Leonardo da Vinci

May 1, 2019

Gr 6-8-In a writing style accessible to middle schoolers or even curious adults, these slim volumes present a varied cast of scholars, both historic and modern, from a wide range of sciences. Coverage is generally centered on each person's scientific contributions. Replete with visuals, the titles resemble scrapbooks, repeatedly using a "Science Notes" section to convey deeper meanings of relevant scientific discoveries. Captions and text boxes frame related information in context while also illuminating unexpected topics such as sexism or the symbiosis of the arts and sciences. The inclusion of a simple science experiment in the back matter encourages further exploration, while a quiz on the books' subjects can be used to rate one's comprehension. VERDICT A creditable representation of individuals that is more scientifically than biographically focused.

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