The Curie Society

by Heather Einhorn, Adam Staffaroni, Janet Harvey, Sonia Liao (Illustrator), Joan Hilty (Editor)

Overview

An action-packed graphic novel for the science lover—“with suspenseful espionage, nerdy humor, and a group of dauntless, eager trailblazers” following in the footsteps of Marie Curie (Shelf Awareness).

The brilliant, diverse members of a covert society dedicated to women in STEM undertake high-stakes missions to save the world.

An action-adventure original graphic novel, The Curie Society follows a team of young women recruited by an elite secret society—originally founded by Marie Curie—with the mission of supporting the most brilliant female scientists in the world.
 
The heroines of the Curie Society use their smarts, gumption, and cutting-edge technology to protect the world from rogue scientists with nefarious plans. Readers can follow recruits Simone, Taj, and Maya as they decipher secret codes, clone extinct animals, develop autonomous robots, and go on high-stakes missions.

“A fun comic starring heroines who find themselves solving one scientific puzzle after the next!” ―Andy Weir, New York Times–bestselling author of The Martian

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780262539944
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	04/27/2021
Series:	The Curie Society Series , #1
Pages:	168
Sales rank:	520,816
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Creators Heather Einhorn and Adam Staffaroni also created the hit teen scripted podcast Lethal Lit: A Tig Torres Mystery (a New York Times Great Podcast of 2018). Comic book writer Janet Harvey's credits include the graphic novel Angel City: Town without Pity. Illustrator Sonia Liao's past credits include the Ember in the Ashes graphic novel A Thief Among the Trees.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Three brilliant young women join a sisterhood of science and find themselves drawn into an adventure that will test their courage, knowledge, and friendship. A refreshing and empowering read!”
— Pia Guerra, political cartoonist and artist of Y: The Last Man

“Featuring strong teenage characters grappling with ethics in science, society, and history, this graphic novel will make a great gift for burgeoning, curious young scientists everywhere.”
— Janna Levin, author of Black Hole Blues

“A delightful mix of engaging adventure and fascinating science. An excellent way of learning lots of science ideas and sharing in the lives of characters who have a passion for it.”
— Clifford V. Johnson, physicist and author of The Dialogues: Conversations about the Nature of the Universe

“A fun comic starring heroines who find themselves solving one scientific puzzle after the next!”
― Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Artemis​

Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List, 2023

Editorial Reviews

02/08/2021

Readers eager for greater representation of women in the sciences will cheer to this empowering if squeaky-clean spy adventure. Taj, Simone, and Maya, three freshmen with distinct scientific specialties, get tapped to join the Curie Society at Edmond University. But first they must overcome their differences long enough to work together and identify whoever stole the society’s research. The heroines, while diverse—Maya even gets a queer love story—form a familiar trio: Simone is the adorkable life scientist; Taj, the edgy tech connoisseur; and Maya, the sophisticated but uptight mathematician. Their narrative arcs are similarly uncomplicated: Maya learns to be a leader by working with a team, not outshining them; Simone must deal with panic attacks; and Taj mostly acts as a foil. The infusion of science, such as the society’s research into de-extinction and a brief explanation of the team’s ionic plane, is aided by a beginner-friendly scientific glossary and readable scientific graphics. Art by Sonia Liao (A Thief Among the Trees), meanwhile, is bright and accessible. Though chock-full of girl power, this mission is reminiscent enough of classics like Totally Spies to feel formulaic for adult fans—but could prove motivational for teens. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

The 2022 Hal Clement Notable Young Adult Books List
Selection of the 2022 Rise Book List from the Feminist Task Force of the American Library Association

“Readers eager for greater representation of women in the sciences will cheer...”
— Publishers Weekly

“The characterization is deft and snappy, and the visual storytelling efficient and dynamic with an expressive color palette and varied panel layout... A STEM treat for the curious.”
— Kirkus Reviews

“Budding scientists and fans of exciting graphic novels are in for a rollicking journey that stresses that women in STEM truly are better together.”
— School Library Journal

