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Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom
Meet Wu Chien Shiung, famous physicist who overcame prejudice to prove that she could be anything she wanted.
When Wu Chien Shiung was born in China 100 years ago, most girls did not attend school; no one considered them as smart as boys. But her parents felt differently. Giving her a name meaning “Courageous Hero,” they encouraged her love of learning and science. This engaging biography follows Wu Chien Shiung as she battles sexism and racism to become what Newsweek magazine called the “Queen of Physics” for her work on beta decay. Along the way, she earned the admiration of famous scientists like Enrico Fermi and Robert Oppenheimer and became the first woman hired as an instructor by Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, the first scientist to have an asteroid named after her when she was still alive, and many other honors.
When Wu Chien Shiung was born in China 100 years ago, most girls did not attend school; no one considered them as smart as boys. But her parents felt differently. Giving her a name meaning “Courageous Hero,” they encouraged her love of learning and science. This engaging biography follows Wu Chien Shiung as she battles sexism and racism to become what Newsweek magazine called the “Queen of Physics” for her work on beta decay. Along the way, she earned the admiration of famous scientists like Enrico Fermi and Robert Oppenheimer and became the first woman hired as an instructor by Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, the first scientist to have an asteroid named after her when she was still alive, and many other honors.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2019
13 people are currently reading
810 people want to read
About the author
Teresa Robeson
9 books83 followersTeresa Robeson was born in Hong Kong, raised in Canada, and now lives on 27-acres in the Midwest U.S. with her scientist-professor husband, younger son, and a flock of quirky chickens. Her debut picture book, Queen Of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom, won the 2020 winner of the ALA Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature in the Picture Book category, and was a National Council of Teachers of English Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Recommended Book, and an International Literacy Association's Nonfiction Picture Honor. It also received starred reviews and appeared on many best-of lists.
The universe didn't want Teresa to get an inflated ego from all the honors her first book received and so it made sure her second book got very little love and attention in comparison. So, if you're feeling sorry for Two Bicycles In Beijing, or if you think bike friendship stories should get more attention, you could request it for your library's purchase or leave a review! Teresa would be ever so grateful. :)
What's up next? Between 2023 and 2025, you'll see graphic novels, picture books, and nonfiction middle grades from Teresa!
The universe didn't want Teresa to get an inflated ego from all the honors her first book received and so it made sure her second book got very little love and attention in comparison. So, if you're feeling sorry for Two Bicycles In Beijing, or if you think bike friendship stories should get more attention, you could request it for your library's purchase or leave a review! Teresa would be ever so grateful. :)
What's up next? Between 2023 and 2025, you'll see graphic novels, picture books, and nonfiction middle grades from Teresa!
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August 9, 2021
An inspiring picture book biography of Wu Chien Shiung, an eminent physicist from the 20th century. Beginning with her birth, Wu's story is told from the ground up, including how she became interested in physics and how she used "self-learning" to further her knowledge where institutions failed her. The illustrations are simple and charming, with lovely texture and attention to detail on the scientific portions. And I absolutely love that an Asian-American female author/illustrator team created this book!
However, as a historian, I have to quibble. The subtitle promises to tell us how Wu "helped unlock the secrets of the atom." Wu contributed to the Manhattan Project--likely the only Asian-American woman involved. Being the most high-profile project she worked on, this is what one finds when looking her up. Yet, the text never mentions this, not even in the brief factual bio at the end. Any child reading this book and inspired to research Wu will run into the Manhattan Project, and it should have been mentioned in the text. Leaving it out looks like a huge oversight. What was Wu's feeling toward the project? Fermi regretted it so much that he created Fermi Lab, dedicated to other uses for nuclear energy, and Argonne National Laboratory continues that work on a grand scale. The rightness of talking about the atomic bomb in a picture book is questionable, but the Manhattan Project should hav been in the bio at the end.
The author is relentlessly disappointed that Wu never received the Nobel Prize for testing her (male) colleagues' theories. Enrico Fermi, Yang Chen Ning and Lee Tsung Dao, and Richard Feynman and Murray Gell-Mann all received the Nobel Prize at different times, and neither they nor the committee credited Wu for her work. While this is terrible, it cast a somber tone to the book. Wu received lots of prizes and "firsts" in her lifetime, and seemed to be satisfied in her work, even if she never received global accolades in her lifetime.
While I, as a woman in a male-dominated field, wholly agree that historically women haven't been recognized or honored for their contributions equal to their male colleagues, I think it's important to balance the good with the bad. Robeson should have mentioned Wu's many awards alongside the Nobel Prizes she did not receive. She should have mentioned Wu's husband and son, also physicists. She should have included Wu's contributions to medicine. I don't know why Robeson chose to tell the story of the systems that maligned Wu for a few pages rather than Wu herself, who is the center of the rest of the book. To me, it seems like she's furthering the narrative that kept women like Wu down in the first place, rather than honoring her many advances in the field. Who would want to be known for not winning prizes rather than for the work they did? We can honor the work of Ada Lovelace and other female scientists who existed long before Alfred Nobel created his conscience-pacifying prize.
Altogether, this is a fine resource for upper elementary students, but I was disappointed by what was left out of the text. For STEM picture book biographies in particular, there's a real value in focusing on the work more than academic politics, because it can inspire young children to follow in the footsteps of trailblazers like Wu. Thus, despite what's lacking in Queen of Physics, the Queen of Physics herself still has power to inspire young readers to love mathematics, physics, and endless hours of lab research that may or may not result in successful findings or prizes.
A list of Wu's accomplishments from her page on womenshistory.org:
"Wu took a permanent position at Columbia in 1958 and went on to contribute to the field of medicine, conducting research to help answer important questions about sickle-cell disease. The scope of her contributions touched numerous disciplines and she was recognized many times for her professional achievements. Wu published her book, Beta Decay, in 1965 and it continues to be a reference text for nuclear physicists today. She received the Comstock Prize in Physics in 1964, the National Medal of Science in 1975, the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978, and she was the first woman to serve as president of the American Physical Society. Altogether, she received more than fifteen major awards, honorary degrees, and held at least a dozen memberships in learned societies. She worked at Columbia until she retired in 1981. Wu was a trailblazer in a male-dominated field and turned her struggles into opportunities at every turn."
