An inspiring account of women who pursued scientific excellence and opened doors for others.
A biographical verse novel about women born decades apart who followed their passions to become pioneers in their respective scientific fields.
Irish American Mary Agnes discovered her love for drawing and observing patches of nature around her late-19th-century Chicago home as a child. She dreamed of studying botany but left school after eighth grade, working as a newspaper proofreader to help her struggling family. For years she did illustrations on the side, eventually becoming a botanical illustrator at the Smithsonian Institution and, later, a senior botanist. In early-20th-century Washington, D.C., young Marguerite studied the rocks and soil along the Anacostia River. She was torn between her burgeoning dream of being a teacher and the need to help her family financially. As a Black girl, Marguerite struggled to allow herself to admit her ambitions, but, surrounded by trailblazing Black women, she persevered, ultimately chairing the geography department at Miner Teachers College and becoming the first African American person to earn a PhD in geology. This story, rich in historical details, is a love letter to the power of individuals to bring about change and uplift others. Atkins deftly brings Mary Agnes Chase’s and Marguerite Thomas Williams’ environments and scientific pursuits to life through language that’s alternately poetic and direct, making the decades of history she covers both thought-provoking and accessible to young readers.
An inspiring account of women who pursued scientific excellence and opened doors for others. (author’s note, timelines, character notes) (Verse historical fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2025
ISBN: 9781665950572
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
A beautiful, powerful reflection on a tragic history.
In spare verse, Lowry reflects on moments in her childhood, including the bombings of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima.
When she was a child, Lowry played at Waikiki Beach with her grandmother while her father filmed. In the old home movie, the USS Arizona appears through the mist on the horizon. Looking back at her childhood in Hawaii and then Japan, Lowry reflects on the bombings that began and ended a war and how they affected and connected everyone involved. In Part 1, she shares the lives and actions of sailors at Pearl Harbor. Part 2 is stories of civilians in Hiroshima affected by the bombing. Part 3 presents her own experience as an American in Japan shortly after the war ended. The poems bring the haunting human scale of war to the forefront, like the Christmas cards a sailor sent days before he died or the 4-year-old who was buried with his red tricycle after Hiroshima. All the personal stories—of sailors, civilians, and Lowry herself—are grounding. There is heartbreak and hope, reminding readers to reflect on the past to create a more peaceful future. Lowry uses a variety of poetry styles, identifying some, such as triolet and haiku. Pak’s graphite illustrations are like still shots of history, adding to the emotion and somber feeling. He includes some sailors of color among the mostly white U.S. forces; Lowry is white.
A beautiful, powerful reflection on a tragic history. (author’s note, bibliography) (Memoir/poetry. 10-14)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-358-12940-0
Page Count: 80
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
PROFILES
Brilliantly executed; a tender yet unflinching look at students who often, tragically, slip between the cracks.
Sometimes people have more in common than we think.
Three middle schoolers from an economically depressed community share the narration in this exciting mix of prose, poetry, and comics. Visual cues introduce readers to sections narrated by Manny Fueyo via his composition notebook, which is filled with lyrics about his life; Calvin Johnson, who has a sketchbook full of drawings and comic strips; and Liam Miller, who writes his journal entries in a graph-ruled notebook. The three initially appear very different. Mexican American Manny is disengaged at school and would rather be at the skate park. Calvin, who appears Black, is an aspiring artist whose schoolwork suffers as he’s forced to care for his younger brothers due to his father’s grueling work schedule. And anxious, white-presenting Liam, an academically focused loner whose father is a janitor, is silently suffering cruel bullying. Through happenstance, the three cross paths when they land in detention, where they realize how much they share. Ogle masterfully juggles the three storylines, much to the benefit of readers looking for a story that exudes authenticity. Striving readers will meet three new friends; the story’s unique format allows for an easier read without sacrificing plot, character development, or gravitas, an equally welcome combination for advanced readers seeking depth and nuance.
Brilliantly executed; a tender yet unflinching look at students who often, tragically, slip between the cracks. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781324124894
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
PERSPECTIVES
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