It's Her Story Rosalind Franklin a Graphic Novel - by Karen de Seve Hardcover

Book Synopsis

A graphic novel for children ages 7 to 10. Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist during the 1940s and 1950s, when few women worked in the sciences. During WWII, she expanded our knowledge of the physics of coal and carbon, and later she studied viruses. Her "Photo 51" was central to understanding the double-helix structure of DNA, groundbreaking work she was never given credit for in her lifetime. This is her story.

Review Quotes

A very informative book about an inspirational woman in a graphic novel style; ages 7+
This book tells the intriguing story of Rosalind Franklin, a British chemist during the 1940s and 1950s. It follows her life from when she was young up until her sadly early death. All the research and work she did is detailed, in particular her 'photo 51', which was key in understanding the double-helix structure of DNA and for which she was never given credit in her lifetime. As a graphic novel, this will appeal to most readers, as it is an engaging style with colourful illustrations. There is a lot of information about her life, but due to the style of book it is easy reading. The American spelling could, however, confuse some children. This book could be used in many areas, the main one focusing on being a woman in STEM and the challenges entailed, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s, when science was a predominantly male subject. It shows the discrimination women had to face: 'She even felt shut out and disrespected at lunchtime, when her colleagues at King's College ate together in the men's-only lunchroom'. This promoted discussion among my pupils as to whether that is 'fair' and the children became very involved in that debate. It also, however, shows her determination and fantastic work ethic, which is a real inspiration to young girls (and boys) wanting a future career in STEM. This book could also be used to support children researching a specific scientist. In short, this is an informative book that tells the story of an intelligent woman who made a massive discovery. It promotes a lot of discussion about equality and discrimination and is structured in a child-friendly way. I will certainly be looking out for other books in the series for my class to read.
Philippa Moore
Year 3 teacher and science coordinator, Seamer and Irton Primary School

--Primary Science Magazine "https: //www.ase.org.uk/resources/primary-science/issue-176" (1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)

Biography, told in graphic novel form, of Rosalind Franklin, a British chemist during the 1940s and 1050s. Rosalind Franklin was born in 1920 and this short biography follows the main events in her life until her death at the very early age of 37 in 1958. Rosalind was interested in science right from school age. She dedicated her life to scientific research, studying chemistry at Cambridge University and then working for the war effort in WW2. After the war Rosalind was working in France, becoming an expert in X-ray crystallography and enjoying the freedom of leading her own projects. Moving back to England she began to be interested in taking pictures of DNA, the code of life. Rosalind's innovations enabled her to create a clear image of DNA. Without her knowledge her breakthrough was effectively stolen by other scientists who took the credit for discovering the structure of DNA. It was only many years later that her fundamental contribution was recognised.

The biography shows how women, Rosalind in particular, were rarely treated equally by male scientists and had to be very assertive if they were to follow scientific research as a career. Even then their contributions were undervalued.

This is a brief biography, covering the key moments as well as the struggles of Rosalind Franklin's life, ending with the legacy of her work in the present day. It is an easy, quick, read with clear illustrations utilising muted colours, mainly browns, to indicate that it occurs in the past. The book contains many speech bubbles of conversations and I always wonder how the biographer knows that the people said those exact words!

A good addition to school libraries, particularly useful for broader studies on the contribution of female researchers to science.

--Just Imagine, David Reedy "https: //justimagine.co.uk/review/its-her-story-rosalind-franklin/" (11/6/2022 12:00:00 AM)

Rosalind Franklin made many breakthroughs in science, but her biggest feat was 'helping to solve a huge mystery' says this graphic novel version of her life, when, in 1952, 'she took an X-ray photo that revealed the true structure of DNA.'

The book describes neatly and effectively how much Franklin loved the study of science, as well as just how many battles she faced as a woman in the early 20th century to pursue her passion. It's informative and inspiring in equal parts, and young readers are sure to feel outrage at the injustice of Watson and Crick excluding Rosalind Franklin as they claimed credit for discovering DNA.

The book makes sure we understand the unique contribution to science this extraordinary woman made and is a must for any school or library bookshelf.

--LoveReading4Kids "https: //www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/19961/Its-Her-Story-Rosalind-Franklin-by-Karen-De-Seve.html" (10/20/2022 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Karen de Seve loves to tell stories about science in new and fun ways. She has written comics about tiny critters that have super strength, and about the women heroes who discovered West Nile virus in New York City. She lives in New Jersey with her own heroes: her husband and two daughters. Samantha F. Chow is an Indonesian illustrator from the beautiful island of Bali. She completed her diploma in illustration, Film, and Game Art Design in Malaysia and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Illustration in London. An avid reader, traveler, and documentary watcher, Samantha loves bringing historical stories to life through her drawings.