However, as a historian, I have to quibble. The subtitle promises to tell us how Wu "helped unlock the secrets of the atom." Wu contributed to the Manhattan Project--likely the only Asian-American woman involved. Being the most high-profile project she worked on, this is what one finds when looking her up. Yet, the text never mentions this, not even in the brief factual bio at the end. Any child reading this book and inspired to research Wu will run into the Manhattan Project, and it should have been mentioned in the text. Leaving it out looks like a huge oversight. What was Wu's feeling toward the project? Fermi regretted it so much that he created Fermi Lab, dedicated to other uses for nuclear energy, and Argonne National Laboratory continues that work on a grand scale. The rightness of talking about the atomic bomb in a picture book is questionable, but the Manhattan Project should hav been in the bio at the end.
The author is relentlessly disappointed that Wu never received the Nobel Prize for testing her (male) colleagues' theories. Enrico Fermi, Yang Chen Ning and Lee Tsung Dao, and Richard Feynman and Murray Gell-Mann all received the Nobel Prize at different times, and neither they nor the committee credited Wu for her work. While this is terrible, it cast a somber tone to the book. Wu received lots of prizes and "firsts" in her lifetime, and seemed to be satisfied in her work, even if she never received global accolades in her lifetime.
While I, as a woman in a male-dominated field, wholly agree that historically women haven't been recognized or honored for their contributions equal to their male colleagues, I think it's important to balance the good with the bad. Robeson should have mentioned Wu's many awards alongside the Nobel Prizes she did not receive. She should have mentioned Wu's husband and son, also physicists. She should have included Wu's contributions to medicine. I don't know why Robeson chose to tell the story of the systems that maligned Wu for a few pages rather than Wu herself, who is the center of the rest of the book. To me, it seems like she's furthering the narrative that kept women like Wu down in the first place, rather than honoring her many advances in the field. Who would want to be known for not winning prizes rather than for the work they did? We can honor the work of Ada Lovelace and other female scientists who existed long before Alfred Nobel created his conscience-pacifying prize.
Altogether, this is a fine resource for upper elementary students, but I was disappointed by what was left out of the text. For STEM picture book biographies in particular, there's a real value in focusing on the work more than academic politics, because it can inspire young children to follow in the footsteps of trailblazers like Wu. Thus, despite what's lacking in Queen of Physics, the Queen of Physics herself still has power to inspire young readers to love mathematics, physics, and endless hours of lab research that may or may not result in successful findings or prizes.
A list of Wu's accomplishments from her page on womenshistory.org:
"Wu took a permanent position at Columbia in 1958 and went on to contribute to the field of medicine, conducting research to help answer important questions about sickle-cell disease. The scope of her contributions touched numerous disciplines and she was recognized many times for her professional achievements. Wu published her book, Beta Decay, in 1965 and it continues to be a reference text for nuclear physicists today. She received the Comstock Prize in Physics in 1964, the National Medal of Science in 1975, the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978, and she was the first woman to serve as president of the American Physical Society. Altogether, she received more than fifteen major awards, honorary degrees, and held at least a dozen memberships in learned societies. She worked at Columbia until she retired in 1981. Wu was a trailblazer in a male-dominated field and turned her struggles into opportunities at every turn."
March 19, 2021
In those days,
girls were not sent to school,
not considered as smart as boys,
and certainly not encouraged to be scientists.
But Mama and Baba Wu did not feel that way.
They believed girls should go to school
and could become anything they wanted.
They knew their daughter would be smart and brave,
that she would make a difference in the world.
Baba named her Chien Shiung, which means
"courageous hero."
A powerful bio about a less familiar historical figure very worthy of knowing. Chien Shiung should have been awarded the Nobel Prize more than once but it was instead awarded to the “men” she helped with projects. That’s just a little bit of what this woman accomplished. She was a teacher, a researcher, a social activist and more.
Robeson’s book tries to tackle it all. In the end, you get a very introductory sense of this person—she was strong, smart, courageous in a lot of ways. The onus is on the reader to go do more research. For example, there are two places where Robeson writes about Chien Shiung’s social activism—working against the Chinese government’s restrictions on speech and working to keep China out of WWII, but Robeson doesn’t give us a sense of what was accomplished with this activism. Robeson also describes Chien Shiung’s focus on “beta decay” as a physicist, but doesn’t explain how this impacted our everyday or at least some type of analogy that could be used by the young audience to make sense of this complicated concept.
The audience for this book is listed as age 5 and up. As discussed earlier, there are some very complicated (and complex) concepts/issues discussed in this book including – the fact that the Chinese government punished and “perhaps even killed” activists, the concept of beta decay (oh, my), the concept of winning a Nobel Prize, etc. And the illustrations do not adequately support sense making of these. A better audience for this book would be 3rd grade and up (so 8 years old and up). Fifth grade might be a good audience with an NGSS connection.
NOT A DEAL BREAKER. With younger students, they will get Robeson’s gist. With older students, it’s an opportunity to ask questions and do more research as needed. With any audience, I think readers/listeners will finish with a sense of awe (especially if the adults present help them make sense of Chien Shiung’s life and the world she lived in along the way).
LOVED THE AUTHOR'S NOTE which provides an even fuller picture of Dr. Chien Shiung's achievements. Wish there had been some photos included ;)
Just a wish. Wish there had been a pronunciation guide for names - Wu Chien Shiung, the small town she lived in as a child – Liuhe, city of Suzhou. These are early in the book and might trip you up if you are reading aloud. Do some research in advance.
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD QUESTIONS –
• What does the author mean when she writes, “Mama wept. Baba worried. But they knew their daughter had to brave the world to grow”? Based on what happens in the rest of the book, how did this come true?
• The author states multiple times that Dr. Chien Shiung was “courageous" including that her name means "courageous hero." Do you agree that she was a courageous hero? What in the story makes you think so?
• On the page that starts, “And, oh, physics!” what do the author and illustrator do to help us understand what “physics” is?
• The quotes Dr. Chien Shiung’s Baba as saying, “Ignore the obstacles. Just put your head down and keep walking forward.” How did that play out in her life?
