Scientists and Technologists

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up An overview of the many occupations in the science and technology fields. Each chapter covers a broad field, such as biologists; within the chapter the history and development of the occupation is traced, including profiles of famous people in the field and their contributions; a brief description of the variety of disciplines that fall under that umbrella is given. A list of occupations that might be related to the topic in any way follows, although some of the pairings are rather tenuous (i.e., ``slaves'' with ``engineers'' when examining the ancient Egyptians and the building of the pyramids). Every conceivable area is included, from alchemists to computer scientists, bringing together age-appropriate information that is otherwise difficult to locate. The writing is clear, if somewhat dry, without fictionalizing or dialogue. This is not a book to be read from cover to cover; its best use would be as a reference work. Illustrations are black-and-white photographs and reproductions, usually depicting individuals or an aspect of the profession being discussed. There is a good deal of valuable information here. Denise L. Moll, Lone Pine Elementary School, West Bloomfield, Mich.