“With suspenseful espionage, nerdy humor and a group of dauntless, eager trailblazers fostering genuine friendships, The Curie Society is sure to fascinate curious minds.”
—Shelf Awareness

“Janet Harvey’s script packs in high-kicking derring-do and affecting character moments, and as a celebration of diversity and female empowerment her story cannot be faulted.”
—Financial Times

“Three brilliant young women join a sisterhood of science and find themselves drawn into an adventure that will test their courage, knowledge, and friendship. A refreshing and empowering read!”
—Pia Guerra, political cartoonist and artist of Y: The Last Man

“Featuring strong teenage characters grappling with ethics in science, society, and history, this graphic novel will make a great gift for burgeoning, curious young scientists everywhere.”
—Janna Levin, author of Black Hole Blues

“A delightful mix of engaging adventure and fascinating science. An excellent way of learning lots of science ideas and sharing in the lives of characters who have a passion for it.”
—Clifford V. Johnson, physicist and author of The Dialogues: Conversations about the Nature of the Universe

“A fun comic starring heroines who find themselves solving one scientific puzzle after the next!”
―Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Artemis

“Full of action . . . a great addition to have for any young girl's library.”
―ComicBuzz

“The three diverse heroines of the secret Curie Society using brains, resourcefulness and cutting-edge technology to outwit nefarious rogue scientists who threaten the world. Right on!”
―Nature Magazine

“A delightful graphic novel that will certainly help younger readers learn lots of science and technological innovations and ideas, stimulating their curious minds.”
―Engineering & Technology
 
“Highly entertaining and packed with interesting science.”
―Physics World

From the Publisher

01/01/2021

Gr 7 Up—Three college roommates learn to work together as they discover the power of friendship. But it's a rocky road—the three Edmonds University freshmen couldn't be more different. Overeager Simone, who is African American, started college at 15 and wants to prove she belongs. Rebellious, green-haired Taj, who is brown-skinned, prefers robots and circuits to people, while privileged super-student Maya, who is brown-skinned, staggers under the weight of her parents' expectations and grapples with her entitlement. Though the three grate on one another, they must cooperate when they receive a strange invitation; deciphering the code, they find their way to an initiation test for the Curie Society: a secret organization dedicated to supporting women scientists. To succeed, the trio will need to use their scientific prowess and prove they can work together, especially since their first mission will pit them against rogue agents from the Society itself. In other hands, a story immersed in the STEM world might have sacrificed plot for educational content, but this is a well-paced adventure full of twists and a cast of strong, relatable female characters. Readers who want to explore the science further will appreciate the glossary and the appended biographies of female scientists. VERDICT Budding scientists and fans of exciting graphic novels are in for a rollicking journey that stresses that women in STEM truly are better together.—Lara Goldstein, Forsyth County P.L., NC

School Library Journal

2021-02-06
A secret society for women in science taps three brilliant undergrads as new members.

Maya, Simone, and Taj don’t seem like the most harmonious of freshman roommates. Maya struggles to do her own laundry, Taj only wants to play video games, and they both refuse to share space with Simone’s ant farms. When the roommates each receive pieces of a cryptic invitation that they must work together to read, their conflicting personalities and complementary specialties contribute to the suspense in the adventure that follows. A pleasingly intellectual mystery hunt leads to a surprise escape room challenge at a secret lab—their college’s chapter of a clandestine organization founded by Marie Curie. The ensuing training montage and mission might be the most fascinating parts of the book: Decorative and informative art explores current or plausible near-future technologies like nanofiber bulletproof suits, ionic wind biplanes, and species de-extinction. Before long, the young women find themselves in a battle of both wits and fists, protecting cutting-edge research from corporations who would cut every corner. An emerging rogue organization nicely sets up a sequel. The characterization is deft and snappy, and the visual storytelling efficient and dynamic with an expressive color palette and varied panel layout. Maya is Indian American, Simone is Black, and Taj reads as White; there is ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.

A STEM treat for the curious. (scientist biographies, glossary, maps) (Graphic science fiction. 13-18)

Kirkus Reviews