I'd PAIR THIS BOOK WITH OTHER BIOS ABOUT STRONG WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS LIKE-
*Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom (Robeson, 2019), *Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain (Bardoe, 2018), *Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles (Valdez, 2018),
*Counting on Katherine (Becker, 2018)
*Caroline's Comet (McCully, 2017)
*Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? (2013)
Guiding questions for thinking across these titles might be, "How did these women persevere?" and "Why was it important that they persevered? How was the world changed as a result?" I've also reviewed each of these. Look for my goodreads shelf "bio-strong-women" at https://www.goodreads.com/review/list....
girls were not sent to school,
not considered as smart as boys,
and certainly not encouraged to be scientists.
But Mama and Baba Wu did not feel that way.
They believed girls should go to school
and could become anything they wanted.
They knew their daughter would be smart and brave,
that she would make a difference in the world.
Baba named her Chien Shiung, which means
"courageous hero."
A powerful bio about a less familiar historical figure very worthy of knowing. Chien Shiung should have been awarded the Nobel Prize more than once but it was instead awarded to the “men” she helped with projects. That’s just a little bit of what this woman accomplished. She was a teacher, a researcher, a social activist and more.
Robeson’s book tries to tackle it all. In the end, you get a very introductory sense of this person—she was strong, smart, courageous in a lot of ways. The onus is on the reader to go do more research. For example, there are two places where Robeson writes about Chien Shiung’s social activism—working against the Chinese government’s restrictions on speech and working to keep China out of WWII, but Robeson doesn’t give us a sense of what was accomplished with this activism. Robeson also describes Chien Shiung’s focus on “beta decay” as a physicist, but doesn’t explain how this impacted our everyday or at least some type of analogy that could be used by the young audience to make sense of this complicated concept.
The audience for this book is listed as age 5 and up. As discussed earlier, there are some very complicated (and complex) concepts/issues discussed in this book including – the fact that the Chinese government punished and “perhaps even killed” activists, the concept of beta decay (oh, my), the concept of winning a Nobel Prize, etc. And the illustrations do not adequately support sense making of these. A better audience for this book would be 3rd grade and up (so 8 years old and up). Fifth grade might be a good audience with an NGSS connection.
NOT A DEAL BREAKER. With younger students, they will get Robeson’s gist. With older students, it’s an opportunity to ask questions and do more research as needed. With any audience, I think readers/listeners will finish with a sense of awe (especially if the adults present help them make sense of Chien Shiung’s life and the world she lived in along the way).
LOVED THE AUTHOR'S NOTE which provides an even fuller picture of Dr. Chien Shiung's achievements. Wish there had been some photos included ;)
Just a wish. Wish there had been a pronunciation guide for names - Wu Chien Shiung, the small town she lived in as a child – Liuhe, city of Suzhou. These are early in the book and might trip you up if you are reading aloud. Do some research in advance.
INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD QUESTIONS –
• What does the author mean when she writes, “Mama wept. Baba worried. But they knew their daughter had to brave the world to grow”? Based on what happens in the rest of the book, how did this come true?
• The author states multiple times that Dr. Chien Shiung was “courageous" including that her name means "courageous hero." Do you agree that she was a courageous hero? What in the story makes you think so?
• On the page that starts, “And, oh, physics!” what do the author and illustrator do to help us understand what “physics” is?
• The quotes Dr. Chien Shiung’s Baba as saying, “Ignore the obstacles. Just put your head down and keep walking forward.” How did that play out in her life?
I'd PAIR THIS BOOK WITH OTHER BIOS ABOUT STRONG WOMEN IN STEM FIELDS LIKE-
*Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom (Robeson, 2019), *Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain (Bardoe, 2018), *Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles (Valdez, 2018),
*Counting on Katherine (Becker, 2018)
*Caroline's Comet (McCully, 2017)
*Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? (2013)
Guiding questions for thinking across these titles might be, "How did these women persevere?" and "Why was it important that they persevered? How was the world changed as a result?" I've also reviewed each of these. Look for my goodreads shelf "bio-strong-women" at https://www.goodreads.com/review/list....
May 2, 2021
Daughter of pioneering and courageous parents, Chien Shiung was destined to live outside of life’s limits. She and her parents would not let the limits put on girl’s education in China a century ago stop her from learning, leading and exploring her love of science and math. In chronicling Chien’s bravery and self-determination, this picture book speaks to the challenges young girls and women faced 100 years ago in China and in the United States as well as today--exorbitant sacrifices (not seeing her parents for many years), lack of recognition (overlooked three times for the Nobel Prize), and lack of access (did not get some jobs because she was a woman and because she was Asian). The book documents each of these challenges and also speaks to Chien’s feelings of sadness and frustration at having to sacrifice so much to prove herself to others. Inserting her feelings and showing the long-fought efforts she endured, Robeson tells readers how much women have achieved in spite of discrimination and how those remnants of patriarchy and discrimination remain.
Chien Shiung means “courageous hero” and this book ensures the reader knows how well she lived up to her name.
Chien Shiung means “courageous hero” and this book ensures the reader knows how well she lived up to her name.
February 5, 2020
This will be so useful! I sometimes wonder if our kids grow up thinking Marie Curie was the only famous female scientist! Now there will be a nice alternative: Wu Chien Shiung! From a small village in China where the only thing she had going for her were two exceptional parents who believed that she had equal rights to an education as boys. To make sure she got an education, her parents started a school for girls, highly unusual at this time and place! She ended up going to UC Berkely (at least that is the distinct implication, although the university wasn't named) then Columbia. She became the person that top scientists consulted about Beta decay when they were stuck. Apparently she provided substantial research and lab work on 3 different projects that many felt should have won her the Nobel prize but she never did get it. The book discusses the fact that she was discriminated against both for her gender and her ethnicity. Madame Wu seems to have had a fulfilling professional life although nothing is mentioned of her personal life. She died at age 85 in New York City. The glossary in the back is top notch! Difficult scientific concepts are explained very well, in simple language. The bibliography is divided into two sections. 1) Further Reading and 2) Selected bibliography. I assume the author used section 2 to credit books that directly contributed to this book, but section 1 as recommended further reading on Madame Wu. It would have been nice if this had been spelled out for complete information. This is an excellent example of the utility of diversifying youth literature. I hope this trend continues!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2020
I am trying to catch up on some of the big winners from the Youth Media Awards on Monday. This title won the Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature in the Picture Book category and I can definitely see why. It was wonderful to learn about Wu Chien Shiung and her lifelong pursuit of knowledge, often in the face of almost impossible odds. I think it's really important for young readers to hear stories about women in STEM and am so glad more biographies are being published in this vein. I did find myself wishing the physics had been explained a bit more, or that Wu's work was depicted visually. I had a difficult time understanding what she worked on or why it was important. This does place the focus more on her, her life and her sacrifices for her studies, but I do wish there'd been a bit more of an explanation even if it had only been in the back matter. With that said, this is an excellent introduction to a critical figure in the world of physics and readers can use the resources in the back of the book for further learning.
