Scientist Biographies and Occupations

Includes biographies that promote learning of the sciences and books about careers in the sciences.

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Atkins, Jeannine. Wings and rockets : the story of women in air and space / Jeannine Atkins ; pictures by Dusan Petricic. New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003. ISBN: 0374384509. Favorably Reviewed. Wings and Rockets: The Story of Women in Air and Space

This chapter book begins with Katharine Wright in 1903 and ends with Commander Eileen Collins and the space shuttle. In between, each chapter tells about a pioneering woman like Blanche Stuart Scott, Bessie Coleman, Jerrie Cobb, and Shannon Lucid. The focus is on their strength and determination although some of the writing is fictionalized. Many additional resources (web sites, bibliography, chronology and index) included. (strong 4th grade+). Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03).

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Bail, Raymond. Portrait of a farm family / Raymond Bial. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1995. 0395699363. (Ages 8+) Grade: A.

A detailed and informative look at an Illinois farm family. The photographs are excellent and the text is clear and includes concepts of farm economics. 02-06.

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Carpenter, Scott. For spacious skies : the uncommon journey of a Mercury astronaut / Scott Carpenter and Kris Stoever. Orlando, Fla. : Harcourt, c2002. 0151004676 (Ages 12+) Favorably Reviewed

"Carpenter was the 4th American in space. His mission in 1962, included three orbits around the Earth, a parallel to John Glenn's flight. Carpenter's mission was altered by a malfunction in the navigation system, which caused the splashdown of the capsule to be over 200 miles off target, creating a debate of whether or not Carpenter was at fault. Like many of the Mercury astronauts, he was in the shadow of John Glenn's successful mission." ©2003 Shirley Miller, Adult Services/Reference Librarian. All rights reserved.

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Cummins, Julie. Tomboy of the air : daredevil pilot Blanche Stuart Scott / by Julie Cummins. New York : HarperCollins Publishers, c2001. ISBN: 0060291389. Favorably Reviewed. Tomboy of the Air: Daredevil Pilot Blanche Stuart Scott

"Daredevil" is right; she started to drive at age 13 in Rochester, New York and, like Anne Ramsey, later drove cross-country. Flying alone by 1910, she is often recognized as the first (unlicensed) female American pilot. Well-researched with chronology, bibliography and black and white photos. Notable Social Studies Book and a School Library Journal starred review. (Grades 3+) Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03).

Spotlight long review: Fleischman, John. Phineas Gage : a gruesome but true story about brain science / by John Fleischman. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2002. ISBN: 0618052526 (Ages 10+) Grade: A+ "Tackling Neuroscience is a challenging subject for any audience. It is a credit to Fleischman's abilities as a writer and storyteller that he is able to engage the reader. His commitment to telling Phineas' story while incorporating scientific and historical facts helped to put a human face on what could have been a very dry and clinical discussion of brain science. With its engaging narrative and clear explanations of complex subject matter this book will appeal to readers as young as the 5th grade level, while still holding the interest of much older readers, like me." Please read the entire review by Maria F. Villanueva a UIUC MLIS student. ©2003 Maria F. Villanueva. All rights reserved. (11-03) [Cross-listed in Biology]

Goldreich, Gloria. What can she be? : A farmer. Gloria and Esther Goldreich ; photographs by Robert Ipcar. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, c1976. 068841768x. (Ages 8-12) Grade: A.

This thirty year old book discusses life on a Maine dairy farm for the two sisters who run it. It is included here for its emphasis of women in agriculture. The excellent photos are a slice of rural Maine in the 70's.

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Hansen, Ann Larkin. Farmers / Ann Larkin Hansen. Minneapolis, MN : Abdo & Daughters Pub., 1996. 156239620X (Ages K-4) Grade: A.

Discusses the occupation of farmer in the U.S. Farmers mentions the demographics, disposition, and character of farmers. Also touches on a variety of topics such as farm paperwork and worries. Discusses how farming has changed and how nursery businesses, greenhouses, and organic farms are growing in number. Excellent glossary and index. 01-06.

