Books in Women's Adventures in Science series

It’s a scientific fact: Women rock! A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more! — BrainPickings - Best Science Books of the Year

Heidi Hammel is an out-of-this world explorer. With her feet planted firmly on Earth, she takes trips millions of miles out into space. How does she do this? Heidi Hammel is a planetary astronomer, a scientist who uses the world’s most powerful telescopes to learn about planets. By making remarkable discoveries in the farthest reaches of our solar system, Heidi also helps us better understand the planet we call home. The giant planets Neptune and Uranus are Heidi’s specialties. She was on the team that first spotted Neptune’s Great Dark Spot, a raging storm as big as Earth. Heidi also led a team of astronomers tracking the Great Comet Crash, a spectacular event in which a fragmented comet pounded Jupiter for an entire week. There’s no telling what Heidi will find when she peers into a telescope. That’s what makes her work exciting. Beyond Jupiter is the fascinating story of a scientist and her science. To tell this true tale of adventure, author Fred Bortz draws on firsthand accounts from Heidi and her friends, family, and colleagues. How did a down-to-earth girl grow up to be one of the world’s most highly respected astronomers? The life story of Heidi Hammel will intrigue and inspire readers of all ages. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: A Date with Two Planets

Collecting the fifty most iconic illustrations from the book Women in Science, this box of 100 postcards is the perfect gift for fans of Rachel's work, budding scientists and anyone who wishes to champion the great contribution women have made to all branches of science. From well known figures like Marie Curie to unsung heroes, these cards are perfect to send as greetings or hang as mini artistic masterworks.

Cynthia Breazeal is a creature creator. Armed with electronic gadgets, software programs, and her endless imagination, she creates lifelike machines that can respond to the world around them. Cynthia Breazeal is a roboticist, a scientist who designs, builds, and experiments with robots. As a child, she relied on movies to see robots in action. Now robots are part of her daily life at the MIT Media Lab. There, she and her students use their computer science and engineering skills to work on marvels like Leonardo, a robot that interacts with people in ways that seem almost human. Cynthia's other world-famous projects include Kismet, an emotionally intelligent robot that smiles, frowns, and babbles like a baby. Why create robots like these? Cynthia can picture a future where sociable robots exist to benefit people. She works hard every day to turn that dream into a reality. Firsthand accounts from Cynthia and from those who know her best combine to tell the inspiring story of a curious, sports-loving girl who went on to become a worldclass roboticist. Robo World is also a Captivating story of high-tech invention where the stuff of science fiction becomes real in today's labs. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Visiting An Old Friend

Diane France loves bones. Why? Because they talk to her. Every skeleton she meets whispers secrets about the lifeâ€"and deathâ€"of its owner. Diane France can hear those secrets because she’s a forensic anthropologist, a bone detective. She has the science skills and know-how to examine bones for clues to a mystery: Who was this person and how did he or she die? Bones tell Diane about the life and times of famous people in history, from a Russian royal family to American outlaws and war heroes. They speak to her about murders, mass disasters, and fatal accidents. One day she’s collecting skeletal evidence at a crime scene. A phone call later she’s jetting to the site of a plane crash or other unexpected tragedy to identify victims. Young readers will be captivated by the thrilling real-life story of this small-town girl full of curiosity and mischief who became a world-famous bone detective. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Diane France's Brain

Shirley Ann Jackson sees the unseen. She's an expert in the invisible particles that make up everything in the universe, including you. Shirley is a theoretical physicist, a scientist who studies the subatomic world using only paper, pencils, computers and the most important tool of all: her imagination. Shirley's passion for science blossomed during her childhood, with bumblebee experiments and go-cart races. But it's her talent for math and her drive to succeed that have taken her career in amazing directions. Shirley uses her knowledge of electrons, neutrinos, and other particles of matter to better the lives of othersâ€"from solving important technology problems to teaching college physics to making nuclear power plants safer. A natural-born leader, Shirley has always seized opportunities and broken down racial barriers, not only for herself but for others. Strong Force is the compelling story of an African American scientist and her science. To tell this true story of courage, author Diane O'Connell drew on firsthand accounts from Shirley and her friends, family, and colleagues. How did a young bee collector grow up to be a world-renowned physicist? The life story of Shirley Ann Jackson will intrigue and inspire readers of all ages. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Bee Secrets

Nancy Wexler is a hunter. Her quarry is the gene responsible for a fatal, inherited sickness called Huntington's disease. Nancy's work is a breathtaking race against time not only for others but maybe for herself, as well. Nancy Wexler is the daughter of a Huntington's patient and is at risk for this disease. Finding this gene is a vital step toward preventing or curing Huntington's and thus saving lives. Nancy's work takes her all over the world, specifically to small villages in Venezuela where the mysterious gene affects more people than anywhere else on the globe. Blood samples generously donated by the villagers hold the clues to discovering the gene. Hunter, detective, scientist: Nancy is all these, plus a friend to people everywhere who are affected by Huntington's and other diseases of the brain. Gene Hunter is the powerful story of a courageous and dedicated woman whose passion for science is both personally and intellectually satisfying. Author Adele Glimm draws on firsthand accounts from Nancy and her friends, family, and colleagues to tell us how a curious, strongminded woman became an accomplished neuropsychologist. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: The Dancing Disease