June 25, 2019
I’ll be honest, my background in physics is limited to what I’ve learned on the TV show “Big Bang Theory.” Robeson’s amazing biography of Wu Chien Shiung tells the story of an amazing physicist, and she does so in a way that explains the importance of her work in physics and how groundbreaking it was. This is the story of passion and persistence buoyed by the love of a family who knew their daughter could be great and did everything in their power to provide her with a good education. Wu Chien Shiung’s story is inspiring and needs to be read by all young budding scientists. Highly recommended.
March 21, 2020
Wu Chien Shiung was born on May 31, 1912 in a small town near Shanghai, China. (According to Chinese naming conventions, Wu was her last name and Chien Shiung her given name.) The author reports in a note at the end of the book that Chien Shiung’s parents believed girls to be equal to boys and thus they should receive an equivalent education. They gave their daughter a name meaning “Courageous Hero,” and they nurtured her love of learning and science.
Chien Shiung left home at age eleven to compete for a place in a boarding school for teacher training; she was ranked ninth among around 10,000 applicants. During the day, Chien Shiung attended her own classes, and at night, she studied the textbooks of her friends. She kept up this habit of self-learning her whole life.
After graduating at the top of her class in 1929, Chien Shiung, now 17, traveled to Nanjing, again by herself, to attend the National Central University. As in boarding school, Chien Shiung was recognized as a leader among students and was asked to lead political demonstrations, all while majoring in mathematics and physics.
She was encouraged to pursue her PhD abroad in the U.S., and eventually settled on the University of California at Berkeley. (She originally intended to study at the University of Michigan until she heard that women were not allowed to use the front entrance of the student center - they had to use a side entrance.)
She focused her work on beta decay, which, as the author explains in a glossary at the end of the book, is what happens when the center of an atom “decays” or breaks apart. Soon, the author reports, Chien Shiung had a deeper understanding of beta decay than just about anyone else, and other physicists came to her for consultation. She even helped shatter a fundamental concept of nuclear physics (“the parity laws”). It was such spectacular work that the male physicists involved won the Nobel Prize (but not Chien Shiung). In fact, over time, six male physicists won Nobel Prizes for the work she helped them complete, but Chien Shiung was passed over. The author writes:
“Sometimes Chien Shiung did not get the jobs she wanted either - because she was a woman, because she was Asian. Was she sad? Yes. Was she disappointed? Often. Was she discouraged? Occasionally. But she did not let those feelings stop her from doing what she loved, because Baba [her father] always said, ‘Ignore the obstacles. Just put your head down and keep walking forward.’”
She became such an exceptional physicist that the “Smithsonian” magazine called her “The First Lady of Physics Research” and “Newsweek” named her the “Queen of Physics.”
The author concludes:
“And that is how a small girl from a faraway village in China went to school, proved herself as smart as any boy, learned to be a scientist, and even became a queen!”
The Afterword adds that Wu Chien Shiung was the first woman to be hired as an instructor by Princeton and to receive an honorary doctorate from that institution; the first woman to be elected president of the American Physical Society, and the first person to receive the Wolf Prize in Physics, inter alia. (The Wolf Prize is considered the second most prestigious award in the sciences, after the Nobel Prize.)
Although it is not part of this story, Wu also made significant contributions to the “Manhattan Project” dedicated to the development of nuclear weapons during World War II. As the author of an article in "The New Inquiry" observed:
"The popular historical narrative of the Manhattan Project presents it as a masculine, western enterprise, fitting the image of the young, white, male soldier on the battlegrounds of the two world wars. Yet the work of Wu, among many others, shows that the narrative was more complicated than that. Women, non-white, and non-Western people made vital contributions to the Manhattan Project and the physics underlying it. They disappeared from the history of the project as it was used to reinforce the image of the US as the leading Western superpower, both politically and scientifically. The forgotten history of Wu is one where state politics meets gender politics to the detriment of our understanding of scientific development."
Wu died in 1997 in New York City.
Illustrator Rebecca Huang uses mixed-media images that include chalkboards full of equations and nuclear symbols floating around the text.
Evaluation: This book, for ages six and up, does a nice job of explaining any complicated concepts central to Wu's story, and emphasizing the obstacles Wu faced on account of her gender and race. Children will no doubt be amazed at the bravery of the little girl who traveled many miles away from home and from her beloved family in pursuit of an education. Wu’s story is pretty amazing, and it was gratifying to see it made available to inspire children. An included short bibliography will guide them to additional resources.
Chien Shiung left home at age eleven to compete for a place in a boarding school for teacher training; she was ranked ninth among around 10,000 applicants. During the day, Chien Shiung attended her own classes, and at night, she studied the textbooks of her friends. She kept up this habit of self-learning her whole life.
After graduating at the top of her class in 1929, Chien Shiung, now 17, traveled to Nanjing, again by herself, to attend the National Central University. As in boarding school, Chien Shiung was recognized as a leader among students and was asked to lead political demonstrations, all while majoring in mathematics and physics.
She was encouraged to pursue her PhD abroad in the U.S., and eventually settled on the University of California at Berkeley. (She originally intended to study at the University of Michigan until she heard that women were not allowed to use the front entrance of the student center - they had to use a side entrance.)
