Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Captivating look at a scientist and his work.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Amphibian scientist Tyrone Hayes is trying to understand why frog populations around the world are declining. He suspects a popular pesticide, atrazine, is causing feminization of male frogs -- causing them to grow eggs instead of sperm. This book explores Hayes’ research -- how he tests his hypothesis, the unique problems facing frogs, and the big-picture implications -- and describes his journey from a frog-crazy kid in the segregated South to a struggling student at Harvard and finally a respected leader in his field.
Is It Any Good?
This is no dry book on frog life cycles. Author Pamela S. Turner skillfully weaves together many threads into a smooth, cohesive, irresistible story. On one level, it’s a mystery about the decline in frog populations and researchers’ scramble to understand it. On another level, it’s a textbook on how to undertake scientific research to tackle real-world problems. And finally, it’s an engaging, nuanced biography portraying scientist Tyrone Hayes as a child, a student, a father, a mentor, and a scientist.
Turner touches on everything from segregation and racism to achieving consensus in the scientific community to nurturing a team. There’s the big picture (how to test a hypothesis, for example) and satisfying detail (how to prepare slides of frog tissue, and why Hayes celebrates the Fifth of July). The well-organized text is complemented by vibrant photographs and a wealth of supplemental material for further exploration.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the difficulty of testing a hypothesis. Hayes ends up with unexpected results and new questions. If you were in his shoes, how would you feel? What would you do next?
Hayes intentionally contaminates a pond with atrazine, and kills frogs so he can study them. Do you think those actions are justified? Why or why not?
Try conducting an experiment at home. Develop a hypothesis, identify manipulated and responding variables, and have a control group. Try changing variables and see what happens.
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Andy Comins
- Genre : Science
- Book type : Non-Fiction
- Publisher : Houghton Mifflin Children's Books
- Publication date : July 1, 2009
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 64
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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