Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science

Gr 4-8--A collection of fictionalized stories in verse about three real women whose innovations influenced modern science. Maria Merian (1647-1717) was captivated by the metamorphosis of the caterpillar. Despite common superstitions about shape-shifting magic, Merian secretly collected and observed first silkworms, then caterpillars, to document the science beneath the mystery. She grew up to create incredible paintings of insects, including butterflies and other wonders of the natural world. Mary Anning (1799-1847) shared her father's curiosity about fossils entombed in the rocks of their New England home. Her findings were painstakingly excavated by chiseling away each layer of rock. Maria Mitchell (1818-89), who tirelessly watched the heavens for both consistency and change, discovered a new comet and became one of the first women to be accepted into the American Academy of Arts and Science. Atkins skillfully conveys the importance of these women's scientific contributions to the world, while also imagining the complexities of their lives as daughters, wives, and sisters during times when female scientists were marginalized or ignored. The verse is effective--evocative and beautiful. VERDICT Highly recommended for fans of poetry about the natural world and the lives of real people.--Patricia Feriano, Montgomery County Public Schools, MD

Writing in free verse, Atkins (Borrowed Names) reaches back into the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries to the girlhoods of Maria Merian, naturalist and scientific illustrator; Mary Anning, fossil hunter; and astronomer Maria Mitchell, all curious girls whose childhood passions led to groundbreaking work. Each grew up in a deeply bonded family and had a strongly supportive father; each fought quietly and determinedly against the obstacles of being a girl with unusual interests. In a closing note, Atkins explains that while she carefully documented the women's adult achievements, writing in verse gave her the liberty to fictionalize details of their younger years. The result is a sensory depiction of daily life in earlier centuries--"the cottage smells of laundry soap and herbal tonics"--and a credible development of three sympathetic characters. Evocative similes abound ("a silkworm silently spins/ a silk cocoon around itself, / like a dancer twirling/ or a baker frosting a tall cake"), building an increasing ambiance of "finding wonder" in the world. In addition to the author's note, a selected bibliography and Atkins's thoughts on other science biographies are provided. Ages 10-up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger. (Sept.)