By Ann E. Burg
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Scholastic Press, 2024
278 pages
978-1-338-88338-1
Age 10 and older
“In school we learned the earth / was once covered in water. / Imagine! / Ocean water covering everything … Someday I want to visit / the ocean and meet all / the wonderful creatures / who live there!” A lyrical novel-in-verse about Rachel Carson begins with her childhood in rural Pennsylvania. Young Rachel delighted in nature; it also provided escape and solace as family members navigated difficult times. A child who loved writing, Carson studied English in college until falling in love with biology, switching majors despite warnings of limited opportunities for women in science. She’d almost graduated before finally seeing the ocean for the first time. She entered a graduate program in marine biology but had to find paying work after the death of her father and her older sister left her the sole provider for her mother and two young nieces. Writing about science and nature became a beautiful melding of her two passions. She wrote several highly regarded books for children before Silent Spring, penned while undergoing treatment for cancer and caring for her young nephew. Carson faced immense losses in her life, which are given full feeling here, but they’re balanced with the joy she found in nature and family—especially her nieces and great-nephew. Her remarkable spirit and accomplishments also leave a lasting impression in this inspiring work graced by black-and-white spot art. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center