She focused her work on beta decay, which, as the author explains in a glossary at the end of the book, is what happens when the center of an atom “decays” or breaks apart. Soon, the author reports, Chien Shiung had a deeper understanding of beta decay than just about anyone else, and other physicists came to her for consultation. She even helped shatter a fundamental concept of nuclear physics (“the parity laws”). It was such spectacular work that the male physicists involved won the Nobel Prize (but not Chien Shiung). In fact, over time, six male physicists won Nobel Prizes for the work she helped them complete, but Chien Shiung was passed over. The author writes:
“Sometimes Chien Shiung did not get the jobs she wanted either - because she was a woman, because she was Asian. Was she sad? Yes. Was she disappointed? Often. Was she discouraged? Occasionally. But she did not let those feelings stop her from doing what she loved, because Baba [her father] always said, ‘Ignore the obstacles. Just put your head down and keep walking forward.’”
She became such an exceptional physicist that the “Smithsonian” magazine called her “The First Lady of Physics Research” and “Newsweek” named her the “Queen of Physics.”
The author concludes:
“And that is how a small girl from a faraway village in China went to school, proved herself as smart as any boy, learned to be a scientist, and even became a queen!”
The Afterword adds that Wu Chien Shiung was the first woman to be hired as an instructor by Princeton and to receive an honorary doctorate from that institution; the first woman to be elected president of the American Physical Society, and the first person to receive the Wolf Prize in Physics, inter alia. (The Wolf Prize is considered the second most prestigious award in the sciences, after the Nobel Prize.)
Although it is not part of this story, Wu also made significant contributions to the “Manhattan Project” dedicated to the development of nuclear weapons during World War II. As the author of an article in "The New Inquiry" observed:
"The popular historical narrative of the Manhattan Project presents it as a masculine, western enterprise, fitting the image of the young, white, male soldier on the battlegrounds of the two world wars. Yet the work of Wu, among many others, shows that the narrative was more complicated than that. Women, non-white, and non-Western people made vital contributions to the Manhattan Project and the physics underlying it. They disappeared from the history of the project as it was used to reinforce the image of the US as the leading Western superpower, both politically and scientifically. The forgotten history of Wu is one where state politics meets gender politics to the detriment of our understanding of scientific development."
Wu died in 1997 in New York City.
Illustrator Rebecca Huang uses mixed-media images that include chalkboards full of equations and nuclear symbols floating around the text.
Evaluation: This book, for ages six and up, does a nice job of explaining any complicated concepts central to Wu's story, and emphasizing the obstacles Wu faced on account of her gender and race. Children will no doubt be amazed at the bravery of the little girl who traveled many miles away from home and from her beloved family in pursuit of an education. Wu’s story is pretty amazing, and it was gratifying to see it made available to inspire children. An included short bibliography will guide them to additional resources.
June 1, 2020
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom is a children's picture book written by Teresa Robeson and illustrated by Rebecca Huang. It chronicles the life of Chien-Shiung Wu from her birth in a small child in China to becoming one of the preeminent physicists.
Chien-Shiung Wu was a Chinese-American experimental physicist who made significant contributions in the field of nuclear physics. Wu worked on the Manhattan Project, where she helped develop the process for separating uranium into uranium-235 and uranium-238 isotopes by gaseous diffusion. She is best known for conducting the Wu experiment, which contradicted the hypothetical law of conservation of parity. Her expertise in experimental physics evoked comparisons to Marie Curie. Her nicknames include the "First Lady of Physics", the "Chinese Madame Curie" and the "Queen of Nuclear Research".
Robeson’s text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It depicts the life of Chien-Shiung Wu, who was born in China, where her family went against societal norms and allowed her to go to school and she fell in love with science and eventually became a physicist that was a part of the Manhattan Project. Additional information is provided at the end of the book. Huang’s illustrations are a tad simplistic, but are perfect for the target audience.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Born over a hundred years ago, Chien-Shiung Wu was fortunate to be born in a progressive family, as girls were considered less than boys, but her parents sent her to school where she excelled in science. Eventually, she would become the preeminent physicist and helped her male colleagues win the Nobel Prize. Sadly, Chien-Shiung Wu is not well known outside the field of physics, yet contributed so much in the field.
All in all, Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom is a wonderful biography of a preeminent physicist that should be more well-known – Chien-Shiung Wu, the Queen of Physics.
Chien-Shiung Wu was a Chinese-American experimental physicist who made significant contributions in the field of nuclear physics. Wu worked on the Manhattan Project, where she helped develop the process for separating uranium into uranium-235 and uranium-238 isotopes by gaseous diffusion. She is best known for conducting the Wu experiment, which contradicted the hypothetical law of conservation of parity. Her expertise in experimental physics evoked comparisons to Marie Curie. Her nicknames include the "First Lady of Physics", the "Chinese Madame Curie" and the "Queen of Nuclear Research".
Robeson’s text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It depicts the life of Chien-Shiung Wu, who was born in China, where her family went against societal norms and allowed her to go to school and she fell in love with science and eventually became a physicist that was a part of the Manhattan Project. Additional information is provided at the end of the book. Huang’s illustrations are a tad simplistic, but are perfect for the target audience.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Born over a hundred years ago, Chien-Shiung Wu was fortunate to be born in a progressive family, as girls were considered less than boys, but her parents sent her to school where she excelled in science. Eventually, she would become the preeminent physicist and helped her male colleagues win the Nobel Prize. Sadly, Chien-Shiung Wu is not well known outside the field of physics, yet contributed so much in the field.
All in all, Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom is a wonderful biography of a preeminent physicist that should be more well-known – Chien-Shiung Wu, the Queen of Physics.
January 21, 2020
This book is amazing right from the start: Rebecca Huang's cover features a blissful picture of Wu Chien Shiung wearing a lab coat and pearls.
The book dives right into what will become of Wu Chien Shiung who was born in China where "in those days, girls were not sent to school." But surprisingly, her parents not only believed girls should go to school but they also had created their own school just for girls. This belief in their children continues throughout the book as Wu Chien Shiung continues to go farther and farther in life with their support and love always with her.
The book continue to take us through her life: through her education, her courageousness to stand up and lead against a repressive government, and her incredibly impressive work in physics.
