Determined Dreamer: The Story of Marie Curie - by Deborah Hopkinson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

This is a comprehensive and accessible picture book biography of Marie Curie, the groundbreaking scientist and two-time Nobel Prize winner, from an acclaimed author and illustrator duo.

Before Marie Curie was the first woman in France to earn the highest degree in physics,

before she discovered two new radioactive elements,

and became the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (and then the first person to win two!)--

she was a little girl named Marie Sklodowska who dreamed of being a scientist--and was determined to make that dream come true.

This is an accessible and compelling homage to Marie Curie, whose life and legacy continue to inspire to this very day.

Review Quotes

"The book's handsome illustrations range from precisely delineated drawings of science labs to a scene showing Paris at night. Hopkinson's concise, well-worded narrative emphasizes Curie's background, her unshakable sense of purpose, and her strong work ethic. But it also suggests that childhood aspirations are achievable for those who are determined." -- Booklist

"How does a young woman shoulder past personal tragedies and gender prejudice to achieve her dream? In Marie Curie's case, by being 'unstoppable' in her desire to become a scientist. This outline of her brilliant career follows her from early years...to well-earned renown as the winner of not one but two Nobel Prizes. Hill places her small, quietly resolute figure in various finely detailed period settings from a genteel family home in Warsaw to the cluttered lab in Paris where she conducted most of her laborious early research." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Interspersing description with quotes from Curie [and] a concluding segment on the X-ray units that the figure helped organize during WWI further amplifies the book's focus on Curie's contributions. Hill's gouache, watercolor, and digital illustrations echo educational text with a muted palette for scenes that zero in on Curie's studious qualities--speaking to anyone starting out 'as a child who wanted to learn.'" -- Publishers Weekly

"The text itself is easy to read and engaging. Hill's illustrations illuminate the world of this era and show the obstacles Curie faced. Together Hopkinson and Hill have created a window into the life and times of an acclaimed scientist for a young audience." -- School Library Journal

"The text is particularly impressive, with its plainspoken yet comprehensive explanation of the complex work for which Curie earned a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911. Hill's appealing gouache and watercolor illustrations complement the textual approach, painting only the important context for Curie's life." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books