Isaac Newton

by Kathleen Krull

Book Overview

Isaac Newton's discovery and descriptions of the laws of gravity in the 1600s revolutionized the world of science instantly. But this was not Newton's only achievement. He also made groundbreaking advances with theories on light, motion, and astronomy. Knighted and hailed as the greatest scientist of all time, Newton's work remains vital and profound even today.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670059218
• ISBN13: 9780670059218
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Viking Books
• Length: 126 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Biography at its best!

The Giants of Science series by Kathleen Krull is the kind of biography kids love to read. I purchased all three for the school library, and they are fast becoming favorites for middle-grade readers. Written in a lively, conversational style, the books inspire youngsters and keep them coming back for more. Hope the series continues to expand ...

Issac Newton: Giants of Science

I purchased this book for my 11 year old grandson who loves to read biographies of scientists. Newton is one of his favorites. He said he enjoyed the book and was able to read it easily and quickly.

Like "Science for Dummies"

Our book club decided that we should each read a book (or 2) on Sir Isaac Newton. Fortunately for me I happened upon Kathleen Krull's masterpiece. While this is supposedly for kids, there's no reason why adults wouldn't enjoy it immensely -- which I most certainly did. I thought I had no interest in science in general or Sir Isaac in particular. How wrong can one grown-up be! Her breezy style and sly witticisms make for truly painless reading. I, among many, had no idea he was THAT brilliant or that flawed. I would highly recommend this book to those who are curious by nature or who want some extra tidbits for their next cocktail party conversation.

isaac newtong the koolist kid itn the block

The book Isaac Newton by Cathleen krull is an interesting biography, but I wouldn't read wouldn't recommend it to people who aren't interested in math or science. This book made me wonder and drift off sometimes. This book also made me keep on reading to get to the next chapter, because all the chapters have a different subject like alchemy, calculus, of astronomy. The book also had a great style of writing, she explained each subject very thoroughly. Over this entire book was a great biography, and I would recommend it to certain people who I think would enjoy it.

Prig Newton

I like science in the way that I like foreign cars. It's not something I'd usually focus my brain on, but I'm willing to give it some thought should the need arise. As a child, however, my heroes were not scientists. Scientists, I would have told you, are dull as dishwater human beings who never had a poetic or romantic thought in their lives. They were, for me, the epitome of dull dry brilliance. Trust Kathleen Krull then to write about a fellow who manages to prove my personal stereotypes both right and wrong at the same time. You might be able to make a case for Isaac Newton having never had a romantic thought in his life. But dull? Honey, this guy was so wham-bang whizzing crazy that his mere existence itself makes for a fabulous bio. The "Giants of Science" series has a way of making anyone and everyone it touches look interesting. But with Mr. Newton, it sure doesn't seem like they needed much help. He was born on Christmas Day in 1642 in rural England. An unwanted child, Isaac was shuttled amongst various relatives and essentially ignored by his mother and stepfather. In fact, his stepfather was so against Isaac's mere existence that the marriage contract was careful to state that the boy was not allowed even allowed in the man's home. The boy grew up solitary and unendingly curious. He worked for an apothecary at one point, attended Cambridge, and was incredibly religious. He was also, "secretive, vindictive, withdrawn, obsessive, and, oh, yes, brilliant". With a bit of historical panache, Krull brings Newton's life into powerful focus. Whether he was erasing all memory of his deceased enemies, staring at the sun in "experiments", fearing any and all forms of publication, or just making the lives of those around him just a little bit difficult, Newton made up in smarts what he lacked in charm. Aw, man. This title's good. Heck, even the science in this book makes sense. And what small passages don't make sense are easily skipped by those readers who wish to learn more about the kind of guy who'd poke things into his eyes for experiments. Having recently finished Joan Dash's Benjamin Franklin biography, "A Dangerous Engine", which consisted of wading through deep tracts of scientific jargon, Isaac Newton's calculus comes across like clarification incarnate. What I liked most about this book, however, was how much I never knew about this familiar name. For example, Newton's fear of publication was one of the more interesting aspects to his personality. He didn't want to publish any of his ideas for fear of someone stealing them. On the other hand, he was absolutely incensed if anyone came up with an idea even a bit close to one of his own theories. In this way, Newton comes across as a spoiled selfish child. He has lots of pretty toys to play with, but he doesn't want anyone to borrow any of them, even for a little while. He was not prepared for the "sharing-and-getting-feedback part of science", as Krull put