Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist

Griffith employs a candid tone to showcase the real-life story of Jeanne Power, who made groundbreaking marine discoveries after moving from Paris to Sicily in 1818. Through reading about, studying, and cataloguing the Italian island's wildlife, Power, a former dressmaker, becomes a self-taught naturalist, fashioning equipment for studying underwater species. Using "one of the world's first aquariums built for scientific study," she eventually solves the quandary of the paper nautilus's stealing vs. shell-building tendencies. Despite facing gender-based discrimination and losing much of her research to a shipwreck, Power persists in breaking barriers. Stone contributes animation-style digital illustrations in a rich color palette. This is an informative, well-paced narrative biography featuring a lesser-known historical figure who persevered. Back matter features further information on Power's life and legacy, contemporary marine biology and conservation efforts, and a bibliography. Ages 6-9. (Mar.)

Gr 2-5--The sea holds many secrets, but one revolutionary scientist sought to solve them all. This biographical picture book centered on Jeanne Power (1794-1871), a white French marine biologist, chronicles the beginnings of her scientific fascination with nature and the discoveries she made through experimentation and studying sea creatures such as the paper nautilus. Later on in her career, Power lost her life's work in a shipwreck, which forced her to recreate her experiments and stand up to critics to reclaim her place in history. Each spread features rich illustrations that capture the wonder and mystery of the sea, complemented by Power's experiments, prototyping, and observations. The artwork features sketches and blazing blue and aqua seascapes. The text and images are accessible and easy to understand. The back matter includes a more detailed spread about Power, scientific information about the paper nautilus and marine biology and conservation, and a note on historical research. VERDICT An excellent purchase for elementary school collections because of the focus on an unsung female scientist paired with solid back matter and beautiful illustrations.--Molly Dettmann, Norman North H.S., OK