Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World

This charmingly illustrated encyclopedia is sure to spark interest, imagination, and a can-do attitude in middle-grade girls interested in STEM subjects. Huge science buffs will want to savor Women in Science by reading it through, but its brief biographies of women from a wide range of backgrounds and areas of expertise make it a great classroom or library go-to for students looking for report topics. The chronological presentation enriches historical context and obstacles the women overcame, and tweens and teens will be inspired by the examples set before them, as well as by the strong arguments presented that science needs lots more women involved in everything from space travel to microbiology. The notebook-doodle style of illustration keeps the pages lively and engaging.

As a reference book, the chronological presentation makes it difficult to find women by field of expertise, so a reader interested in astrophysicists, for example, would have to do a lot of flipping from the index. Placing life spans prominently near the name would have added a helpful quick reference, but the information is in the table of contents, and each biography does include dates for important life events. A few typos may confuse younger readers who might wonder what a "suggragist" is or think that the plural of "potato" doesn't have an "e." Although there’s a glossary, it's brief; a lot of terms aren't explained, so kids should be encouraged to look up anything they don't understand.