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Synopsis
Recounts the life of the African-American agriculturist at the Tuskegee Institute, emphazing his love of plants and his belief in living in harmony with the natural world.
Children's Literature
This biography is a wonderful introduction to George Washington Carver and his work. Born the child of slaves in Diamond, Missouri, in the 1800s he rose to become an icon in the sciences, a monumental achievement for a black man at the time. Pertinent facts of Carver's life are brought forth in an easy-to-understand manner. His early love of learning, his curiosity about all things living, plants, and animals is emphasized at the very start. Because he was a sickly child his work in the farm consisted of cooking, sewing, gardening, and knitting. He loved the outside world and learned all about plants and was given the nickname of Plant Doctor by neighboring farmers. He dreamed of going to school and was able to do so with great sacrifice. Ultimately he attended Iowa State University and was asked to remain there as a faculty member. After leaving Iowa he came to Tuskegee Institute where he researched the peanut with great success. The book's watercolor illustrations though muted in tone fit the text very nicely. A very useful book for the history and social studies curriculum.