Marie Curie: A Brilliant Life (Snapshots: Images of People and Places in History) [Hardcover]

Elizabeth MacLeod (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Series: Snapshots: Images of People and Places in History

As a poor student in Paris, Marie Curie piled clothes -- and furniture -- on top of herself to keep warm at night. But Marie went on to become the first woman to win a Nobel Prize -- and also the first person to win this award twice. Marie Curie's discoveries in radiation changed the world. She became one of the most important women in science and her research is still important to scientists and doctors today. Radiation is used as a treatment for cancer and to produce electricity, kill organisms that spoil food and detect smoke in homes. This book in the Snapshots: Images of People and Places in History series introduces one of the most important women in science and her inspiring life.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–This biography begins with Curie's childhood in Poland and follows her life and career through her death in 1934. Each chapter spread includes a page of text facing an arrangement of small photographs, commentary, and a cartoonlike depiction of Curie addressing readers via a dialogue balloon: "I was fascinated by radiation and couldn't wait to begin studying it." Unfortunately, the explanations of the basic science of radium and the discovery of the element are a bit unclear. Still, some of the individual pictures (Antoine-Henri Becquerel's actual photographic plate) and photos of Curie with other scientists (one with a young Albert Einstein) are interesting and enhance the text, and the book has browsing appeal. Steve Parker's Marie Curie and Radium (Chelsea, 1995) is better for reports and makes the discovery easier to understand.–Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City
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About the Author

Elizabeth MacLeod has written many children's books, including nine titles in the Snapshots Biography series; numerous titles in the Kids Can Read, Kids Books Of and Kids Can Do It series; Why Do Horses Have Manes?; What Did Dinosaurs Eat?; and Monster Fliers. She lives in Toronto.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155337570X
• ISBN-13: 978-1553375708
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,178,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent chldren's introduction, June 27, 2007

By 

iWrite2,DoU? "bibliochild" (OhiO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Marie Curie: A Brilliant Life (Snapshots: Images of People and Places in History) (Hardcover)

I pulled this book from the university library shelves as I was searching for a good example of a children's biography. For the photobiography genre, it is the best I've seen. The layout and design are excellent. It is informational, engaging and inviting. The layout breaks down a potentially boring subject and bridges the gap between dated photographs and modern sensibilites. This book is a good choice both for casual reader and student seeking information for a report.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for the Classroom Library, March 1, 2009

By 

J. E. Stephens "Jeanne" (Florida) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Marie Curie: A Brilliant Life (Snapshots: Images of People and Places in History) (Paperback)

I teach 6th grade reading. This book is perfect for the classroom library. Students need to read a variety of non-fiction. I have found that most students love reading biographies. This is a must buy for the classroom.