Before Isaac Newton became the father of physics, an accomplished mathematician, or a leader of the scientific revolution, he was a boy living in an apothecary's house, observing and experimenting, recording his observations of the world in a tiny notebook. As a young genius living in a time before science as we know it existed, Isaac studied the few books he could get his hands on, built handmade machines, and experimented with alchemy, a process of chemical reactions that seemed (at the time) to be magical. Mary Losure's riveting narrative nonfiction account of Isaac's early life traces his development as a thinker from his childhood, in friendly prose that will capture the attention of today's budding scientists-as if by magic.
"...the author adds details from history and from her understanding of human behavior that make this splendid story both convincing and accessible to her readers...Narrative nonfiction at its best and most convincing."
Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"Perhaps even more impressive than her re-creation of Newton's world, however, is her re-creation of the man himself-or rather, the boy who became the man-without embellishing the historical record with speculation and conjecture. Thus, the reader is left with the bare facts of Newton's life-his difficult and troubled childhood, his prodigious talent at Cambridge, his prickly and reclusive na
Horn Book, Starred Review
"Losure adeptly presents the complex subjects of chemistry, math, and physics, along with alchemy-related recipes...an excellent addition to reinforce lessons on how to find and use primary sources. Losure has written a volume that both informs and excites. Highly recommended for middle school science biography sections."