This book made me so proud and so sad for Wu Chien Shiung. Time after time after time, men came to Wu Chien Shiung to get help proving their theories and every single time, she did it! BUT the scientific community continued to give Nobel Prizes to these men she helped instead of her. Thank goodness for Smithsonian magazine and Newsweek for seeing her for who she was and naming her "The First Lady of Physics Research" and "Queen of Physics" respectively.
I am so glad that today women get more credit for what they do, but also so happy that Wu Chien Shiung got to pursue what she loved with the support of her family no matter what others tried to tell her she couldn't do.
If you want an inspirational and beautiful book to inspire the children in your life, you'll definitely want to get a copy of Queen of Physics How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom. Thank you, Teresa, for sharing this woman's amazing story!
The book dives right into what will become of Wu Chien Shiung who was born in China where "in those days, girls were not sent to school." But surprisingly, her parents not only believed girls should go to school but they also had created their own school just for girls. This belief in their children continues throughout the book as Wu Chien Shiung continues to go farther and farther in life with their support and love always with her.
The book continue to take us through her life: through her education, her courageousness to stand up and lead against a repressive government, and her incredibly impressive work in physics.
This book made me so proud and so sad for Wu Chien Shiung. Time after time after time, men came to Wu Chien Shiung to get help proving their theories and every single time, she did it! BUT the scientific community continued to give Nobel Prizes to these men she helped instead of her. Thank goodness for Smithsonian magazine and Newsweek for seeing her for who she was and naming her "The First Lady of Physics Research" and "Queen of Physics" respectively.
I am so glad that today women get more credit for what they do, but also so happy that Wu Chien Shiung got to pursue what she loved with the support of her family no matter what others tried to tell her she couldn't do.
If you want an inspirational and beautiful book to inspire the children in your life, you'll definitely want to get a copy of Queen of Physics How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom. Thank you, Teresa, for sharing this woman's amazing story!
October 12, 2020
The book I read was "Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom" and I found it on the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association.
The book Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom, is about physicist Wu Chien Shiung and her life journey. The text focused on her life growing up in China and discussed how she was unable to attend school because she was a girl. It also focused on a strong family dynamic and how they were very supportive of her education. The book also touched on protests and how she used her voice to share her thoughts. It was done in a way that allowed for students at this age to understand it but also made sure to show the importance of this action. I also like how the book showed that even though she was very successful it was still difficult for her to get recognized because of her gender and her nationality. Even though the book did focus on Chinese culture, young girls can make a connection to the main character because of the discrimination she faces as a female in a male dominated field.
The author and illustrator did a great job of representing the Chinese culture and Wu Chien Shiung. The author is someone who was born in China and even though she moved to Canada, she did a great job of representing and embracing the Chinese culture in an authentic perspective. Even though we were focusing primarily on a specific person, she did include aspects of Chinese culture from a small town.
It is a great read for young students and a way for them to learn about gender discrimination and about the Chinese culture!
The book Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom, is about physicist Wu Chien Shiung and her life journey. The text focused on her life growing up in China and discussed how she was unable to attend school because she was a girl. It also focused on a strong family dynamic and how they were very supportive of her education. The book also touched on protests and how she used her voice to share her thoughts. It was done in a way that allowed for students at this age to understand it but also made sure to show the importance of this action. I also like how the book showed that even though she was very successful it was still difficult for her to get recognized because of her gender and her nationality. Even though the book did focus on Chinese culture, young girls can make a connection to the main character because of the discrimination she faces as a female in a male dominated field.
The author and illustrator did a great job of representing the Chinese culture and Wu Chien Shiung. The author is someone who was born in China and even though she moved to Canada, she did a great job of representing and embracing the Chinese culture in an authentic perspective. Even though we were focusing primarily on a specific person, she did include aspects of Chinese culture from a small town.
It is a great read for young students and a way for them to learn about gender discrimination and about the Chinese culture!
February 10, 2020
This was among amazing titles on my shrinking list of favorite nonfiction elementary books while serving on the round one CYBILS Awards panel in November and December. I love so many things about picture books, especially nonfiction. Near the top of those things is discovering entirely new information!
That makes me sound like a know-it-all, but the lists of things I do not know about is endless.
However, I have lived many years, reading widely throughout them all, and it is not a common experience to encounter someone as important as this woman, Wu Chien Shiung, having never even HEARD of her before.
I was enthralled by and proud of her forward-thinking parents. They valued her beyond culturally limited definitions of a girl born in China at that time. They gave her a name that embodied courage, and she never disappointed. Their faith in her and challenge to fulfill her potential was a lifelong inspiration.
In exchange, though, her hard work, insights, brilliance, discoveries, and overall scientific wizardry were utilized by male scientists without giving her the credit due. In fact, her foundational work earned others NOBEL PRIZES, but her name was not included.
I was very taken by the interpretation of her life story in text and illustrations, including helpful back matter.
I'm thrilled that this is such an appealing book because the story of this PHYSICS QUEEN will be hidden no more!
That makes me sound like a know-it-all, but the lists of things I do not know about is endless.
However, I have lived many years, reading widely throughout them all, and it is not a common experience to encounter someone as important as this woman, Wu Chien Shiung, having never even HEARD of her before.
I was enthralled by and proud of her forward-thinking parents. They valued her beyond culturally limited definitions of a girl born in China at that time. They gave her a name that embodied courage, and she never disappointed. Their faith in her and challenge to fulfill her potential was a lifelong inspiration.
In exchange, though, her hard work, insights, brilliance, discoveries, and overall scientific wizardry were utilized by male scientists without giving her the credit due. In fact, her foundational work earned others NOBEL PRIZES, but her name was not included.
I was very taken by the interpretation of her life story in text and illustrations, including helpful back matter.
I'm thrilled that this is such an appealing book because the story of this PHYSICS QUEEN will be hidden no more!
February 1, 2020
Wu Chien Shiung (1912-1997) was a physicist born in China.
Her parents made sure she was adequately educated, even if that meant she had to live far away from them. Chien Shiung developed a passion for math and eventually, physics very quickly! She would sneak and read her friends' textbooks to learn everything she could.
