About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager expresses skepticism about how we know what we know, or when they are struggling to find the human connection in their science curriculum. Joy Hakim transforms biology from a list of memorized facts into a sprawling, multi-century detective story. By focusing on the lives, failures, and accidental discoveries of early scientists, the book humanizes the pursuit of knowledge. It frames the scientific method as an act of courageous curiosity rather than just a school requirement. While technically a history of science, the narrative emphasizes the emotional resilience required to challenge the status quo. It is perfectly suited for middle and high schoolers who enjoy narrative nonfiction. Parents will appreciate how it bridge-builds between the humanities and the sciences, showing that the most important tools a scientist possesses are their imagination and their refusal to give up when things do not make sense.
