The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just

by Mélina Mangal, Luisa Uribe (Illustrator)

Overview

"A must-purchase picture book biography of a figure sure to inspire awe and admiration among readers."—School Library Journal (starred review)

Extraordinary illustrations and lyrical text present pioneering African American scientist Ernest Everett Just.

Ernest Everett Just was not like other scientists of his time. He saw the whole, where others saw only parts. He noticed details others failed to see. He persisted in his research despite the discrimination and limitations imposed on him as an African American. His keen observations of sea creatures revealed new insights about egg cells and the origins of life.

Through stunning illustrations and lyrical prose, this picture book presents the life and accomplishments of this long overlooked scientific pioneer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781512483758
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/01/2018
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Mélina Mangal writes picture books, biographies, and short stories that focus on connections with nature and culture. She is the author of The Vast Wonder of the World: Biologist Ernest Everett Just, winner of the Carter G. Woodson Award, Jayden's Impossible Garden, named One of the Best Children's Books of the Year by Bank Street Center for Children's Literature, and the sequel, Jayden's Secret Ingredient. Mélina also works as a school library media teacher in Minneapolis, spreading book love daily.

Luisa Uribe loves drawing, reading, and chasing her cat around the house. Her research about Ernest Everett Just took her on a journey from the pages of books all the way to Charleston, South Carolina, where Ernest spent his early life. She lives in Bogotá, Colombia.

Editorial Reviews

"A must-purchase picture book biography of a figure sure to inspire awe and admiration among readers."—starred, School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2018-09-02

Ernest Everett Just, an unsung African-American hero, changed biological science in the early 1900s.

Mangal introduces Just as a scientist who "saw the whole, where others saw only parts. He noticed details others failed to see." He became "the world authority on how life begins from an egg"—but it was a long and difficult journey. Just was an observant child with a schoolteacher mother, but when he caught typhoid fever, he lost the ability to read and struggled, successfully, to relearn. He studied at boarding school and attended Dartmouth College, where he had difficulty keeping up while working to pay his way and support two siblings. Taking a biology class and discovering the world of the cell changed his life. He taught at Howard University and conducted research at a laboratory in Massachusetts, updating experimental processes and discovering a controversial idea about the egg cell's role in fertilization. Mangal's succinct, respectful narrative contextualizes Just in his times, for instance pointing out that he experienced more freedom and respect in the European scientific community than he did in the United States; eventually, he moved to France. A beautiful palette of sea blues and greens, sand and coral colors surround Just in illustrations that highlight the importance of environment and family.

More than a story of triumph against the odds, this book shows the necessity of opportunity for brilliant minds to reach their potential. (author's note, biographical note, illustrator's note, timeline, glossary, sources) (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

Kirkus Reviews