Seeds of Discovery: How Barbara McClintock Used Corn and Curiosity to Solve a Science Mystery and Win a Nobel Prize
by Lori Alexander; illus. by Rebecca Santo
Intermediate    Clarion/HarperCollins    128 pp.
1/25    9780063245990    $18.99
e-book ed.  9780063246010    $9.99

“It might seem unfair to reward a person for having so much pleasure over the years.” Geneticist Barbara McClintock’s (1902–1992) statement upon receiving the Nobel Prize in the category of Physiology or Medicine in 1983 sets the tone for Alexander’s accomplished biography of an extraordinary life in science. The account begins with McClintock’s childhood, when she showed early interest in and capacity for science at a time when few women were encouraged to do so. Throughout her career, despite sexism and others’ misperceptions, McClintock persisted and thrived, most contentedly at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, where as a research scientist she studied the genetics of maize and discovered “jumping genes,” the relocation of DNA segments across the genome. Alexander’s descriptions of laboratory and field work are detailed and effective at illustrating scientific experimentation. Most impressive is her equal attention to the conceptual practices of science, such as developing questions and models, scientific argumentation, and the importance of communicating ideas for scrutiny within the scientific community. Santo’s digital illustrations use pastel shades to portray McClintock outdoors for work and for nature walks, in the laboratory, and presenting her research at conferences. Text boxes throughout provide background biology concepts and introduce important historical contributors such as Gregor Mendel and Rosalind Franklin. An illustrated timeline of McClintock’s major life events, a glossary, and source notes are appended.

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.