Most of us have vague ideas about Marie Curie's life--that she discovered radium, that her beloved husband and fellow scientist, Pierre, was killed by a streetcar, and that she was the first woman to win the Nobel prize. But the details of her life, as revealed in Carla McClafferty's excellent new biography, are truly remarkable. For example, even though Marie isolated radium independently from Pierre, he was offered the Nobel prize without reference to her but refused to accept it unless she was included. Scientists wishing to study her papers have to sign a waiver because the materials are still dangerously radioactive. Marie's life is beautifully well-documented here, and the accompanying pictures are remarkable. The only drawback to the book is that a knowledge of the importance of the discovery or radium is presupposed--children becoming acquainted with Marie Curie for the first time are unlikely to understand why she was such a big deal, and although the hazards of radiation are laid out in great detail, its uses are vaguely presented. Still, a stellar achievement.
The New Girl By Cassandra Calin New York: Graphix, 2024. Comic. 261 pages. 12-year-old Lia and her family have just moved from Romania to Montreal, and she's doing her best to keep up with the changes. But, she's homesick. She misses the rest of her family, her friends, and her favorite Romanian treats. She doesn't speak French and her English is shaky, which makes it hard to make friends, even in her international immersion class. And she's dealing with super painful menstrual cramps every month. But before long, Lia starts to hit her stride. She befriends the other bilingual girls in her class, she gets a spot as the artist for her school's magazine, and even has a new crush -- Julien. Though she may be the new girl, Lia is starting to fit in. This slice of life graphic novel is an adorable choice for middle grade readers and young teens. Lia is a likable protagonist and readers will have little difficulty relating to her adjustment to school. The text speaks to a...
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