★ 11/20/2017
Spreads splashed with vibrant, eye-catching paintings of insects and flowers help tell the story of 17th-century German trailblazer Maria Merian. Eschewing the mores of her time, she became a leading botanical artist, naturalist, and (possibly) the world’s first ecologist, as she depicted insects—in all their developmental stages—alongside their botanical food sources and helped establish the idea that butterflies and moths come from caterpillars. Sidman (Round) punctuates a well-researched, engaging narrative (“She had the curiosity of a true scientist, the patience it took to raise insects, and the superb artistic skill necessary to share her observations”) with excerpts from Merian’s journals to bring the courageous artist’s own voice into the mix. Eclectic sidebars contextualize the biography (one discusses witch hunts of the era), along with archival images, maps, and full-color photographs. Stages of butterfly metamorphosis (accompanied by a trademark Sidman nature poem) serve as fitting chapter headings and mirror the stages of Merian’s life; a chapter titled “Flight” focuses on her groundbreaking research trip to Surinam. An author’s note, timeline, bibliography, and index conclude this beautifully designed and expansive portrait of a gifted boundary breaker. Ages 10–12. (Feb.)
Before Carl Linnaeus began classifying organisms, before John James Audubon drew birds from the wild, before Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution, there lived a thirteen-year-old girl named Maria Merian who loved to draw bugs. With a keen eye and deft hand, she rendered soft green caterpillars, papery-winged moths, and the dazzling, intricate beauty of the butterflies. But drawing these fascinating creatures wasn't enough for Maria; she wanted to understand their small, mysterious lives. Where did they come from? What did they eat? And perhaps most miraculously of all, was there a connection between creeping caterpillars and beautiful butterflies? With no formal training or university education, Maria Merian took on the role of artist, adventurer, and scientist in seventeenth-century Europe-a time when women were rarely allowed responsibilities outside the home, and unusual interests led to accusations of witchcraft. Her intrepid fieldwork and careful observation helped uncover the truth about metamorphosis and changed the course of science forever. The Newbery Honor-winning author and poet Joyce Sidman masterfully paints a riveting portrait of Maria Merian-the girl who drew butterflies, the woman who has been called the world's first ecologist.
1125350289
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science
Before Carl Linnaeus began classifying organisms, before John James Audubon drew birds from the wild, before Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution, there lived a thirteen-year-old girl named Maria Merian who loved to draw bugs. With a keen eye and deft hand, she rendered soft green caterpillars, papery-winged moths, and the dazzling, intricate beauty of the butterflies. But drawing these fascinating creatures wasn't enough for Maria; she wanted to understand their small, mysterious lives. Where did they come from? What did they eat? And perhaps most miraculously of all, was there a connection between creeping caterpillars and beautiful butterflies? With no formal training or university education, Maria Merian took on the role of artist, adventurer, and scientist in seventeenth-century Europe-a time when women were rarely allowed responsibilities outside the home, and unusual interests led to accusations of witchcraft. Her intrepid fieldwork and careful observation helped uncover the truth about metamorphosis and changed the course of science forever. The Newbery Honor-winning author and poet Joyce Sidman masterfully paints a riveting portrait of Maria Merian-the girl who drew butterflies, the woman who has been called the world's first ecologist.
8.99
In Stock
5
1
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science
FREE
with a B&N Audiobooks Subscription
Or Pay
$8.99
8.99
In Stock
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
BN ID: | 2940171200428 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Recorded Books, LLC |
Publication date: | 03/26/2019 |
Edition description: | Unabridged |
Age Range: | 10 - 13 Years |
Videos
From the B&N Reads Blog