Buzzing with Questions
The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
The story of Charles Henry Turner, the first Black entomologist — a scientist who studies bugs — is told in this fascinating book for young readers.
Can spiders learn? How do ants find their way home? Can bugs see color? All of these questions buzzed endlessly in Charles Henry Turner’s mind. He was fascinated by plants and animals and bugs. And even when he faced racial prejudice, Turner did not stop wondering. He constantly read, researched, and experimented.
Author Janice Harrington and artist Theodore Taylor III capture the life of this inspiring scientist and educator in this nonfiction picture book, highlighting Turner's unstoppable quest for knowledge and his passion for science. The extensive back matter includes an author's note, time line, bibliography, source notes, and archival images.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Full-color digital illustrations and Harrington's conversational, sometimes lyrical prose tell the story of "indefatigable" African-American entomologist and zoologist Charles Henry Turner (1867 1923), who "toppled woodpiles, lingered over logs, and peeked into dusty corners" in his quest to learn all he could about insects. Through the turn of the 20th century, Turner pursued his passion for entomology and experimentation, attending college and publishing more than 50 scientific papers while facing prejudice in the American South. In cartoon scenes, Taylor shows Turner observing specimens (among them spiders, crustaceans, and cockroaches) and conducting experiments to learn how ants find their way home and that "even bees sense time." Repetition ("Questions that itched like mosquito bites,/ questions that tickled like spider webs") and fascinating anecdotes may well inspire more "indefatigable" observers and questioners. An author's note precedes a timeline, an extensive source list, and a selected list of Turner's papers. Ages 7 10.
