Little People, Big Dreams: Marie Curie; Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, illustrated by Frau Isa19/4/2022
Meet Marie Curie, the little girl with a desire to help those in need.
As a young girl, Marie didn’t dream of being a princess, she wanted to be a scientist. Unable to go to university in her home country, she packed her bags and moved to France. Despite studying in an unfamiliar language she was soon the best maths and science student. And it wasn’t long before she would make life-changing discoveries that continue to benefit the world today… With a distinct lack of female scientists celebrated in children’s books, this highly accessible and child-friendly mini-biography of Marie Curie’s life and work is a must have for the bookshelf. She is without doubt one of the most important scientists of all time. And I stress here, not just female scientists of all time but one of the most important scientists ever; her ground-breaking work discovering radium and polonium was revolutionary. This delightful biography charts her passion for science from an early age to her academic studies through to some of the biggest ever break-throughs in science and the prizes she received in recognition of her achievements. There is so much to admire about Marie’s story, from studying and working at a time when female scientists were not afforded the same opportunities as men or held in the same regard to overcoming loss to her selfless drive and determination to help humankind through her scientific endeavours. When war broke out her work was used by doctors to help injured soldiers and not just content with what she had accomplished in the laboratory she paved the way for others, especially young girls, to follow in her footsteps through her Parisian institute.
She achieved much in her life and this was acknowledged through the receiving of not one but two Nobel Prizes, she is the only person to this day to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields. The incredibly studious, intelligent and ambitious woman was a trailblazer who made a massive impact in her field and whose legacy lives on long after her death. Driven not by fame or success, Marie’s own valuable advice to her students sums her up perfectly, ‘In life, there is nothing to be afraid of, only many things to learn, and many ways to help those in need.’ What a wonderful message to give to young children.
Marie Curie is a fantastic female role model and her story is well-worth sharing. It presents a lady who achieved in a field dominated by men and proves that girls can do things just as well as the boys. The story is told in short and simple sentences and is delightfully illustrated with bright and bold artwork. At the back of the the book there is a short overview of her life which includes key facts and dates and a historical timeline featuring photographs. Recommended for 5+.
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