Sarah Durand

I'll admit that I hadn't heard of Jennifer Doudna until picking this book up, but that's exactly what makes books like this wonderful...introducing little-known figures, who made an impact in their field.

The original version of this book was released for the adult audience. This one attempts to present the same material and make it understandable for a younger audience, ages 10 and up. Chapter by chapter, Jennifer Doudna's history, and then, contributions in DNA/RNA research are introduced. It goes into detail, not only explaining the circumstances of society and the institutions where she worked/attended, but also dives into the science, so the reader gets a good handle on what she truly did.

At over three-hundred pages, this book takes a thorough look into Doudna's accomplishments. It is written in a smooth form, which does make for easy reading. I appreciate that the facts are nicely laid-out, giving the reader a true glimpse into the science behind her discoveries in a way that anyone with a bit of science background can understand. For an adult audience or even high school level, this is an interesting read for anyone curious about the topic matter. I definitely enjoyed it.

The writing does address the younger readers in some ways. Although I'm not sure how many 5th to 8th graders are going to want to dive into a thick book about the life and science of one person. Even then, I know far, far fewer readers at this level, who will understand the science and terminology as its presented. Even many high schoolers will have problems with it. There is an attempt to make the science understandable, but without a certain amount of background in the area of cells and genetics, the descriptions are much to short and quick (usually within one sentence). There is a glossary at the end to help with more complex terms, which does help in some instances a bit.

This is a well-done read, but I'd generally recommend it to high schoolers and up. I do see science fans, who love to dive into this type of material anyway, enjoying this. Plus, it might be a good addition to homeschool material, as well.
I received an ARC and found it interesting, just not quite down to the age group it claims it is.… (más)