Publishers Weekly
★ 04/18/2022
Moss’s (America’s Tea Parties: Not One but Four!) accessible biography paints a searing portrait of Jewish physicist Lise Meitner’s (1878–1968) most famous and controversial achievement. For most of her career, Meitner worked and lived in relative obscurity due to sexism and antisemitism. Her partner—fellow physicist Otto Hahn, with whom she collaborated for 30 years—frequently devalued her discoveries and took credit for her work, including the splitting of the atom in 1938. Caught in the machinations of WWII and fearing for his reputation, Hahn ends his partnership with Meitner, but colleagues in Copenhagen and Stockholm rescue her from Berlin and Nazi persecution. In the years following the war, Meitner, who had not anticipated the weaponization of her scientific discovery, worked with the United Nations and scientists such as Albert Einstein toward nuclear peace. Moss’s engagingly illustrated panels begin each chapter, bolstering the narrative by offering a direct emotional connection to Meitner’s work and thoughts. Short, easily digestible chapters capture a little-known pioneer in her field caught in dangerous times, and address nuclear implications that still resonate today. Includes an author’s note, photographs, a glossary of physics terms, and more. Ages 10–14. (Apr.)
The Horn Book Magazine
"Absorbing and well-paced. . .Moss provides readers with comprehensible descriptions of her subject’s scientific work."
Booklist
**STARRED REVIEW** "Moss’ approach to this biography is notable in several ways, from the organization of facts into a very readable narrative to surprisingly clear explanations of Meitner’s scientific work and its significance. Even the back matter is uncommonly useful."
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"A brief comic book style episode introduces each chapter making an effective attention-grabber and a boon to report writers."
From the Publisher
**STARRED REVIEW** "Moss’ approach to this biography is notable in several ways, from the organization of facts into a very readable narrative to surprisingly clear explanations of Meitner’s scientific work and its significance. Even the back matter is uncommonly useful."—Booklist
**STARRED REVIEW** "A scorching profile of a brilliant physicist whose proper re cognition was long delayed thanks to sexism, antisemitism, and personal betrayal. . .A bright tale of a life dedicated to science, well stocked with dramatic moments and discoveries."
—Kirkus Reviews
**STARRED REVIEW** "Moss’s engagingly illustrated panels begin each chapter, bolstering the narrative by offering a direct emotional connection to Meitner’s work and thoughts. Short, easily digestible chapters capture a little-known pioneer in her field caught in dangerous times, and address nuclear implications that still resonate today."
—Publishers Weekly
"A brief comic book style episode introduces each chapter making an effective attention-grabber and a boon to report writers."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Moss presents a spectacular story of history, science, and women’s struggle for respect through the narrative of Meitner’s life. The writing style is captivating and the book is a quick page-turner." —School Library Journal
"Absorbing and well-paced. . .Moss provides readers with comprehensible descriptions of her subject’s scientific work." —The Horn Book Magazine
School Library Journal
04/01/2022
Gr 4 Up—The story of a brilliant physicist's life intertwined with Nazi Germany and the development of the nuclear bomb. Lise Meitner loved physics, and her discoveries were some of the most respected and celebrated in the 20th century. Her story of discovering nuclear fission develops as Nazi Germany comes to power and invades Europe. Lise, a Jew, must escape Germany and leave her lab behind. Eventually, other scientists and governments use her discovery to build the first nuclear bomb, devastating her. The book recounts how German scientists also sought to build a bomb, which would have changed the outcome of WWII. The book concludes with Meitner's later years and her long overdue recognition by the scientific community. One-page comic drawings introduce each chapter and bring further life to the story. Moss presents a spectacular story of history, science, and women's struggle for respect through the narrative of Meitner's life. The writing style is captivating and the book is a quick page-turner. A time line, glossary of physics terms, scientist profiles, bibliography, and index enhance the story and point students to further learning. VERDICT An excellent biography that is a first purchase and deserves a place on every nonfiction book list for children.—Kate Rao
FEBRUARY 2023 - AudioFile
The life of groundbreaking nuclear physicist Lise Meitner (1878-1968) is given voice by narrator Sandy Rustin. Marginalized by sexism, Meitner, an Austrian Jew, struggled to pursue the field she loved, eventually earning her colleagues’ respect and a partnership with chemist Otto Hahn in Berlin. Nazi policies stripped her of her position, then forced her to flee. In exile, she recognized the atomic behavior Hahn had described in solo experiments to be nuclear fission. Both scientific and historical context are conveyed efficiently as Rustin’s understated performance unfolds. She smoothly integrates the visual elements of this partial graphic novel. Her nuanced delivery lets the story speak for itself, allowing listeners to feel Meitner’s anger and sorrow as Hahn eventually betrays their partnership and her world-changing insight is used in war. V.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2022-01-11
A scorching profile of a brilliant physicist whose proper recognition was long delayed thanks to sexism, antisemitism, and personal betrayal.
In a career much like her older contemporary Marie Curie’s, Meitner was a relentless researcher subjected to rabid prejudice against women in the sciences. Nevertheless, she was rewarded some grudging, minimal support through her world-changing discoveries. She had the further obstacles of being Jewish in Hitler’s Germany—and of working closely and fruitfully for decades with Otto Hahn, who, as Moss carefully documents, then pressured her to quit the Berlin institute he headed rather than shield her from the Nazis, neglected to mention in his lecture after being awarded a Nobel Prize that she had provided the essential insights about nuclear fission that explained his experimental results, and repeatedly dismissed her as bitter. Despite being a Nobel also-ran no fewer than 48 times, Meitner made multiple attempts to mend fences with Hahn, even while taking him to task for joining the postwar German apologists. Meanwhile, she twice narrowly escaped capture on her flight from the Third Reich, worked with Allied intelligence during the war, and went on to become a pacifist who, like Einstein, was horrified at the way nuclear energy was weaponized. She cuts a small, neat, shy figure in the scene-setting graphic panels that open each chapter, but her intellect and determination shine on every page.
A bright tale of a life dedicated to science, well stocked with dramatic moments and discoveries. (author’s note, timeline, glossary, biographical profiles, notes, bibliography, image credits, index) (Biography. 11-14)
