SCIENCE science.org 3 DECEMBER 2021 • VOL 374 ISSUE 6572 1193metamorphosis. Simple questions (“How
is the caterpillar changing?...What are they
up to?”) encourage young readers to engage
more deeply with the material, while Hob-
bie’s vivid descriptions (“It scoots out of its
skin and pops off its head capsule like a face
mask!”) will either delight or horrify, depend-
ing on the audience.
Monarch migration comes next, with sepa-
rate consideration of populations found east
and west of the Rocky Mountains, which un-
dertake markedly different journeys. Colorful
visuals by illustrator Olga Baumert help to
emphasize the rich habitats in which the but-
terflies live and through which they migrate,
as well as the vibrant role they play in Mexi-
can Día de los Muertos celebrations.
The book gently describes how habitat de-
struction and pesticides can harm butterflies
before assuring readers that there are also
ways to help them thrive. It closes with a glos-
sary, instructions for rearing monarchs, and
a note directing educators to complementary
curriculum prepared by the Monarch Joint
Venture program, a multi-institutional effort
to protect monarch migration for which Hob-
bie serves as chair of the board.
A child who reads this text would be for-
given for mistakenly concluding that mon-
archs are only found in the Americas. (They
are native to this region but now inhabit
parts of Europe and various Pacific islands
and nations.) Still, Monarch Butterflies would
make an admirable addition to any grade-
schooler’s lepidoptery library.Monarch Butter ies: Explore the Life Journey of One
of the Winged Wonders of the World, Ann Hobbie,
Illustrated by Olga Baumert, Storey Publishing, 2021, 48 pp.HANDS-ON SCIENCE BOOKBiology for Kids
Reviewed by Michael A. Funk^9In Biology for Kids, Liz Lee Heinecke profiles
25 biologists, describing their upbringing and
personal lives, their professional contribu-
tions, and their legacies in a few paragraphs
each. The list includes some of the usual
suspects, such as Charles Darwin and Louis
Pasteur, but a large portion are less-often-told
stories of women and people of color who
have made essential contributions to biology
and medicine. These stories help explain, in
very general terms, some of the fundamen-
tal concepts today’s biologists use to identify
different species, trace the spread of disease,
and peer into the invisible world of microbes
and molecules.
Each scientist’s profile is accompanied by
a beautiful illustration by artist Kelly AnneDalton and is followed by an experiment or
activity related to the subject’s work. Biology
is a broad field, and this book has an activ-
ity for every curious kid, from studying ani-
mal behavior, to growing plants from seed,
to watching yeast take over a slice of bread.
It will not spoil the fun, but some of the ac-
tivities lack much in the way of explanation
of the underlying concepts. Others require
considerable preparation and cleanup, which
may put off some kids (and parents). Fortu-
nately, there are many options to pick from,
and several require little more than observ-
ing what is happening in the world.
The short profiles in this book also raise
a challenge for parents and older readers:
find and read biographies of scientists. Many
have led fascinating, unusual, and challeng-
ing lives that intersect with the science and
culture of today in surprising ways.Biology for Kids: Science Experiments and Activities
Inspired by Awesome Biologists, Past and Present,
Liz Lee Heinecke, Illustrated by Kelly Anne Dalton, Quarry
Books, 2021, 128 pp.The Science
and Technology
of Marie Curie
Reviewed by Adrian Cho^10Marie Skłodowska Curie, who pioneered the
study of radioactivity, has become a symbol of
dogged determination. In Paris, she and herhusband, Pierre, toiled endlessly in a shed
filled with noxious chemicals to extract the
tiniest amounts of radioactive radium from
tons of the mineral pitchblende. But as Ju-
lie Knutson briskly recounts, Curie overcame
numerous daunting challenges in her life.
Curie—the first woman to win a Nobel
Prize and the only person to win a Nobel
Prize in two different sciences—was born in
1867 in Russian-occupied Warsaw. She was
not allowed to learn Polish in school and was
largely educated by her parents. Sexism cost
her opportunities and almost the 1903 Nobel
Prize in Physics. In 1906, Pierre died in an ac-
cident, leaving her with two daughters, aged 1
and 8. Yet Curie persisted in her studies.
Knutson’s book brims with sidebars on
topics ranging from the structure of the atom
to the bicycling craze of the 1890s. Many
come with QR codes that link to additional
websites and videos. Each of the seven chap-
ters ends with suggestions for activities and
experiments, such as instructions to fashion
a nifty spectroscope from a cardboard tube
and a compact disk. (Sorry, no experiments
with radioactivity.)
Knutson addresses sexism head on and
strives to encourage girls who are interested
in science. However, she also notes that Cu-
rie’s success did not instantly open doors for
other women. Instead, Curie’s contempo-
raries largely viewed her as a singular talent.
By acknowledging this point, Knutson im-
plicitly challenges her readers not to fall for
the same lazy thinking.The Science and Technology of Marie Curie,
Julie Knutson, Illustrated by Michelle Simpson,
Nomad Press, 2021, 128 pp.Cardboard Box
Engineering
Reviewed by Marc S. Lavine^11Have you ever seen a young child receive a
gift and show far more interest in playing
with the packaging than the toy or game it
contained? In Cardboard Box Engineering,
Jonathan Adolph provides more than 20
projects designed to entice, encourage, and
inspire readers to create, tinker, and build.
The book is a perfect blend of informa-
tion, illustration, and blueprints that, to-
gether, educate the reader about types of
packaging materials, describe the tools
and supplies that are needed for making
the projects, and provide a detailed set of
fabrication steps and photographs. Some
projects, such as the three-wing boomer-
ang, require little more than cardboard and
ILLUSTRATION: OLGA BAUMERT glue, while others make use of common or