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Haydorn, Julie. Marine biologists / Julie Haydon. North Mankato, Minn. : Smart Apple Media, 2005. [Scientists at work] 1583405402. Ages 9-14. Grade: A+

Books like this should really help children get interested in scientific occupations. Explains what marine biologists do and the education required. Gives a brief history, lists important discoveries, shows the technology and tools of marine biology. There is an interview with a PhD student named Marah Newman. The book design is colorful, interesting, and varied. The photographs and illustrations are excellent. There are several suggested activities. There is a list of web sites, glossary, and index for further research. 02-05.

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Kraft, Christopher C. Flight: My Life in Mission Control / Chris Kraft. New York : Dutton, c2001. 0525945717 (Ages 12+) Favorably Reviewed

"When Sputnik orbited the earth in the late 1950's, Kraft was an engineer at NACA - The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. He was selected to become a member of the Space Task Group. Later, was was the Director of Mission Control when the "Eagle" landed on the Moon in 1969. Kraft relates the drama and little known details about NASA's problems on that Apollo mission, in addition to details about Mercury and Gemini missions." ©2003 Shirley Miller, Adult Services/Reference Librarian. All rights reserved.

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Kranz, Gene. Failure is Not An Option: Mission Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond. Berkeley Pub Group 2001 (Ages 12+) Favorably Reviewed

"Ed Harris received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Gene Kranz in the film Apollo 13. In 1960, Kranz went to work for NASA. Only a year later, he was involved in the first mission, sending a chimpanzee into space. This book covers Kranz's career with NASA through his last mission, the 1993 shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Telescope." ©2003 Shirley Miller, Adult Services/Reference Librarian. All rights reserved.

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Lendroth, Susan. Why explore / Susan Lendroth; illustrator, Enrique S. Moreiro. Tricycle Press, 2005. 1582461503 Ages 4-8. Favorably Reviewed.

Susan Lendroth's WHY EXPORE? repeats this basic question of human existence at the beginning of each section. Sometimes a parent asks a child why she must go far from home and other times a younger person asks his elder why she or he researches ancient junk (archeology), dirty water (microscopic organisms), invisible matter (sub-atomic particles), etc. Some people sought adventure, but others a better life, and still others knowledge.

WHY EXPLORE?, told as a story in rhyme, looks at the joys of learning new things. It subtly encourages the reader to think, to grow, to have a passion for knowing. At the end of the book, more details are given about various discoveries and quests for knowledge. Enrique S. Moreiro's muted oil painting illustrations are at times epic and at times sparse. KWR (10-05)

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Liebman, Dan. I want to be a zookeeper / Dan Liebman. Toronto : Firefly Books, 2003. 1552976998 (bound) : $14.95, 1552976971 (pbk.) : $3.99 (Ages 2-5) Grade: C+/B-
Firefly books http://www.fireflybooks.com/kids.html

I want to be a Zookeeper is a really basic look at what zookeepers do. It is more of a wouldn't it be neat to play with and take care of all the cool animals every day than a career preparation book. No mention is made of what requirements there are to getting a job in a zoo. Some photos are good but at least one looks dated. Some of the text isn't really related to the topic. For example, "Penguins are from a very cold place, but they feel at home in the snow." At least the photo shows a zookeeper and her assistant checking out the penguins. I do think it is good for children to read books like this so that they consider occupations that they might not have thought about considering.

I hope to get a chance to look at some of the other titles in this "I want to be a" series which include: doctor, nurse, pilot, and vet. KWR (03-04)

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Lovell, Jim. Apollo 13 / Jim Lovell & Jeffrey Kluger. Houghton Mifflin Co 2000. (Ages 12+) Favorably Reviewed

"Commander Jim Lovell had flown three previous space missions, prior to Apollo 13. The April 13, 1970 explosion on Apollo 13, forced Lovell and two other astronauts to spend 4 days in the tiny lunar module, which was designed to support only two men for two days. This story includes the details of the real danger and courage of Lovell and his crew, and ingenuity of the engineers back on Earth who made it possible for Apollo 13 to return home." ©2003 Shirley Miller, Adult Services/Reference Librarian. All rights reserved.