Chien Shiung means courageous hero, and it was fitting. She would lead an underground group to fight against the Chinese government even though she could have been punished or killed.
She eventually moved to the United States, where she continued her study of physics. Chien Shiung helped many scientists with their research that earned them Nobel Prizes. She never got credit for her work.
Although Chien Shiung never got the appropriate recognition, she definitely was a trailblazer.
She was the first female instructor at Princeton University.
She was the first female president of The American Physical Society.
She was the first person to receive the Wolf Prize in Physics.
She rightfully earned the nickname Queen of Physics.
Her parents made sure she was adequately educated, even if that meant she had to live far away from them. Chien Shiung developed a passion for math and eventually, physics very quickly! She would sneak and read her friends' textbooks to learn everything she could.
Chien Shiung means courageous hero, and it was fitting. She would lead an underground group to fight against the Chinese government even though she could have been punished or killed.
She eventually moved to the United States, where she continued her study of physics. Chien Shiung helped many scientists with their research that earned them Nobel Prizes. She never got credit for her work.
Although Chien Shiung never got the appropriate recognition, she definitely was a trailblazer.
She was the first female instructor at Princeton University.
She was the first female president of The American Physical Society.
She was the first person to receive the Wolf Prize in Physics.
She rightfully earned the nickname Queen of Physics.
December 8, 2019
With beautiful illustrations that accentuate the detailed world of physics, Queen of Physics details the life of a woman whose true passion was the math and science behind our universe. As the leading scientist in parity violation among other atom-related theories, she became well-known and revered for answering questions that other white male scientists had no idea how to even tackle.
Battling both sexism and racism, she still determined to unlock various secrets. She lived up to her name, "Courageous Hero", in many different examples that the author lists.
Overall, this is great for the curious child who loves science and physics, great for the parent who wants to add more diverse books to their repertoire, and perfect for children from grades 2-4.
Review cross-listed here!
Battling both sexism and racism, she still determined to unlock various secrets. She lived up to her name, "Courageous Hero", in many different examples that the author lists.
Overall, this is great for the curious child who loves science and physics, great for the parent who wants to add more diverse books to their repertoire, and perfect for children from grades 2-4.
Review cross-listed here!
September 29, 2019
Engaging, inspiring PB biography. Teresa Robeson introduces brilliant Wu Chen Shiung & her work with beta decay, parity & how her work helped others win Nobel prizes. Woman in STEM. A wonderful book! Wu led a life of passion. She was born in China over 100 years ago when girls were not educated, yet her parents encouraged and found ways to educate Chen Shiung. Wu overcame prejudice and continued her education, local school, National Central University in China, and then traveling to United States. Immersed herself in study. - first woman instructor Princeton U, first woman president of The American Physical Society, etc. Glossary w analogy definitions a plus. Love to have these types of books in my classroom.
December 13, 2019
I loved the art and illustrations in this book and the concept of profiling Wu Chien Siung. As a former physics teacher I love that it showcases a woman in science and the struggles she went through (not to mention as an Asian woman in the first half of the 20th century).
However, I felt the text layout, spacing, and fonts to be inconsistent and distracting.I felt like I was reading an early draft. Some parts were heavily detailed and others were glossed over. I was looking for a little more consistency both in formatting and subject matter.
I would still add this to a school library collection as an upper grade STEM biography. 3.5/5
However, I felt the text layout, spacing, and fonts to be inconsistent and distracting.I felt like I was reading an early draft. Some parts were heavily detailed and others were glossed over. I was looking for a little more consistency both in formatting and subject matter.
I would still add this to a school library collection as an upper grade STEM biography. 3.5/5
September 23, 2020
Really enjoyed this biography of Wu Chien Shiung, and her scientific work dissecting and measuring atoms, atomic speed, and parity. While many people have heard of how Watson and Crick took Rosalind Franklin's research and won the Nobel Prize, this book shows how Wu Chien Shiung was not recognized for proving theorems and hypotheses by Fermi, Feynman, Yang Chen Ning and Lee Tsung Dao. Being both Asian and a woman, she faced both racist and sexist discrimination, yet still persisted in her mathematical and scientific fields, living up to her name, which translates as "courageous hero"
This book is written and illustrated by Chinese-American women.
This book is written and illustrated by Chinese-American women.
October 9, 2019
If you're a writer, this is a perfect example of a non-fiction picture book.
This book tells the story of Wu Chien Shiung for young children, without being overly wordy. Wu Chien Shiung faced prejudice against women in China in the early 1900's and also racism in the US against Asians.
It has a glossary of words in the back along with further suggested reading. Teresa Robeson participated in the We Need Diverse Books mentorship prgram and worked with Jane Yolen. Robeson is an excellent writer and I look forward to reading more of her picture books.
This book tells the story of Wu Chien Shiung for young children, without being overly wordy. Wu Chien Shiung faced prejudice against women in China in the early 1900's and also racism in the US against Asians.
It has a glossary of words in the back along with further suggested reading. Teresa Robeson participated in the We Need Diverse Books mentorship prgram and worked with Jane Yolen. Robeson is an excellent writer and I look forward to reading more of her picture books.
March 28, 2019
The inspiring story of Wu Chien-Shiung, nicknamed Queen of Physics, who was born in a small town in China back when girls weren't educated, and who made her way to the United States. Teresa Robeson tells the story of how Wu's groundbreaking experiments on beta decay and parity helped her male colleagues win Nobel prizes using beautiful and lyrical language. A great read for anyone interested in the hidden history of girls and women in STEM.
October 27, 2019
This biography of Wu Chien Shiung touches on many themes: equality, perseverance, determination, prejudice, and courage. From when she was a little girl going to school in China (girls weren't educated 100 years ago) to her acclaimed career as a physicist (although she was passed over for the Nobel Prize three times), Chien Shiung defied norms and odds again and again, often paving the way for women and minorities in science fields in the United States. She truly was the "Queen of Physics".
November 8, 2019
The amazing story of Wu Chien-Shiung, (Queen of Physics) who was born in China at a time when girls weren't educated. Teresa Robeson tells the story of how Wu's experiments helped her male colleagues win Nobel prizes using beautiful language. A must-read for every classroom, library, and absolutely anyone interested in girl power stories and STEM!
