes the various challenges each one faced along the way to success, some struggling with prejudices, others with doubters, and still others with school work. Notably, the science that these individuals advanced was important, but perhaps even more important were the lessons learned about learning from mistakes, imagining a better world or refusing to do harm to others, lessons not just applicable to their areas of focus but life in general. Often, science classes neglect to show that aspect of discoveries or innovations, making the profiles inspiring. I wish there had been a bit more about these understandings in the profiles. The illustrations were created with mixed media and then digitally completed. Because the background on the pages is so colorful, some of the letters are hard to read. Still, this book may encourage youngsters to learn more about each of the Nobel Prize winners featured here as well as some of the others who aren't mentioned. The earliest recipient mentioned is Marie Curie who worked with radium, and the most recent one is Donna Strickland for her work with lasers.

[A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An undersung collective biography celebrating scientific heroes who've won a Nobel Prize in Physics, Chemistry, or Medicine. Dynamic mixed-media and digitized artwork emphasizes each scientist’s field of study with a biography to each a double-page spread. If you're trying to get -- or keep -- kids excited about STEM fields, this will do it!