Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings

by Jessica Fries-Gaither

Notable Scientists and Their Writings brings to life the many ways in which everyone from Galileo to Jane Goodall has used a science notebook, including to sketch their observations, imagine experiments, record data or just write down their thoughts. You also get four steps to starting your own notebook, plus mini-bios of the diverse featured scientists. Written in captivating rhyme, the text is sprinkled with lively illustrations. In fact, it looks a lot like the science notebook you’ll be eager to start after reading this inspiring book.

Genres: Science, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Stem, Childrens, Engineering, Biography

32 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2017

Reviews

[Beckie Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book showing kids how all types of scientists use their science journals. Images are included from their actual notebooks --Isaac Newton's, Beatrix Potter's, and Jane Goodall's to name a few. This will be fun to read to students creating their own science journals for the first time.

[James Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that should be in every elementary school. A great resource for students to see how scientists have used their own science notebooks to record their thinking. The book gives us a glimpse into famous science notebooks from scientists like Leonardo da Vinci, Jane Goodall, Isaac newton, and many more. The book concluded with step by step instructions on how to set up a science notebook.

[Anna]

Read by Astronaut Joseph Acaba in a video from Story Time From Space

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though scientists study all kinds of different topics, a common thread is the fact that many scientists rely on notebooks to document their discoveries. From Galileo to the present day, scientific notebooks are a foundation of learning, especially as the observations within them often lead to a greater understanding of the wider world. And just as any notebook can be a vessel for thought, so too can any human utilize a notebook to track their own observations of the world around them. This poetic, nonfiction picture book introduces young readers to several famous scientists and the ways in which they documented their observations. Lines of rhyming text help make the book accessible to young readers, and though the meter and design is not identical from one line to the next, the singsong nature of the narrative makes otherwise weighty subjects lighter. Images of the featured scientists’ actual notebooks are embedded within the illustrations, further connecting young readers to the people included within the book. Though the majority of the scientists presented in this text are fair-skinned men, an effort has been made to include scientists of additional genders and backgrounds to enhance the book’s diversity. The narrative is relatively brief, offering only a glimpse into each scientist’s life and discoveries, but readers may be inspired to further investigate the scientists outside of this book on their own. Back matter includes brief biographies of each of the featured scientists and a guide for starting one’s own science notebook, amplifying the message that anyone can be a scientist at any age. This unique and accessible nonfiction picture book is a good introduction to famous scientists for young elementary school-aged readers.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the concept of showing kids the importance and diversity of notebooks. From Isaac Newton, to DaVinci, to Rachel Carson and more the author shows how science notebooks have held data, info, illustrations, wonderings and more. The last few pages also shows science notebooks from children too. I love the inspiration and cool factor that the notebooks show, making learning and note taking much more fun and interesting... I just wish it wasn't written in rhyme.

[ScienceTeacher321 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great artwork and a useful model when teaching students how to have a science notebook and why it's important

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a good book for inspiring students to see how a science notebook can help them understand, although I actually read this to inspire myself!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notebooking in the real world!

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am excited about sharing this, along with Amy Van Derwater's notebook blog as be launch notebooks for capturing our thinking to figure out what we know and what we'd like to discover.

[J.O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read that us full of interesting facts.

[Jenni Heins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great rhyming poetry about famous scientists with actual photographs from some of their notebooks. Made me want to study something using a notebook!

[Nico Curcio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting books

[Sandi Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rhyming picture book with images from notable scientists' notebooks/journals, this book encourages readers to look at the world around them and record their observations and thinking.

[Adrianne Rosal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was real cool listening to reading from outer space

[Chauntel Seminerio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for Kids.

[San Diego Book Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Raif Wagner for San Diego Book Review

“Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings” is a children's picture book. The author, Jessica Fries-Gaither, wants children to see how scientists have used notebooks in their work. So the book talks about lots of different scientists and what they studied, and why that was important. It talks about Galileo, and Isaac Newton, and an astronomer named Maria Mitchell who discovered a new comet.

You can read this entire review and others like it at San Diego Book Review.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. It is great for getting kids excited about creating and interactive notebook in my science class. The rhythm and rhyme is fun and the pictures are great.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I both enjoyed this and he was highly motivated to start his own science notebook, and has been constantly taking notes and drawing pictures of what he learns.