STOLEN SCIENCE, by Ella Schwartz and Gaby D’Alessandro, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Aug. 31, 2021, Hardcover, $21.99 (ages 9 and up)
Stolen Science, by Ella Schwartz and illustrated by Gaby D’Alessandro, brings together the stories of uncredited scientists and inventors throughout the ages.
Over the centuries, women, people from underrepresented communities, and immigrants overcame prejudices and social obstacles to make remarkable discoveries in science — but they weren’t the ones to receive credit in history books. People with more power, money, and prestige were remembered as the inventor of the telephone, the scientists who decoded the structure of DNA, and the doctor who discovered the cause of yellow fever. This book aims to set the record straight and celebrate the nearly forgotten inventors and scientists who shaped our world today. —Synopsis provided by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
From an unrecognized woman paleontologist and the man who actually invented the telephone to the man who unlocked the secrets of yellow fever and the woman who discovered the roles of XX and XY chromosomes, Stolen Science features 13 amazing scientists and inventors.
Each chapter spans only a few pages — the book is 122 pages long —but features a wealth of information. Not only is there an interesting and engaging biography for each person, but a section that further explains “What’s the science?” Beautifully intricate images by Gaby D’Alessandro go beyond simple portraits, with each hinting at the discoveries in store.
Stolen Science is fascinating look at some of the movers and shakers overlooked by history. Though intended for middle-readers, it’s a book that should appeal to young adults and adults, too. It will be included on my holiday gift guide at the end of November.
