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6 Summer Reads Starring Female Scientists by The Inventors at No. 8 Author A.M. Morgen
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One of the hardest things about writing historical fiction is avoiding anachronisms. Those pesky chronological inconsistencies are nearly impossible to avoid. My copy editor did her best to eliminate every single word or phrase that didn’t exist in 1828 when my book, The Inventors at No. 8, takes place. But sometimes finding a different word to take the place of an anachronistic one isn’t possible! While working through the copyedits of the sequel to my first book, I discovered a huge anachronism: The word scientist wasn’t coined until 1833.
But what other word is there that could replace “scientist?” Before 1833, the other options were “natural philosopher” or “man of science.” Ultimately, the word “scientist” was chosen because it was gender-neutral, and even though female scientists were far outnumbered by male scientists in the 1800s, women like Mary Somerville and Ada Lovelace were making their mark on the profession. Plus, scientist is a very cool word. Like “artist,” it’s a word that melds creativity and practice.
Do you have a budding scientist in your life? Here are six nonfiction and fiction books that feature modern “women of science” to inspire them to make their own mark!
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My Life with the Chimpanzees, by Jane Goodall
This classic autobiography by primatologist Jane Goodall explains how she turned her love of animals into a career as the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees. Goodall provides helpful information about how to turn a passion for animals and the environment into action.
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Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition, by Margot Lee Shetterly
This is the children’s adaptation of the bestselling book adult book of the same name that inspired the film Hidden Figures. The book tells the story of four African-American mathematicians who worked at NASA as “human computers.” The book doesn’t skimp on technical details while also tackling important topics in history and gender.
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The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, by Stacy McAnulty
When 12-year-old Lucy is struck by lightning, she develops genius-level math skills. Even though she’s ready for college classes, her grandmother insists that she attend middle school for one year, make one friend, and join one activity. Lucy may be a math genius, but can she solve the equation of how to survive middle school?
A Problematic Paradox, by Eliot Sappingfield
13-year-old Nikola enjoys experimental chemistry, just like her amateur scientist father. But when her dad is kidnapped by a gang of extraterrestrials, Nikola is sent to a boarding school for geniuses to keep her safe. Described as “Harry Potter, but with science instead of magic,” this book has enough wormholes, gadgets, and adventures to entertain any science-loving reader.
Marvel Comics’ Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur Vol. 1, by Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare and illustrated, by Natcha Bustos
Move over, Tony Stark. The smartest person in the Marvel Universe is 8-year-old Lunella Lafayette, aka Moon Girl. Moon Girl is a super-genius who loves to invent things. After one of her inventions accidentally releases a threat into the world, she teams up with Devil Dinosaur to put things right.
The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole, by Michelle Cuevas
After a trip to NASA, space-obsessed Stella Rodriguez discovers that a black hole has followed her home. As Stella copes with the death of her father, she adopts the black hole as a pet. But when the black hole starts consuming everything around her, Stella must figure out how to confront her grief and get everything back to normal.
The Inventors at No. 8 is on B&N bookshelves now.