Title: The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne
Author: Laura Alary
Major Themes: Cecilia Payne, Astronomy, Scientists, Harvard University, Chemistry, Science
Synopsis: From a curious little girl, Cecilia grew into a woman who wanted to find out all she could about the stars.
As always, whenever I see a picture book biography offered for review, I quickly requested a copy of The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne. Of the three books in this genre that I reviewed this month, this one has turned out to be my favorite. My little girls liked hearing it when I read it to them, too.
Publisher’s description:
Cecilia Payne loved learning to see nature’s wonders, even things other people called impossible. While studying at Cambridge, she dreamed of becoming a great astronomer like the ones she read about in the library. But too many people thought women didn’t belong among stars or atoms.
So, Cecilia packed her bags for Harvard, where she could surround herself with women who also loved astronomy and physics. These “Harvard Computers” shared their treasures with her―thousands of photographs of starlight. Cecilia found a way to read the patterns in these photos and started asking big questions. Could these photos show her what stars are made of? What if they showed Cecilia something all the great astronomers called impossible?
With stellar gouache and watercolor art and thrilling scientific details, this biography is a loving tribute to the joy of curiosity, the value of community, and the struggle to find confidence in your own voice. Extensive back matter helps readers learn through an author’s note, timelines of Cecilia’s life and of discoveries that led to hers, a list of Cecilia’s honors and awards, and resources for further reading.
My thoughts:
The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne tells the story of an inquisitive woman, from her first discovery as a little girl (of a flower that her mother didn’t believe grew in their area), to the in-depth study of the stars as an adult. I learned a lot about how scientists learn about the stars; there is a wealth of information packed into the sparse text in this beautiful picture book. Cecilia’s story should help to encourage everyone to be more curious, to keep wondering and searching for answers to their questions, and to marvel at the complexity and beauty of God’s creation. This book is a great addition to any collection of picture book biographies.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.
No warnings!
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12
Reading Independently—Ages 7 – 9, 8 – 12
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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