The Great Explainer: The Story of Richard Feynman (Profiles in Science)

Presents the life of the American physicist, discussing his early accomplishments in physics, his receipt of the Noble Prize in 1965 and his work in discovering the cause of the 1986 crash of the space shuttle Challenger.

Grade 7–10—Feynman was instrumental in the development of the atomic bomb, but he may be best known for serving on the Presidential Commission that investigated the Challenger shuttle disaster. Information is presented on his life from his childhood in New York City to his death in California. LeVine balances details of Feynman's scientific work with the forces that hold nuclei together with his personal life. The layout is appealing, featuring photographs and illustrations on most spreads. This title would be a solid addition to most collections as there is little written about the physicist for this audience.—Maren Ostergard, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA
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Despite writing best-sellers and winning a Nobel Prize, Richard Feynman is not a household name. Those who study, teach, and write about physics often aren’t. But Feynman was a particularly fascinating fellow who was involved in everything from building the atomic bomb at Los Alamos to constructing the first computers to figuring out why the Space Shuttle Challenger crashed. Children who might have trouble with the specifics of physics will be drawn in by Feynman’s personal story. LeVine begins (and ends) with the physicist’s involvement in the Challenger investigation, then wisely spends a good deal of time on his childhood and the ways he invented to teach himself about the natural world. Throughout there is a very personal feel, and when the science becomes difficult to understand, readers will still want to learn more about Feynman and his restless, sometimes chaotic search for knowledge. The bibliography includes books by and about Feynman, one appropriately titled No Ordinary Genius (1994). Time line and notes also appended. Grades 6-9. --Ilene Cooper