    | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 12/01/2016 Gr 6–8—Losure brings a world-renowned scientist to life. Isaac Newton's story, from his tough formative years through the end of his life, is ably told and peppered with a mix of Old English and scientific terms. Fascinating details, such as experiments with mercury that involved him tasting the poisonous element, humanize him and will keep reader interest high. Losure adeptly presents the complex subjects of chemistry, math, and physics, along with alchemy-related recipes, by breaking up the narrative with engrossing images from Newton's published and private works and other books that he used or referred to in his research. The back matter includes excerpts from Newton's journals and other contemporaneous texts and an author's note that explains how Losure researched and used these materials—an excellent addition to reinforce lessons on how to find and use primary sources. VERDICT Losure has written a volume that both informs and excites. Highly recommended for middle school science biography sections.—Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 12/01/2016 Isaac Newton is known as one of the most brilliant scientific minds in human history, so what was he doing studying alchemy? Losure (The Fairy Ring, 2012) paints a vivid picture of the lonely, curious young Isaac, who grew up with an insatiable appetite for reading (particularly about alchemy), which ultimately fueled his scholarly pursuits. While teaching mathematics and formulating his famous theories, for instance, he simultaneously pored over crucibles of mercury, hoping to transmute lead into gold. Of course, we know now that alchemy is nonsense, but in Isaac’s seventeenth-century existence, it was a serious scientific study and thought to be the key to unlocking the universe’s secrets. In Losure’s engaging narrative, she compellingly ties Isaac’s desire to solve the world’s mysteries through alchemy to his groundbreaking theories, which actually did lead to solving many of those mysteries. Snippets of Isaac’s notebooks and period illustrations further enliven Losure’s already fascinating, energetic writing. More than just a picture of Isaac Newton’s life, this illuminates the historical context for his work and the sea change his discoveries ushered in. - Copyright 2016 Booklist. Loading...
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