Magic in a drop of water How Ruth Patrick taught the world about water pollution

Winterbottom spotlights oft-overlooked aquatic ecologist Ruth Patrick (1907--2013) in this eye-opening book, which considers the origins of Patrick's scientific work and lauds her pivotal role in the study of biodiversity as a gauge of ecosystem health. An unlikely opening line immediately captures attention: "When Ruth Patrick was five years old, she fell in love with pond scum." Narration goes on to describe how the protagonist's early and enduring fascination with microscopic algae leads her to graduate school studies, of "her true love, diatoms" and of water pollution--its lively style making her collection of data feel like a page-turning event. Reagan's hand-painted watercolor washes mix with digital detailing for absorbing effect: lightly sketched scenes of the figure ankle-deep in water appear alongside delicately starry diatoms and careful depictions of aquatic creatures poised to one day benefit from the scientist's trailblazing work. More about the figure and a timeline conclude. Ages 6--9. (Mar.)

The true story of a girl whose love for pond scum saved America's waterways. At age 5, Ruth Patrick took her first look at pond scum in her father's microscope. The shimmering, gliding, gemlike creatures she saw were diatoms: microscopic algae that would determine the course of Ruth's life. Though it wasn't considered proper in 1913 for a girl to tromp through muddy streams, Ruth's father nurtured her interests, encouraging her to "leave the world a better place than you found it." Working for the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia after graduate school, Ruth aimed to measure the effects of pollution on rivers, a topic that hadn't yet been investigated. She spent a summer collecting samples and identifying species, concluding that the key to understanding a stream's health wasbiodiversity (a term that had not yet been coined). Ruth devoted her later years to organizing community action against pollution, helping to draft laws to safeguard waterways, and educating generations of young scientists. The text flows naturally from scientific terminology to lyrical storytelling, making this an excellent choice for a classroom read-aloud. Ethereal, hand-painted watercolor wash illustrations are enhanced by delicate digital ink lines. Blue, green, and brown hues evoke the murky streams, while intricate line overlays highlight the crystalline details of microscopic diatoms. Budding naturalists will eagerly dip their toes into this one. (more information about Ruth Patrick, quote sources, timeline, selected bibliography)(Picture-book biography. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.