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CBC-NSTA Editors' Outstanding Science Trade Book for 2025•
An inspiring picture book biography about Rosalind Franklin, the groundbreaking chemist who helped discover the structure of DNA, by the award-winning, bestselling author of
Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?
★ "[A] compelling introduction to an extraordinary scientist." —
Booklist
, starred review
Rosalind Franklin was a Jewish scientist with a remarkable talent as a chemist. Although there were few women working in this field in the 1950s, Franklin, using crystallography, captured an image that held the secret to unlocking the structure of DNA: the double helix. Her
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was used by her male colleagues without her knowledge, and they went on to win the Nobel Prize, while Franklin never found out how instrumental her work was to the discovery of the double helix. This incredible story uncovers the life and work of an extraordinary scientist, rightfully celebrating her landmark contributions to history.
★
"Poignant … Enlightening …. students with an appreciation for learning about lesser-known historical figures and an interest in science will find inspiration in Franklin’s resilience. Remember Rosalind? She’s unforgettable." —
School Library Journal
★ "As she weaves science and history, Tanya Lee Stone unravels dual mysteries centering on the double helix: how the 'secret of life…makes you—YOU' and how a 'twist of fate' triggered Rosalind Franklin’s posthumous recognition." —
Horn Book
"[An] inspiring picture book biography introducing Rosalind Franklin's groundbreaking life to young readers." —
A Mighty Girl