May Chinn : The Best Medicine (Science Superstars) - Hardcover

Grade 4-8?Lively and informative biographies of two fascinating scientists. Butts covers the many notable achievements of Chinn, an African American doctor who graduated from medical school in 1926 at the age of 30, but also gives a good portrait of her personal life. Carter gained worldwide fame by unearthing the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. The book chronicles his life in a balanced manner, and the excitement of his discoveries comes through vividly. Both books offer solid historical perspectives on their subjects, showing how global politics limited Carter's archaeological opportunities and how the civil rights movement affected the direction of Chinn's career. Both figures achieved greatness despite failures and frustrations along the way, and these biographies are inspiring without being too preachy. Black-and-white drawings are adequate. Even kids who haven't heard of these two figures should be intrigued by their lives. Nicholas Reeves's Into the Mummy's Tomb (Scholastic, 1992) offers some information on Carter, though it focuses more on the Tutankhamen discovery than on the scientist's life; little else is available for children on Chinn.?Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

That Ellen Butts and Joyce Schwartz dared to touch on mature themes-- racism, sexism, alcoholism, drug addiction, and poverty, to name a few--in a scant 48 pages impressed me. Teachers and parents will find ample fodder for discussion as these difficult, and contemporary, concepts are introduced...I finished May Chinn in a single sitting, my coffee cold and barely sipped. And when my ten-year-old son, inevitably, sought me out, I surrendered my quilt to him and said, "Here, read this." And he did, in one sitting. -- Michelle Y. Green, "Signature," Women's National Book Association, Nov. 1995

[May Chinn is] skillfully written in a direct, engaging style...both the scientist and her science are clearly portrayed. The difficulty of balancing scientific research, community service, and a personal life is well depicted. Here we have a role model who is an appreciated part of a vital community. -- Highest rating, Annual Best Children's Science Book List, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Jan/Feb. 1996