Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science [Paperback]

This “evocative and beautiful” (School Library Journal) novel “vividly imagines the lives of three girls” (Booklist, starred review) in three different time periods as they grow up to become groundbreaking scientists.

Maria Merian was sure that caterpillars were not wicked things born from mud, as most people of her time believed. Through careful observation she discovered the truth about metamorphosis and documented her findings in gorgeous paintings of the life cycles of insects.

More than a century later, Mary Anning helped her father collect stone sea creatures from the cliffs in southwest England. To him they were merely a source of income, but to Mary they held a stronger fascination. Intrepid and patient, she eventually discovered fossils that would change people’s vision of the past.

Across the ocean, Maria Mitchell helped her mapmaker father in the whaling village of Nantucket. At night they explored the starry sky through his telescope. Maria longed to discover a new comet—and after years of studying the night sky, she finally did.

Told in vibrant, evocative poems, this stunning novel celebrates the joy of discovery and finding wonder in the world around us.* “Vividly imagines the lives of three girls who grew up to become famous for their achievements in science. . . . Atkins has a knack for turning a phrase. . . . Science is woven through the narratives, but within the fabric of the characters’ daily lives and family struggles. . . . each of these three perceptive portrayals is original and memorable.”“Evocative and beautiful. Highly recommended for fans of poetry about the natural world and the lives of real people.”* “Distinguished for both content and elegance. . . . Readers are lured in by strong openings and vivid storytelling. . . . With each chaptered poem a gem in its own right, this collection will appeal to poetry lovers as well as l.