Isaac Newton: The Greatest Scientist of All Time (Great Minds of Science)

Gr 5-8-This biography is filled with details about Newton's life. Readers learn about his propensity to skip meals to work on problems, his grudges against several other scientists, and, most importantly, his revolutionary scientific advances. This information is played against the political history of the time that puts it into context. Anderson effectively uses quotes from Newton and his contemporaries. In some sections, a factual picture of the scientist's achievements and complex life come to light, but in others, details that add little to the story float in and out. The sections on Newton's scientific discoveries, on the other hand, need more discussion. For example, readers are told that Newton predicted that because the earth spins, the poles would flatten, but the connection is never explained. A few demonstrations at the end of the book shed little light on the science. It is difficult to explain Newton as a person without fully understanding his work. Illustrations consist of black-and-white photographs of Newton-related places and scientific instruments (along with an irrelevant shot of the modern-day Newton Shopping Centre) and reproductions of portraits.-Alan Newman, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC

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