Rosalind Looked Closer: An Unsung Hero of Molecular Science

by Lisa Gerin, Chiara Fedele (Illustrator)

Overview

The story of a persistent woman whose research in molecular biology changed the world.

As a Jewish girl in England, Rosalind Franklin grew up against the backdrop of World War II. Fascinated with the natural world, as well as the invisible world that she could only see through her microscope, Rosalind developed a passion for science during a time when few women were recognized for their contributions to the field.

Despite her father's discouragement, Rosalind studied chemistry at Cambridge University and went on to study the molecular structure of carbons and DNA molecules. As a scientist, she learned a new technique called X-ray diffraction to take photos of molecular structures. With this technique she captured an image of DNA that was unlike any other image that had been seen before. She saw an image of a helix made up of repeating strands of DNA. It was mesmerizing. This was what the DNA double helix looked like up-close—one of the most important findings of the 20th century.

An unsung hero of molecular science, Rosalind persisted even when men took credit for her work, going on to research the molecular shape of the viruses. Rosalind Looks Closer is sure to inspire educators and parents interested in encouraging curiosity and a passion for STEM in girls and boys.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506470658
Publisher:	1517 Media
Publication date:	08/30/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	694,220
Product dimensions:	8.75(w) x 10.25(h) x (d)
Lexile:	AD890L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lisa Gerin is a former elementary librarian and high school teacher with a Masters' degree in Education. She had a satisfying career working with children, teaching reading and writing for grades PreK through 12. Lisa now writes nonfiction picture books. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, but was raised in New York City. Lisa loves animals and nature, especially her rescue kittens, Thor and Cleo. Rosalind Looked Closer is her debut picture book.

Chiara Fedele is an Italian illustrator, born in Milan and now living in the country. She has a degree in illustration and has worked for publishers around the world since 2004. Her illustrations, a mix of traditional and digital, are characterized by strong gestural features that create an emotional texture completed by a strong chromatic sensitivity. She is also the illustrator of A Fall Ball for All, by Jamie A. Swenson; The Brave Cyclist, by Amalia Hoffman; and When Rosa Parks Went Fishing, by Rachel Ruiz.

Editorial Reviews

"A new generation is introduced to a fascinating woman of science whose story deserves to be more widely known." —Kirkus Reviews

Biographies of women scientists are sorely needed, and this one appears to be well researched. —School Library Journal

"Gerin com­bines sci­en­tif­ic accu­ra­cy with art­ful lan­guage to cap­ture Franklin's fas­ci­na­tion with the uni­verse." —Jewish Book Council

From the Publisher

08/01/2022

Gr 2–4—Rosalind Franklin was born in the 1920s, a time when women scientists were considered to be an anomaly. Despite the obstacles, she followed her dream and eventually earned a doctorate in physical chemistry from Cambridge. She is remembered for her contributions to the understanding of the polio virus and especially for her groundbreaking work on X-ray photography of DNA molecules. Her work was not recognized by the male scientists who later went on to win a Nobel prize based in part on her work. Biographies of women scientists are sorely needed, and this one appears to be well researched. However, the text is uneven. The scientific information is presented in occasionally difficult vocabulary that is not defined (e.g., "molecule"). Events in world history are downplayed; Franklin was Jewish, but only one page mentions World War II, a time when "many people were hurt and even killed." Considering that several male scientists are named in this book, the fact that Franklin's full name is not mentioned once in either the title or the text seems an omission. Taken together, these make the book an unexceptional treatment of a fascinating person. Includes an author's note, selected bibliography, glossary of terms, and a time line. All subjects are white. VERDICT Though this book falls short in several important respects, libraries with larger collections might consider it.—Sue Morgan

School Library Journal

2022-06-08
Rosalind Franklin was frequently told that girls could not be scientists.

But, as this picture-book biography illustrates, she loved to learn and always knew that science was her calling. At boarding school, where she was the only Jewish child, she studied Hebrew and other languages while the other students attended church. She attended a London school where girls could learn science and math and later studied chemistry at Cambridge University. World War II loomed; on one page, Rosalind expresses relief that she lives in England—here, the book offers a brief, facile description of the Holocaust. Rosalind helped develop a safe gas mask for British soldiers during World War II. But examining and photographing the molecular structure of DNA led to her most important discovery, perfectly capturing the now-famous double helix. James Watson and Francis Crick, the male scientists who discovered DNA, used her remarkable photo to present their findings but never credited her. But she never stopped working and later photographed RNA in polio and other viruses. Though sometimes heavily reliant on difficult scientific vocabulary, Gerin is meticulous and admiring in presenting Rosalind’s accomplishments, placing them in the context of world events across several decades and stressing her subject’s intensity and patience despite many frustrations. At several stages readers are reminded that Rosalind “always took a closer look.” Fedele’s mostly earth-toned illustrations are carefully constructed to capture the times and settings and present Rosalind as strong and serious. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A new generation is introduced to a fascinating woman of science whose story deserves to be more widely known. (author’s note, glossary, timeline, bibliography) (Picture book/biography/history. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews