Monday, March 18, 2019

Bibliophile's Corner

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science
by Joyce Sidman

Flap Copy Description:
Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be “born of mud” and to be “beasts of the devil.”  Why would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them?

One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. In this visual nonfiction biography, richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, the Newbery Honor–winning author Joyce Sidman paints her own picture of one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects.

My Thoughts:
Joyce Sidman, renowned author and poet, has crafted an important and informative book that is just exquisite. The hours of research Ms. Sidman put in on Maria Merian's life in preparing to pen this biography is quite obvious - I loved it! The Girl Who Drew Butterflies recently won the Robert F. Sibert Medal for best informational book of 2019 - bravo! The illustrations and photography included in this beautiful book perfectly illuminate Ms. Sidman's text. I highly recommend The Girl Who Drew Butterflies to everyone, especially young scientists!

Click here to learn about author/poet, Joyce Sidman.