How the Continents Move

by Jan Leyssens, Joachim Sneyers (Illustrator)

Overview

The second book in the Marvelous but True non-fiction series for children by Jan Leyssens and Joachim Sneyers!

"A good introduction to the accomplishments of Marie Tharp for young readers. The information given hits the highlights of her mapping and discovery of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and will lead those interested in geology and cartography to search for further reading. The illustrations are bright and engaging, and complement the text well." - April Gray

In the early part of the twentieth century, the researcher Marie Tharp worked on a detailed map of the bottom of the ocean. And then she made a discovery—a chasm down the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Could this discovery help prove the age-old theory that the continents on Earth move?

The second book in a series about scientific wonder, now focusing on oceanographic cartographer Marie Tharp! Dreaming, daring, thinking, and doing. For researchers ages 6 and up.

Guided Reading Level P

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781605375809
Publisher:	Clavis
Publication date:	10/13/2020
Series:	Marvelous but True , #2
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.27(w) x 11.42(h) x (d)
Lexile:	1110L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jan Leyssens (°1987) is a designer, dreamer and the father of two children whom he constantly bothers with – according to himself – interesting facts (and fabrications) about the world, the universe, and the human being as one of the most fascinating animals on our planet.
When in September 2017 TEDxAntwerp asked him on stage, he chose not to talk about his profession as a designer and entrepreneur. Instead, he talked about the stories he tells his kids, not about knowing stuff, but about the drive to discover and learn new things. The reactions on the talk were so positive, he decided to write down the stories. Stories inspired by the curious way kids look at the world, and the part before knowledge becomes knowledge.

Editorial Reviews

"This book had a series of stunning illustrations displayed alongside information about three key scientists who helped to develop the scientific theory: Abraham Ortels, Alfred Wegner, and Marie Tharp. Marie Tharp, as the scientist who theorized about the movement of the continental plates, is given more attention. The book celebrates Marie Tharp's work as a geologist and a cartographer and the years it took for her theories to be proved and accepted by others in her field of study and those in the wider community. In order to be even better, I would wish for some more scientific/geographical information and maps showing the continental plates and how they move to generate volcanoes and earthquakes. Lots of information but more a celebration of Marie Tharp and the history of the theory which is not what I'd initially expected from the front cover!" - Sophie B (educator)

"I don't know at what age you're supposed to stop learning from books for the primary school attendee, but I haven't hit it yet, and this taught me a lot. I can barely believe, in fact, that people in the mid-1950s were denying continental drift – and so I knew very little about the female cartographer, and remote explorer of the oceans, Marie Tharp, and how she proved it by discovering the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and how sub-aquatic troughs were further evidence of the tectonic plates' motions. This book presents all that in really good detail – I can't swear by the accuracy of the reproduced scientific notes, but on the whole, this is fine, and especially so for the target audience. We get an easy to follow format – every spread has a full-page image and art on the other page that only carries one simple paragraph, meaning this is more than readable. If evolution for the American Bible Belt, and, looking forward, vaccines for the Covidiots, were to get the same clarity, the same visual acuity, the same balance of detail, the world would be a better place. It doesn't quite nail the significance of Ms. Tharp's findings, but it sure is a success otherwise. A strong four stars." - The Book Bag

"This is a perfect companion book to our homeschool. This is educational and pleasing to look at. The illustrations are well done with rich colors." - Arrow Reads

From the Publisher

2020-09-01
Mysteries are hidden on the ocean floor.

Translated from the Dutch and focused on the uncovering of evidence of continental drift, this offering in the Marvelous but True series briefly addresses early hypotheses before moving on to geologist Marie Tharp’s 1943 discovery of the rift along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which proved that continental drift had occurred. While factually accurate, the text fails to provide historical context and omits information likely of interest to readers, particularly surrounding Tharp’s accomplishments as a female scientist—for example, that Tharp was one of the few women working in a field almost exclusively dominated by men; that, despite her brilliance, she was initially unable to secure a scientific job due to sexism; and that her findings were dismissed for the same reason. Seemingly designed to educate rather than excite, the overall product is reminiscent of a basal reader (the text is somewhat stilted and choppy while the illustrations inexplicably feature individuals with oddly pointed ears). No charts or additional source notes are provided. While this may be helpful as an additional selection for students interested in the topic, there are other selections for the age group that provide greater inspiration, more in-depth information, and stronger historical background on both Tharp and her accomplishments.

A tepid tale of scientific discovery. (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews