The true story of how a scientist saved the planet from environmental disaster.
Elizabeth Rusch is the author of several award-winning children's
nonfiction picture books, including Volcano Rising, Electrical
Wizard, and The Music of Life. Her highly acclaimed Scientists in
the Field books include the Orbis Pictus Honor book The Mighty Mars
Rovers, Eruption!, The Next Wave, and Impact!
When Teresa Martinez was a child, her family moved from a small
town to the city. Drawing helped shy Teresa connect with the other
kids at school. Now she connects with children across Mexico and
around the world through the books she illustrates.
www.teresa-mtz.com
♦ "The sky is falling, the sky is falling"—but unlike the
supporting cast of "Chicken Little," no one pays attention to
Mexican-born chemist Dr. Mario Molina's call to action. Rusch's
compelling narrative captures the dread and frustration felt by
Molina and fellow University of California-Irvine chemist Sherwood
Rowland as they race to head off the depletion of the ozone layer.
Excessive amounts of chlorofluorocarbons are being released into
the atmosphere from air conditioners, refrigerators, spray cans,
etc. at an alarming rate. Their initial, unsuccessful efforts to
convince the media and Congress about the serious chemical threat
to everyone on this planet parallels Nobel Prize winner Molina's
current struggle to address our current crisis of global warming.
Martinez's Disney-esque illustrations, set against dark or
murky-colored backgrounds, detract only slightly from the strong
storyline. A succinct epilogue summarizes Molina's many
accomplishments, and a chart comparing the similarities between
ozone depletion and global warming is appended. Additionally, a
suggested reading list and corresponding links are provided.
Unfortunately, the timeline is printed across the
endpapers—limiting access to the information once the protective
jackets are affixed to school or library copies. A Spanish-language
edition will be simultaneously released, with a translation by
Carlos E. Calvo. A timely and fascinating look at what courage and
focused, informed action can accomplish.
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Growing up in Mexico, Mario Molina loved exploring the world around
him and performing experiments with his microscope. After attending
boarding school in Switzerland and receiving his PhD, Molina began
work in the United States, where he made a horrific discovery:
CFCs, chemicals used in countless everyday items, were damaging the
environment by destroying the ozone layer. Despite Molina and his
colleague F. Sherwood Rowland’s attempts to publicize this
discovery, they were not taken seriously until scientists
discovered a huge hole in the ozone above Antarctica. Finally,
Molina and Rowland’s hard work led to almost every country agreeing
to stop the production of CFCs. Vibrant, imaginative illustrations
convey the possibilities of science and the urgency of Molina’s
discoveries and depict Molina’s interest from an early age. Both
English and Spanish texts flow smoothly. VERDICT An excellent
addition to children’s nonfiction collections, and sure to be a
great highlight of Hispanic Heritage Month biography
collections.
—School Library Journal
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