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Reichhardt, Tony. Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years - The Astronauts' Experiences in Their Own Words. DK Publishing 2002. (Ages 12+) Favorably Reviewed

This book features hundreds of photographs taken of and by the space shuttle. There are interviews with 77 astronauts, who share their anecdotes and reminiscences. The book is divided into two parts. The first part, discusses the shuttle missions, from 1981 onward. The second part, covers space travelers - their training, launch and recovery procedures. The Mir Space Station and the 1986 Challenger disaster are discussed in depth. ©2003 Shirley Miller, Adult Services/Reference Librarian. All rights reserved.

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Reynolds, David. Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon. Harcourt 2002. (Ages 12+) Favorably Reviewed

This book features many illustrations and photographs. Reynolds explains technological issues so they are easy to understand. Details of the missions include how the astronauts fixed the fender of the lunar rover - with Duct tape! Eugene Cernan is featured in the afterward, "One cannot behold all the lands and seas of the Earth in a single glance and remain unchanged by the experience..." ©2003 Shirley Miller, Adult Services/Reference Librarian. All rights reserved.

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Thimmesh, Catherine. The sky's the limit : stories of discovery by women and girls / Catherine Thimmesh ; illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2002. 0618076980 (Grades 5-8) Grade: A

A thoroughly enjoyable look at some women and girls in science. Well written and interestingly presented research. Mentions some well known and some lesser known scientists. Has a section on top science fair projects prepared by girls. Superb book design. Uses collage and watercolor creating a log book/scrap book effect. KWR (05-04)

Contents: To obtain knowledge of, as through observation or study: It sure is dark out there / Vera Rubin -- Let's start at the very beginning / Denise Schmandt-Besserat -- The little rover that could / Donna Shirley -- Tools in the jungle / Jane Goodall -- To be the first to find, learn of, or observe: Biggest, baddest, best / Sue Hendrickson -- The longest day of the year / Anna Sofaer -- My, what big teeth you have / Mary Leakey -- On the road again / June Moxon -- A desire to know or learn: Get the lead out / Katie Murray -- Up in smoke / Klara, Eli, Erin, Lindsey -- Drinkable puddles / Rachael Charles.

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Walker, Sally M., Bessie Coleman : daring to fly / by Sally M. Walker ; illustrations by Janice Lee Porter. Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, c2003. 0876149190 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper) [On my own bibliography] Ages: 4-8. Grade: A.

Bessie Coleman was the first African American licensed pilot. Walker tells her story with lively details. Porter's illustrations are warm and wonderfully textured. (02-06)

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Wolfman, Judy. Life on a chicken farm / by Judy Wolfman ; photographs by David Lorenz Winston.Minneapolis, Minn. : Carolrhoda Books, Inc., c2004. ISBN: 1575051915. [Life on a farm] Ages 6-12. Grade: A.

Comprehensive look at one farm family in Pennsylvania that raises half a million chickens a year for Tyson. Life on a chicken farm shows one eight week cycle from when the chicks arrive to when they go for processing. The text is clear, well researched, and ordered. The photographs are excellent and shows a family that enjoys working together; the sons and the daughters all pitch in. There is a glossary, extensive index, and list of resources as well as a page of fun facts about chicken.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a crop farm / by Judy Wolfman ; photographs by David Lorenz Winston. Minneapolis, MN : Carolrhoda Books, Inc., c2002. ISBN: 157505518X. [Life on a farm] Ages 6-12. Grade: A.

Focuses on a family farm that includes a farm stand business. The children are shown picking crops and selling produce. Important concepts such as crop rotation and photosynthesis are introduced. There is a glossary, extensive index, and list of resources as well as a page of fun facts about crops.

Wolfman, Judy. Life on a dairy farm / by Judy Wolfman ; photographs by David Lorenz Winston. Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, c2004. ISBN: 1575051907 [Life on a farm] Ages 6-12. Grade: A.

Follows the Hershey family as they operate their 700 cow dairy farm. Discusses birth to maturity and shows in great detail how cows are milked on a modern farm. The story is told from the point of view of the young teenage son, who avoids such terms as artificial insemination. The photos show a modern, prosperous farm and a happy, hard working family. There is a glossary, extensive index, and list of resources as well as a page of fun facts about cows.

Other titles in the Life on the farm series include Life on a pig farm, Life on a horse farm, and Life on an apple orchard.