Amy Vedder leads a wild life. How many people can say they were once a member of a mountain gorilla family? Amy Vedder is a wildlife biologist, a scientist who studies animals and their behavior. She uses her knowledge to save animals whose lives and habitats are threatened. She once lived in a remote part of central Africa, where she helped rescue Rwanda's mountain gorillas from extinction. Amy did groundbreaking science in a beautiful rain forest environment, but it wasn't always easy. She had to face tough conditions in a country affected by conflict and war. In the process, she met unforgettable people and unforgettable gorillas. Today Amy travels the world, from her home base at New York's Bronx Zoo to the far reaches of Mongolia in Asia. Everywhere she goes, she teaches people how to appreciate and protect the precious wildlife that surrounds them. Gorilla Mountain is an exciting and inspiring story of true tale adventure. Young readers everywhere will be moved by the story of the young nature lover who became a powerful champion of great apes. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Close Encounter

Adriana Ocampo grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, dreaming about exploring planets. She never doubted that all her dreams would come true someday. How did Adriana land a job with NASA, the U.S. space agency, while still in her teens? How did a robot parked on Mars make her fall in love with rocks and instantly decide to become a planetary geologist? Adriana's imagination and can-do attitude have led her to a life of science adventures. Adriana helped find the missing Crater of Doom, a hole blasted out of Earth by a killer space rock 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs died out. Now she's searching the world for the stuff that came from that crater. Between rock digs she explores other planets through the electronic eyes of NASA's robotic spacecraft. How did an imaginative young girl with a dream of space exploration become a planetary geologist? Author Lorraine Jean Hopping makes the woman and her science come to life on every page, delighting readers of all ages. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Los Suenos (Dreams)

Mimi Koehl tinkers with machines. Some are so tiny they can’t be seen by the naked eye, and some disappeared millions of years ago. But Mimi isn’t a mechanic. She’s a biomechanist. Mimi Koehl uses engineering and physics to study the designs of living things that fly, swim, drift, and crawl. She loves solving riddles about how creaturesâ€"from feathered dinosaurs to flying frogsâ€"live and move. Mimi’s curiosity has led her into all kinds of natural neighborhoods. She has braved turbulent waters to explore how giant green sea anemones survive crashing waves. In Chile, while studying seaweeds, a rogue wave washed Mimi off one cliff and slammed her into another one. But nothing stops her desire for discovery. To uncover answers, Mimi has attached leashes to microscopic animals and created ingenious models using raspberry gelatin and even Silly Putty. Today Mimi searches the worldâ€"and her imaginationâ€"for answers to life’s challenging mysteries. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Hope Calling

Inez Fung forecasts the futureâ€"a future when Earth could look and feel a lot different than it does now. Why care about climate change? Because it affects every living thing on Earth, including you. What if the climate where you live began to change dramatically? What if a warmer climate caused the polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise? Inez Fung is a climate scientist, someone who studies the causes of weather patterns and how they change over time. Inzez investigates why climate changes happen and how we can prepare for them, using data about the planet's land masses, oceans, and atmosphere to create computer models of Earth. Even gas and dust embedded in polar ice half a millions years ago can tell Inez about climates of the pastâ€"and give clues about Earth's climate future. Forecast Earth takes readers on a tour of the planet with a brilliant scientist as our guide. How did a quiet girl from Hong Kong grow up to become one of the world's most respected climate scientists? The life story of Inez Fung makes it clear that there are opportunities out there for everyone. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Meet Inez Fung

Marta Tienda sees life stories in numbers. She is a sociologist, a scientist who studies human society. Numbers are the tools she uses to uncover fascinating information about people and their behavior. As the daughter of an illegal Mexican immigrant, Marta Tienda understands the pain of growing up poor. When her family had to pick crops to earn money, Marta saw firsthand the tough conditions that migrant workers had to endure. It was an experience she would never forget. Marta vowed to use her creativity, strong spirit, and positive attitude to empower those who are less fortunate. Today Marta’s expertise is helping government leaders create equal opportunities for millions of people, using numbers to understand why some people have more than others, like a better job, a college education, or a nicer house. People Person is the fascinating story of a Mexican American girl raised in a home without books who grew up to become one of the world’s leading sociologists. Marta Tienda’s life story bursts with bravery and determinationâ€" it will surely affect readers of all ages. This title aligns to Common Core standards: Interest Level Grades 6 - 8; Reading Level Grade level Equivalent: 7.1: Lexile Measure: 1080L; DRA: Not Available; Guided Reading: Z Table of ContentsSample Chapter 1: Sociology of the Soul