   | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 11/01/2015 Gr 7 Up—The contributions of two overlooked female scientists are made clear in this enlightening read. Marie Curie, the mother of modern physics who discovered natural radiation, had no way of knowing as she began her experiments in 1897 that her groundbreaking work would set off a chain reaction leading to the creation of the first atomic bomb. Though that sounds ominous, this book is anything but a dreary march from the Curie Institute to nuclear war. Luminous and fascinating, it recounts the lives and amazing findings of chemist (and daughter of Curie) Irène Joliot-Curie, codiscoverer of artificial radiation, and physicist Lise Meitner, codiscoverer of nuclear fission. Traversing the vicious landscapes of World War I and II and beyond, Conkling thoroughly explains the scientific explorations of each woman while describing their struggles being taken seriously as scientists even after Marie Curie had blazed a bright trail. Archival photos and primary source quotes enhance the story. This title would make a lovely companion to Steve Sheinkin's Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon (Flash Point, 2012) for its scientific and historical content. VERDICT This well-crafted work will undoubtedly inspire the right reader.—Abby Bussen, Cudahy Family Library, WI - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 12/01/2015 *Starred Review* This joint biography examines two important female scientists who have been largely overlooked by history, highlighting their accomplishments and contributions to the advancement of nuclear science. The name Irène Curie doesn’t ring as many bells as that of her parents, Marie and Pierre Curie, though she won the 1935 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with her husband, Frédérick Joliot. Conkling (Passenger on the Pearl, 2015) describes Irène’s childhood and the Joliot-Curies’ discovery of artificial radioactivity, which ushered in the era of nuclear science. Also at work during the 1930s’ golden age of physics was Lise Meitner, who fought for her education and career as a physicist, which was challenged because she was a woman and a Jew working in Nazi Germany. In 1938, Meitner discovered nuclear fission, but her research partner unsportingly took the credit. Though Conkling’s succinct scientific explanations could have been expanded for clarity, she does an excellent job of describing this historic period and the impact of scientific discoveries made at the time, including the use of X-rays by medics in WWI, the dangers of radiation poison, and the invention of the nuclear bomb during WWII. Black-and-white period photos, scientific asides and diagrams, and a time line enhance the well-cited text. A thorough and engaging study of two female scientists worth their weight in radium. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. Loading...
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