Budding scientists will surely draw inspiration from this biography of Linnaeus, whom Anderson dubs ``the greatest botanist of all time.'' Linnaeus and his world—18th-century Sweden—may seem far removed from most middle-graders' experiences, but Anderson creates a dramatic narrative fully capable of keeping readers enthralled. The elements of Linnaeus's life are used to maximum effect: At nine he was told that he was a hopeless student; as a young man, he perfected his own system of binomial nomenclature used to classify plant life. Throughout the story, Anderson shows how the personal side of Linnaeus's life affected his profession: Although he was beset by financial problems for years, he succeeded as an explorer and scientist, eventually achieving fame and wealth as a college professor with a family of his own. The portrait is accurately rendered, and although Linnaeus is imperfect by 20th-century standards—refusing to educate his daughters and remaining distant from his wife—Anderson finds in his life an upbeat story of a man achieving his dreams. (b&w illustrations, not seen, chronology, notes, further reading, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 11-13)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-89490-786-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Enslow
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In this abridged and illustrated version of his Short History of Nearly Everything (2003), Bryson invites a younger crowd of seekers on a tour of time, space and science—from the Big Bang and the birth of the solar system to the growth and study of life on Earth. The single-topic spreads are adorned with cartoon portraits of scientists, explorers and (frequently) the author himself, which go with small nature photos and the occasional chart or cutaway view. Though occasionally subject to sweeping and dubious statements—“There’s no chance we could ever make a journey through the solar system”—Bryson makes a genial guide (“for you to be here now, trillions of drifting atoms had somehow to come together in a complicated and obliging manner to create you”), and readers with even a flicker of curiosity in their souls about Big Ideas will come away sharing his wonder at living in such a “fickle and eventful universe.” (index) (Nonfiction. 11-13)
Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-385-73810-1
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2009
The Pumpkin Book (32 pp.; $16.95; Sept. 15; 0-8234-1465-5): From seed to vine and blossom to table, Gibbons traces the growth cycle of everyone’s favorite autumn symbol—the pumpkin. Meticulous drawings detail the transformation of tiny seeds to the colorful gourds that appear at roadside stands and stores in the fall. Directions for planting a pumpkin patch, carving a jack-o’-lantern, and drying the seeds give young gardeners the instructions they need to grow and enjoy their own golden globes. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 1999
ISBN: 0-8234-1465-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1999
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