Beatrix Potter, Scientist
She was a writer, an artist, and a scientist too, and she strove to find a place in the world for her talents.
Everyone knows Beatrix Potter as the creator of the Peter Rabbit stories. But before that, she was a girl of science. As a child, Beatrix collected nature specimens; as a young adult, she was an amateur mycologist presenting her research on fungi to England’s foremost experts. Like many women of her time, she remained unacknowledged by the scientific community, but her keen eye for observation led her to an acclaimed career as an artist and storyteller. A beloved author is cast in a new light in this inspiring picture book story.
Written by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Illustrated by Junyi Wu
Albert Whitman & Company | ISBN: 978-0-80755-175-2
32 pages | ages 4-8
© 2020 Albert Whitman and Company
Praise
2021 Young People’s Literature Award, Friends of American Writers Chicago
A Mighty Girl 2020 Book of the Year
“Metcalf’s lyrical text is succinct and focused . . . This makes a worthy addition to STEAM and women’s history units.” —Booklist
“In wondering, lyrical language . . . Metcalf’s tale illustrates the challenges of breaking through a prejudiced system.” —Publishers Weekly
“Celebrating how Potter’s talents and interests informed each other, this inviting biography illuminates an unfamiliar aspect of an accomplished woman’s life.”
—School Library Journal
“An unusual combination of women’s history and science that shows not all questions can be answered.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This book doesn’t shy away from the challenges facing a woman scientist in Potter’s day, but celebrates how she combined her talents and her passions, both to make new discoveries and to write some of the world’s most beloved children’s books.”
—A Mighty Girl
Extras
Download the free standards-aligned (K-3) discussion and activity guide.
Meet the Authors video: Beatrix Potter discussion with book creators Lindsay Metcalf, Junyi Wu, and Linda Marshall
Lichens and Mushrooms activities (LitLinks blog)
Audio
Women of Herstory Podcast, Beatrix Potter episode feat. Lindsay Metcalf
