WHAT LINNAEUS SAW
Norton Young Readers October 1, 2019
Description
Trailblazing scientist and rule breaker Carl Linnaeus forever changed the way we think about the natural world.
Charles Darwin considered him one of his “two gods.” Benjamin Franklin labeled him “the great Naturalist.” The Queen of Sweden gossiped that he was “a very witty man, even if he doesn’t look it.” The Pope banned his books. Thomas Jefferson not only read them but bought copies for his friends.
Now in a lively new biography, Karen Beil captures the colorful life and innovative science of the great eighteenth-century naturalist. The naturalists of the 1700s who traveled the globe searching for rare plants and animals were the “science nerds” of their day. Foremost among them was Carl Linnaeus, a teacher and radical thinker who revolutionized biology.
From his explorations into the wilds of Sweden as a boy to his time as a young medical doctor in Holland, moving among the leading scientific thinkers of the era, Karen Beil traces Linnaeus’s path to understanding and organizing the natural world. His unprecedented system for classifying and naming plants and animals, developed over the course of his life, became the foundation of modern taxonomy and inspired generations of scientists.
Rich biographical anecdotes, mystery animals, and problematic plants build suspense as Beil helps today’s readers to see WHAT LINNAEUS SAW.
Available wherever books are sold!
“A highly engaging and entertaining page-turning presentation further enlivened with numerous period illustrations that perfectly accompany comprehensively researched test. Excellent backmatter rounds out this fine effort. An outstanding biography of a brilliant and fascinating man who is well worth the attention.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)'
“Beil’s storytelling skill elevates the biographical information, mimicking the excitement and mystery of scientific discovery.”
—School Library Journal
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
The 2020 Award of Excellence in Children’s and Young Adult Literature, Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (international)
Available wherever books are sold.
“Vivid photos . . . compelling account.”
“You can almost feel the heat.”
“Beil profiles a handful of men and women, capturing the drama, excitement, and danger of their job. Beil’s own photographs reflect the roller coaster pace of the work—from a burly man sitting at a sewing machine repairing his parachute, to a tree exploding in a column of fire.”
“Plenty of crisp color photos of firefighters taking on exploding trees, wind-driven flames, and ‘fire whirls’ are a sure draw for browsers, and the glossary of terms will be useful to readers taking a studious approach to the topic.”
“This stirring on-the-scenes account of the lives of firefighters who courageously battle wildfires is guaranteed to spark the imagination of any would-be firefighter. Action photos and personal narratives make this book stay on readers’ minds long past the final page.”
“Read this before you jump.”
Rookie smokejumpers at training camp, Missoula, MT. Photo by Karen M. Beil
Smokejumper Keith Woods after a refresher jump, Missoula, MT Smokejumper base. Photo by Karen M. Beil
FIRE IN THEIR EYES: WILDFIRES AND THE PEOPLE WHO FIGHT THEM
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Description
Why would anyone stand in the way of a wildfire? Despite the danger, a courageous few do combat wildfires, battling wilderness blazes across the country.
Sometimes these firefighters even use fire as a tool for preservation of fire-dependent habitats. In their hands, one of nature’s most destructive and unpredictable forces becomes the means to protect people, animals, and the wild lands that are America’s greatest resource.
In researching this book, Karen Beil joined prescribed burn crews during two seasons, documented a Montana smokejumper training camp, reported on blazes fought by hotshot and Type 2 crews, and interviewed dozens of people to create a closeup portrait of ordinary heroes. A dramatic environmental adventure about science, nature, and human daredevils!
HONORS
American Library Association (ALA) Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
NCSS-CBC Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Title - National Council of Teachers of English
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Nonfiction Honor List
YA Top 40 - Pennsylvania School Librarians Association
Maine Student Book Award - chosen by kids!
Available wherever books are sold.
JACK’S HOUSE
Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
Holiday House Books for Young Readers | 2009
Picture book description
Did Jack really build the ‘house that Jack built?’
One hard-working, big-truck-driving, hammer-pounding pooch, Max, wants you to know his side of the story in this exciting tell-all construction tale.
“[In] Beil’s twist on the classic cumulative tale of the house that Jack built . . . Max introduces readers to bulldozers and backhoes and forklifts, and a handful of trucks: cement, rack, boom and dump.”
“A wonderful twist on an age-old rhyme. . . . The vehicles that drive up to the site delivering materials and excavating are rugged and tough, appealing to the construction enthusiasts, but the soaring house is the centerpiece of the story, and Max’s care in building it is obvious. This beguiling book will be a hit . . .”
HONORS
The Original Art Exhibition, Museum of American Illustration, New York, NY
A Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book