So now that I've talked about my mother and grandmother, I decided to talk about my bookshelf. Not every girl can be lucky enough to have their very own #scimom, but most kids have access to a library (though fewer every day, but that's a rant for another time).
Madeline L'Engle's most famous work, A Wrinkle In Time, as well as later books in the series, talk about the protagonist's mother, Katherine Murray, who has degrees in microbiology and bacteriology, and actively pursues research while raising her four children. Meg herself never pursues her PhD, but in later books, serves as a research assistant to her husband Calvin, a marine biologist. The books are also very honest about some of the struggles the exceptionally smart have functioning in society, particularly as adolescents.
ScienceWomen have a lovely list of books focusing on women scientists, but are there any other YA books you all would recommend with female scientist role models, even as minor characters?
For a more general list of literature about scienctists, go here.
I grew up on Wrinkle in Time! Fantastic read.
ReplyDeleteVernor Vinge, "Deepness in the Sky."
ReplyDeleteIts science fiction, and the book depends too strongly on the "child genius" trope, but the story is well written otherwise. There are 4 very intelligent strong female characters in it (only two of them scientists), and lots of minor female scientists running around.
In fact the other book in the series, "Fire Upon the Deep" also has 2 strong female scientists, but is less well written.
He has a third book in the series coming out in October. It will be interesting to see what it holds.
It has been pointed out to me that my conception of YA literature is wrong. Vernor Vinge is not YA.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series has a female (physicist?) at Oxford, Mary Malone, featuring prominently in the third book.