Determined Dreamer

"""The book’s handsome illustrations range from precisely delineated drawings of science labs to a scene showing Paris at night. Hopkinson’s concise, well-worded narrative emphasizes Curie’s background, her unshakable sense of purpose, and her strong work ethic. But it also suggests that childhood aspirations are achievable for those who are determined."" — Booklist ""How does a young woman shoulder past personal tragedies and gender prejudice to achieve her dream? In Marie Curie’s case, by being ‘unstoppable’ in her desire to become a scientist. This outline of her brilliant career follows her from early years...to well-earned renown as the winner of not one but two Nobel Prizes. Hill places her small, quietly resolute figure in various finely detailed period settings from a genteel family home in Warsaw to the cluttered lab in Paris where she conducted most of her laborious early research."" — Kirkus Reviews ""Interspersing description with quotes from Curie [and] a concluding segment on the X-ray units that the figure helped organize during WWI further amplifies the book’s focus on Curie’s contributions. Hill’s gouache, watercolor, and digital illustrations echo educational text with a muted palette for scenes that zero in on Curie’s studious qualities—speaking to anyone starting out 'as a child who wanted to learn.'"" — Publishers Weekly ""The text is particularly impressive, with its plainspoken yet comprehensive explanation of the complex work for which Curie earned a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911. Hill’s appealing gouache and watercolor illustrations complement the textual approach, painting only the important context for Curie’s life."" — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books"