Reviews

Gr 4-8‘Lively and informative biographies of two fascinating scientists. Butts covers the many notable achievements of Chinn, an African American doctor who graduated from medical school in 1926 at the age of 30, but also gives a good portrait of her personal life. Carter gained worldwide fame by unearthing the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922. The book chronicles his life in a balanced manner, and the excitement of his discoveries comes through vividly. Both books offer solid historical perspectives on their subjects, showing how global politics limited Carter's archaeological opportunities and how the civil rights movement affected the direction of Chinn's career. Both figures achieved greatness despite failures and frustrations along the way, and these biographies are inspiring without being too preachy. Black-and-white drawings are adequate. Even kids who haven't heard of these two figures should be intrigued by their lives. Nicholas Reeves's Into the Mummy's Tomb (Scholastic, 1992) offers some information on Carter, though it focuses more on the Tutankhamen discovery than on the scientist's life; little else is available for children on Chinn.‘Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR