The cover illustration is quite impressive. It is contemporary in style, but also echoes much older portraits of Newton, representing him with artifacts that illustrate his accomplishments. He sits next to the farmhouse where he was born, Trinity college is on his right, and London, more distant, on his left.

This is an 128 page chapter book. It is mostly correct, uses original quotations, and emphasizes Newton's foibles and quarrels with fellow scientists. Generally speaking, the chronology is well done, but the science not as careful. ( )

This book details the various accomplishments of Issac Newton. It highlights the political and historical setting in which Newton made his discoveries. It does not paint a noble image of Newton, but shows his humanity by spending time discussing how Newton experimented with his ideas for years before writing about them and his extreme reluctance to socialize with others. It also shows the darker side of Newton who mistrusted his peers and formed a series of villainous relationships with Robert Hooke, Gottfried Leibniz, and John Flamsteed.

This book could be partitioned out and chapters given to the course they most correlate to. Classes that could use this are calculus, physics, physical science, and chemistry. Many of the experiments that Newton completed in his time of seclusion could be repeated as labs. ( )

Krull gives a detailed and humane look at the life of one of the most intelligent people ever known, in a humorous and interesting way that makes it a perfect book for kids. From sticking needles in his eye and drinking turpentine, to improving the telescope and discovering calculus, Newton's weirdest quirks and greatest moments of genius are presented together in a way that shows the real person, rather than just a man wearing a wig under an apple tree. The story and the science involved are told in an easy to understand manner, with lots of white space surrounding a large text, and a relatively simple vocabulary. The large-headed illustrations tie in with the oddness and humor, and poke fun at Newton's larger-than-life brain. The personal and lighthearted attitude of the book could draw in readers who are resistant to nonfiction texts. ( )

I really enjoyed reading Giants of Science. I picked it out randomly from the bookstore, and found it to be an extremely engaging, informative, student friendly account of Isaac Newton. What I knew about Isaac Newton before the book: He wrote the laws of motion and universal gravitation before he was 25, took years to publicize it because he was scared, and said he was "standing on the shoulders of giants."

What I learned from this book was the how and why behind these events, but also a great deal more about how he has shaped science as we now understand it on a fundamental level.

The reason I was particularly taken with Krull's book is that it is accessible. Students will enjoy reading it, despite that it is a book about an old dead scientist. Her tone is sarcastic, comic, and light, which makes the book engaging to read the entire was through. She begins chronologically through the time he was 25, then she switches to different threads of his life and work, spending a chapter on each. This was the only thing that caused me some confusion because we would jump forward then backwards in time, but it was a sensible organization style since it went thematically. ( )

Isaac Newton's biography from Krull's, "Giants of Science" series offers a raw account of Newton's life and accomplishments. From being labeled as "inattentive," "idle," and "sober, silent, thinking child," who was left behind by his mother to marry a Church of England clergyman, and growing up to be one of the most accomplished and respected scientists in the Royal Society. But while he became famous for his scientific discoveries, Newton was extremely distrustful and arrogant among his colleagues, and the author poses the question to the reader what could Newton have really accomplished if he wasn't so narrow-minded and on frequent campaigns to destroy the credibility of other scientists.

Newton's childhood offers interest and meaning to today's child - he was made fun of, resented by other boys his age, and never really fit in with his peers, and his story is relevant to the increasing attention to bullying in today's schools.

The author's dialogue is casual and would be very easy to read for children ages 10-12, and is engaging because in featuring each accomplishment and major event in Newton's life, the author offers quotes and sources revealing his experience and frustrations with his work, making Newton a believable and multidimensional character. ( )