Michael Faraday: Creative Scientist

School Library Journal

ea. vol: photogs. chron. index. (People of Distinction Series). CIP. Childrens. 1986. PLB $8.95. Gr 4-8 The breaking of the sound barrier and the risks that Yeager took to do it make an engrossing opener. Then readers learn about his childhood, his service in the Army Air Force during World War II, and his life through his role in the Vietnam War. Chronologies of supersonic flight and of Yeager's life are included. Gaffney's simple but interest-grabbing prose carries readers through Yeager's life and related historical events while explaining the necessary technical details. A few black-and-white photographs show Yeager and his planes. In Michael Faraday , Gutnik includes some background on life in London, as well as the nature of scientific and philosophical speculation during Faraday's time. Grainy black-and-white reproductions of prints of the time are clustered mainly in the center of the book, while diagrams help explain the experiments. However, the writing is undramatic and marred by some short, choppy sentences, sentence fragments, and repetitive summaries. Gutnik's Electricity : from Faraday to Solar Generators (Watts, 1986) is a more comprehensive treatment that includes some of the same material. Rosen covers Sadat's rise from poverty and failure to become President of Egypt. It's an impressive and inspiring story. Rosen writes in simple declarative sentences, using footnotes from an extensive number of sources. This style may distract some readers but help others. Black-and-white photographs show what the principals looked like, while small maps try to show the territorial problems of Israel, Egypt, and the neighboring lands. Sadat: the Man Who Changed Mid-East History (Walker, 1981) by George Sullivan covers similar material but stops short of Sadat's assassination. Anwar Sadat (Watts, 1982) by Raymond Carroll begins with his death and fills in his life story as well. Sylvia Marantz, Wellington School, Columbus, Ohio