Seeds of Discovery: How Barbara McClintock Used Corn and Curiosity to Solve a Science Mystery and Win a Nobel Prize

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

The quirky and singular Nobel Prize winner Barbara McClintock, a founder of modern genetics who did things her own way, is honored in this lively young STEM biography by Sibert Honor winner Lori Alexander. 

Celebrating the power of curiosity and the rewards of tenacity, this engaging and highly illustrated biography introduces young readers to the field of genetics. As a rare female botanist in early twentieth-century America, Barbara McClintock never let other people’s notions of what was proper slow her down. When she faced doubting colleagues and unsupportive institutions, she drove across the United States, climbed through windows, and even slept in her laboratory to conduct her research. In so doing, she helped pave the way for future scientific discoveries that can cure diseases and save lives—and won a Nobel Prize in the process!Back matter includes a timeline, glossary, source notes, and further reading.

About the Author

Lori Alexander’s books for young readers include the acclaimed biographies What’s a Germ, Joseph Lister?: The Medical Mystery That Forever Changed the Way We Heal and the Sibert Honor–winning All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World. She lives in Tucson, Arizona. lorialexanderbooks.comRebecca Santo finds inspiration in anything from whimsical fantasies to simple everyday curiosities and has illustrated picture books such as Merry and Hark: A Christmas Story, by April Genevieve Tucholke. She is based in Cleveland, Ohio.