February 1, 2021
Did you know...
-Wu Chien Shiung's name means Courageous Hero?
-not only a well-educated woman, but a self-taught learner?
-Proved Beta Decay in her studies?
-lost out on the Nobel Prize 3 times?
-earned the title of Queen of Physics?
Read more about this incredible woman in this Asian Pacific Island Award Winner.
-Wu Chien Shiung's name means Courageous Hero?
-not only a well-educated woman, but a self-taught learner?
-Proved Beta Decay in her studies?
-lost out on the Nobel Prize 3 times?
-earned the title of Queen of Physics?
Read more about this incredible woman in this Asian Pacific Island Award Winner.
April 5, 2021
Wu Chien Shiung was an amazing physicist who overcame many difficulties and became a queen in her profession!
I loved this picture book and my children did so too! ❤️
I wish there were more and more brilliant biographical picture books like this one! I feel really touched by the words of the author even if them target audience is younger people!
I loved this picture book and my children did so too! ❤️
I wish there were more and more brilliant biographical picture books like this one! I feel really touched by the words of the author even if them target audience is younger people!
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February 23, 2020This wonderful picture book biography introduces Wu Chien Shiung, a Chinese-American physicist whose work and discoveries helped several men win Nobel Prizes, although she was never credited or awarded herself. This is a must-have for those interested in women in STEM.
March 22, 2021
This one fascinated my 4 year old and the illustrates engaged my 1 year old. Already have received requests to re-read it after lunch! I had never heard of Wu Chien Shiung before and am glad to know about her incredible life and monumental discoveries and scientific achievements.
February 11, 2020
Thoughtful biography of a notable and underusing woman physicist. Back matter offers more biographical information and additional resources.
December 17, 2021
A must-have for all nonfiction collections. Women in science continue not to get the recognition they deserve; correcting the historical record on this front (and addressing current issues) is so important. This book makes it clear that there were several discoveries that should have earned Wu the Nobel Prize but she never won it. She garnered many firsts as a woman in science and an Asian woman in science. She was an activist and a lifelong learner. Wu is another woman that I'm frustrated I didn't know about until now.
The book has a lot of text. There is a glossary at the back explaining the scientific vocabulary. Advanced readers interested in biographies will enjoy this book. It should also be in every science classroom at least through high school. There is a "Further Reading" and "Selected Bibliography" in the back content for readers who want to learn more.
The illustrations use a cool color palette. I didn't find the artwork all that interesting. According to the illustrator's website, "She likes to play with color and shapes with mixed media. She employs printmaking and color pencil in her work, too." To see a few pages, check out her website: http://www.rebeccamhuang.com/#/new-ga...
The book has a lot of text. There is a glossary at the back explaining the scientific vocabulary. Advanced readers interested in biographies will enjoy this book. It should also be in every science classroom at least through high school. There is a "Further Reading" and "Selected Bibliography" in the back content for readers who want to learn more.
The illustrations use a cool color palette. I didn't find the artwork all that interesting. According to the illustrator's website, "She likes to play with color and shapes with mixed media. She employs printmaking and color pencil in her work, too." To see a few pages, check out her website: http://www.rebeccamhuang.com/#/new-ga...
April 18, 2020
Always a big fan of picture book biographies, I didn't know about Wu Chien Shiung so Robeson's book was a fun experience with serious implications about women in science. Wu spent all of her life pursuing education and her passion for science, proving theories, providing documentation of events, testing hypotheses, but it took several MAJOR achievements in which SHE was the person who did it, before she actually received the recognition of major scientists- a Nobel Prize- because of bias against her sex as well as her ethnicity.
The visuals of her chronological life including education (very similar to Yousafzai's too in which her father wholeheartedly believed she should be educated and actually opened up a girl's school to do just that) through her career in science before her passing, but the label, Queen of Physics stuck and it seems, aptly named! The color scheme was warm and calming.
The visuals of her chronological life including education (very similar to Yousafzai's too in which her father wholeheartedly believed she should be educated and actually opened up a girl's school to do just that) through her career in science before her passing, but the label, Queen of Physics stuck and it seems, aptly named! The color scheme was warm and calming.
March 10, 2021
A young biography of the Chinese woman who overcame sexism and racism to become the first of at least 5 things listed in the back of the book.
With the encouragement and support of loving parents, who believed girls were just as good as boys, Chien Shiung began school in her parents school for girls and continued on to a school 50 miles from home. Graduating with top grades she went on to the National Central University. Then on to Berkeley, then Columbia. Many think that she was overlooked for three Nobel Prizes. At least the Smithsonian called her "The Frist Lady of Physics Research" and Newsweek declared her the "Queen of Physics." A bit more of her story is detailed in the back and a glossary is provided. Further reading suggestions and a selected bibliography complete the book.
With the encouragement and support of loving parents, who believed girls were just as good as boys, Chien Shiung began school in her parents school for girls and continued on to a school 50 miles from home. Graduating with top grades she went on to the National Central University. Then on to Berkeley, then Columbia. Many think that she was overlooked for three Nobel Prizes. At least the Smithsonian called her "The Frist Lady of Physics Research" and Newsweek declared her the "Queen of Physics." A bit more of her story is detailed in the back and a glossary is provided. Further reading suggestions and a selected bibliography complete the book.
January 21, 2022
This book tells the inspirational story of Wu Chien Shiung and her persistence in defying social norms and how far it took her. I was moved by the lens that this story was written in, where something people may often overlook, could tell about sacrifice and dedication to following one's dreams and swimming against what was expected of them. Wu Chien Shiung had to immerse herself in a world that would often overlook her, as an Asian Woman in early 1900s America, but was resilient and made a monumental impact in our world. Hearing these stories are imperative for us as humans, and particularly young children in marginalized groups, because it allows them to be seen and validated and see themselves in these resilient characters.
March 3, 2021
So much good information is packed into this short biography. Wu Chien-Shiung has done so much in the field of physics, and she experienced racism and sexism in the field. In fact, it is acknowledged that her work led to other people getting the Nobel Prize, not once, not twice, but THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THRICE, as David Rose would say. That is ridiculous. She should have gotten it.
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