The Bug Girl: Maria Merian’s Scientific Vision
by Sarah Glenn Marsh ill Filippo Vanzo
The Bug Girl: Maria Merian's Scientific Vision by Sarah Glenn Marsh introduces readers to a girl who began her life's work at a young age. Marsh chronicles Maria's early interest in butterflies: observing the winged insects' life cycle, experimenting with their eating preferences, and documenting her findings with drawings. By the time she was thirteen years old she had disproved the prevailing notion of spontaneous generation. An impressive accomplishment! Maria Merian's fascination with insects and other forms of life continued throughout her life. In her later years she continued her research, traveling to Suriname with her daughter. The narrative introduces the scientific terms spontaneous generation and metamorphosis. An Author's Note adds historical context, referencing Galileo, Peter the Great, and the role of women in seventeen century Europe. |
Flilppo Vanzo's illustrations feature close-ups that highlight young Maria's face filled with wonder. |
Try This
| | |