Often parents ask me for suggestions for good biographies for their early elementary aged girls. Add the STEM trend for girls and “Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea” is a great pick for daughters to be inspired by female scientist Marie Tharp. Written from Tharp’s perspective, kids are drawn into her early interest in color, line and maps, following her father’s profession. Inspired by the lack of information about the oceans, particularly the Atlantic, she pursued studies and jobs to research the ocean floor, and eventually gave new weight to the theory “plate tectonics.” Girls and boys alike can be assured and inspired by some of the author’s honest descriptions of the research journey into an area of science where women had not ventures. Tharp’s story inspires many lessons on hard work and discovery as well as discussion related to:
- sometimes its boring and you feel like quitting,
- You my have to work harder to dispel stereotypes of women in areas of science
- you have to think big
- it takes time and a lot of hard work to make a scientific discovery
- science involves lots of questioning and discussing
