Krull, Kathleen. (2007). Giants of Science: Marie Curie. New York: Viking Publishers. Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

This excellently written biography will inspire children to invest time and interest in science. This book describes the life of Marie Curie from her childhood of growing up in occupied Poland to moving to France to pursue her dream of scientific research. Marie Curie discovered the elements Polonium and Radium, was awarded two Nobel Prizes, and did all of this during a time when women were not accepted in the world of science. Marie Curie completed this work with the assistance of her husband, Pierre Curie, who eventually fell sick and died due to overexposure of such radioactive materials. Marie Curie's work led to great advances in science such as the understanding of radioactive material and advances in medicine such as x-rays and cancer treatments. This book is a fascinating read that highlights the major accomplishments of Marie Curie all of which have helped to shape both the scientific community and our own lives.

This is a great book to read for inspirational purposes for students. It is written in a way that is easy to understand, so students can learn a bit about the scientific side of elements and radioactivity while also learning about the life of the woman who discovered these elements. Students could be assigned a research project on a certain aspect of Marie Curie's discoveries or life (ex. Radium, Polonium, radioactivity, Nobel prize, history of women in science) and this book could be a great starting off point for learning about those topics. A huge theme throughout this book is the role of women in science, so it is also a great discussion point for students to learn about women's history and roles in science. ( )

Part of the Giants of Science series by Kathleen Krull, Marie Curie is the biography of the Polish-French physicist and chemist who was a pioneer in the field of radioactivity and won a Noble prize in both physics and in chemistry. Krull goes beyond the basic facts of Marie Curie's successes and achievements, and in a sensitive way presents her workaholic nature, her demanding parenting style, and the affair she had with a married man when she was widowed. Krull's compelling and conversational writing style make for an engaging read. A couple of drawings are included, but they do not clarify or extend the text. An index and a multimedia bibliography are included. Suggested grade level: 4-6. ( )

This biography, written in simple and clear language, seems like it could be just as appealing to adults as to its intended audience of 9- to 12-year-olds. The book outlines Marie Curie’s life from her birth to death, providing a picture of an intelligent, hard-working woman dedicated to science, while also portraying some of her faults (so the account is somewhat balanced). It reads quickly without too much technical detail on the science part, thus appealing to a general audience. Supplementary materials include a bibliography (of books and websites) and an index. The book also contains a handful of illustrations, which didn’t really do much for me, other than the one of a depressed-looking Marie sitting near an empty chair after Pierre’s death. That one really hit the narrative home emotionally. Overall, this book is a great introduction to a fascinating person whose tireless efforts helped changed the scientific world. ( )