National Geographic Readers

June 1, 2016

Gr 2-4-This slim volume acquaints beginning readers with the life and times of Ibn al-Haytham (also known as Alhazen), an Arab scholar who was a key figure in the history and study of optics. Arranged in 10 short chapters, the book introduces readers to the golden age of Muslim civilization and al-Haytham's turbulent life and optical discoveries. Students will learn how he feigned madness to escape a bad-tempered caliph; spent 10 years under house arrest; made discoveries about light; invented an early version of the camera obscura; and developed the first example of the scientific method in The Book of Optics. Colorful images appear on every page: a mix of period paintings and drawings and modern-day photographs. "In His Words" and "That's a Fact" boxes are included throughout to reinforce main ideas. Definitions for new vocabulary words are highlighted in a "Words To Know" box. These same terms are also included in a picture glossary at the end of the narrative. A brief multiple-choice quiz will test readers' knowledge. Because this title is a part of the National Geographic Kids Super Reader program, children are offered the opportunity to go online to a dedicated website to earn rewards, play games, and more. VERDICT An accessible overview of a not often covered scholar; a useful addition for science collections.-Maren Ostergard, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2016
A glowing tribute to one of Islam's--and the world's--greatest early scientists.Born in Basra in 965 C.E., Ibn al-Haytham (known in Western Europe as "Alhazen") grew into a polymath whose experiments, notably with a camera obscura, demonstrated several properties of light. Among other achievements, he also mapped the eye's main structures, invented a water clock, and outlined the modern scientific method. Though Romero doesn't describe this last, and possibly most significant, contribution in any detail, even newly independent readers will find her simply phrased descriptions of his studies in light, optics, and other fields illuminating. The illustrations mix historical images and color photos of locales as they look today with painted reconstructions created for a recent film and related traveling exhibit. If some of this new art is likely idealized--in one scene a group discussing some scientific notion includes both men and women--views of the handsome, realistically drawn genius experimenting and recording results add immediacy to the narrative. The author doesn't provide much biographical detail, but she does highlight his role as a luminary of Islam's "Golden Age" and, along with a page of "Cool Facts," supplies peeks at his influence on other early researchers.An illuminating introduction to both a significant era in the history of science and one of its brightest stars. (review quiz, index) (Biography. 8-11)

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June 1, 2016
Grades 1-4 This book details the life of one of the most important men of the tenth century, whose name is nevertheless unfamiliar to most young readers. Born in what is now Iraq, near the city of Basra, Ibn al-Haytham was a scientist during the golden age of Muslim civilization, and was the first to hypothesize that vision occurs when light beams travel through the lens of a human eye. Al-Haytham's work is significant because of his willingness to challenge old ideas in spite of resistance from other scientists and from the caliphate. Using systematic tests of his hypothesis, he created the Book of Optics that named parts of the eye and described the relationship of the eye and the brain, findings that are foundational to the field of medicine even today. Captions contextualize the colorful images that dot the text; these images include paintings, photographs of artifacts, and maps celebrating the glory of the golden age of Islam. A glossary defines words to know and includes images to explain each term.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)