________________ CM . . . . Volume XV Number 18. . . .May 1, 2009

cover

Marie Curie. (Kids Can Read).

Elizabeth MacLeod. Illustrated by John Mantha.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2009.
32 pp., pbk. & hc., $5.95 (pbk.), $14.95 (hc.).
ISBN 978-1-55453-297-1 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-55453-296-4 (hc.).

Subject Headings:
Curie, Marie, 1867-1934-Juvenile literature.
Woman chemists-Poland-Biography-Juvenile literature.
Woman physicists-Poland-Biography-Juvenile literature.

Grades 1-3 / Ages 6-8.

Review by Rosemary Hollett.

*** /4

   

excerpt:

Marie began studying rocks that contained a metal called uranium. She had heard that uranium gives off invisible rays. Scientists call these rays "radiation." Marie wanted to learn more about radiation.

 

This book, Marie Curie, is part of the "Kids Can Read" series of biographies by author Elizabeth MacLeod.

internal art     In it, we meet Marie Curie, "One of the most famous scientists ever! The first woman to win the world's top science prize! The first person to win it twice! Marie Curie was all of these things."

      On every page we discover Marie's story told in a simple but appealing style. We learn that Marie grew up in Poland, the youngest of five children. She was very smart but extremely shy. In order to attend university in Paris, Marie worked as a teacher for a rich family. Soon after graduating at the top of her class, Marie met and married Pierre Curie. They worked closely together and went on to discover new metals radium and polonium (named for Marie's birth country).

      As with other titles in the Level 3 "Kids Can Read Alone" series, the information is presented at an appropriate language level, with "more challenging vocabulary, language play and minimal repetition." The layout is balanced with illustrations and text occupying each page, so that the young reader feels confident approaching the subject. The illustrations by artist John Mantha are softly rendered with enough detail to provide visual clues to the accompanying text.

      The book ends with a short facts page about Marie. This acts as a summary of the text. There is also a listing of other Level 3 non-fiction readers sure to appeal to curious minds.

      Teachers and librarians will want to add this title to their biography collection for young readers.

Recommended.

Rosemary Hollett is Librarian at St. Emile School in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

NEXT REVIEW | TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - May 1, 2009.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME