Queen of Physics Picture Book Review #ReadYourWorld
Note: I was gifted Queen of Physics by Teresa Roberson to review for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020. All opinions are my own.
When reading Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom by Teresa Robeson, you don’t know to understand physics or be a fan of science to enjoy this book. It’s about so much more.
Queen of Physics is a non-fiction biography picture book that profiles the life of Wu Chien Shiung, a girl born in China in the early 1900s. She becomes a famous physicist, facing prejudice in a field dominated by non-minority men, and succeeds against the odds.
Growing up in a time period when society discourages girls from going to school, Wu Chien Shiung nevertheless gains an education. Though people believe girls are not equal to boys, her parents break the norm. They encourage their daughter’s love of learning by teaching her themselves and supporting her later pursuits in education.
Wu Chien Shiung continues to advance in scientific learning through higher education and in her career. In a field dominated by men, she holds her own, works hard, and proves herself an expert physicist. She finds solutions to scientific mysteries that the men in her field are unable to resolve.
The scientific community responds by giving her male co-workers a Noble Prize and notably excludes her. Wu Chien Shiung continues to make scientific discoveries, and time and time again (three total) the scientific community overlooks her achievements while awarding only male scientists the Nobel Prize for her work.
Disappointed but not discouraged, she continues her scientific work and along the way she marks major milestones. She becomes the first woman Princeton University hired as an instructor and is the first woman elected as President of the American Physical Society. An asteroid is even named after her, representing the first time a scientist has won that honor.
Illustrations by Rebecca Huang capture the time period of the book in a way that engages children while giving a nod to the historic nature of the story. The images express both the scientific and emotional aspects of Wu Chien Chiung’s life, creating depth of character that young readers can grasp.
Queen of Physics gives Wu Chien Shiung her long-overdue recognition. She’s an unsung heroine who battles sexism and racism to pursue her passion. This book is about overcoming obstacles when society’s norms work against you. It’s about believing in yourself, and persevering even when you don’t receive the glory earned. Wu Chien Shiung is a role model for girls who can see their own strengths in her journey.
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom [Sterling Children’s Books] is a 2020 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature Picture Book winner and a National Council of Teachers of English Orbis Pictus Recommended Book. This book is ideal for readers age 5+ years. Purchase the book on Amazon and at other major book retailers.
Enter the Queen of Physics Giveaway [CLOSED]
One lucky reader will win a set of 4 coasters featuring the image of the Queen of Physics book. Enter via the entry form below. Giveaway is open to entrants with U.S. mailing addresses only and age 18+ years old. Good luck!
About the Author and Illustrator
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Teresa Robeson was born in Hong Kong, raised in Canada, and now writes and creates from her mini-homestead in southern Indiana where she lives with her scientist husband. A nonfiction winner of the We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program, Teresa advocates for greater scientific and cultural literacy. Visit her online at teresarobeson.com and on Twitter @TeresaRobeson. Rebecca Huang is an illustrator from Taiwan who currently lives in the Bay Area. Rebecca received her MFA degree in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She is the author and illustrator of Bobo and the New Baby. You can visit her at rebeccamhuang.com. |
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 (1/31/20) is in its 7th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Seven years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues.
MCBD 2020 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board
Super Platinum
Make A Way Media/ Deirdre “DeeDee” Cummings,
Platinum
Language Lizard, Pack-N-Go Girls,
Gold
Audrey Press, Lerner Publishing Group, KidLit TV, ABDO BOOKS: A Family of Educational Publishers, PragmaticMom & Sumo Joe, Candlewick Press,
Silver
Author Charlotte Riggle, Capstone Publishing, Guba Publishing, Melissa Munro Boyd & B is for Breathe,
Bronze
Author Carole P. Roman, Snowflake Stories/Jill Barletti, Vivian Kirkfield & Making Their Voices Heard. Barnes Brothers Books, TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee & Low Books, Charlesbridge Publishing, Barefoot Books Talegari Tales
Author Sponsor Link Cloud
Jerry Craft, A.R. Bey and Adventures in Boogieland, Eugina Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Kenneth Braswell & Fathers Incorporated, Maritza M. Mejia & Luz del mes_Mejia, Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Josh Funk and HOW TO CODE A ROLLERCOASTER, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Lauren Ranalli, The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! By Dr. Sharon Chappell, Phe Lang and Me On The Page, Afsaneh Moradian and Jamie is Jamie, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, TUMBLE CREEK PRESS, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Gwen Jackson, Angeliki Pedersen & The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 by Mia Wenjen, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher (Founders of Inner Flower Child Books), Ann Morris & Do It Again!/¡Otra Vez!, Janet Balletta and Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Ocean, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo & Bruna Bailando por el Mundo\ Dancing Around the World, Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, Sarah Jamila Stevenson, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Teresa Robeson & The Queen of Physics, Nadishka Aloysius and Roo The Little Red TukTuk, Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore & Stories by the Girlfriends Book Club, Finding My Way Books, Diana Huang & Intrepids, Five Enchanted Mermaids, Elizabeth Godley and Ribbon’s Traveling Castle, Anna Olswanger and Greenhorn, Danielle Wallace & My Big Brother Troy, Jocelyn Francisco and Little Yellow Jeepney, Mariana Llanos & Kutu, the Tiny Inca Princess/La Ñusta Diminuta, Sara Arnold & The Big Buna Bash, Roddie Simmons & Race 2 Rio, DuEwa Frazier & Alice’s Musical Debut, Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series Green Kids Club, Inc.
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts
A Crafty Arab, Afsaneh Moradian, Agatha Rodi Books, All Done Monkey, Barefoot Mommy, Bethany Edward & Biracial Bookworms, Michelle Goetzl & Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms Share, Colours of Us, Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, Educators Spin on it, Shauna Hibbitts-creator of eNannylink, Growing Book by Book, Here Wee Read, Joel Leonidas & Descendant of Poseidon Reads {Philippines}, Imagination Soup, Kid World Citizen, Kristi’s Book Nook, The Logonauts, Mama Smiles, Miss Panda Chinese, Multicultural Kid Blogs, Serge Smagarinsky {Australia}, Shoumi Sen, Jennifer Brunk & Spanish Playground, Katie Meadows and Youth Lit Reviews
FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
- Free Multicultural Books for Teachers
- Our New FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit http://ow.ly/kcbZ30p3QWz
- Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians, and Educators
- Free Understanding Developmental & Physical Challenges Classroom Kit
TWITTER PARTY! Register here!
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
