Hidden Powers: Lise Meitner's Call to Science

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From the acclaimed author of Finding Wonders and Grasping Mysteries comes a gorgeously written biography in deliberate, delicate verse (Kirkus Reviews) about the pioneering Jewish woman physicist whose scientific prowess changed the course of World War II.

At the turn of the 20th century, Lise Meitner dreamed of becoming a scientist. In her time, girls were not supposed to want careers, much less ones in science. But Lise was smartand determined. She earned a PhD in physics, then became the first woman physics professor at the University of Berlin. The work was thrilling, but Nazi Germany was a dangerous place for a Jewish woman. When the risks grew too great, Lise escaped to Sweden, where she continued the experiments that she and her laboratory partner had worked on for years. Her efforts led to the discovery of nuclear fission and altered the course of history.

Only Lises partner, a man, received the Nobel Prize for their findings, but this moving and accessible biography shows how Lises legacy endures.

Reviews

* "In brief verses that paint vivid pictures, Atkins presents the complicated and often tragic life of Lise Meitner . . . the concluding authors note, time line, and brief biographies of Lises friends and colleagues help ground this compelling story in history. . . a moving, lyrical tale that reveals the struggles of female scientists and of European Jews between the two World Wars." * School Library Journal, Starred Review *
"Deliberate, delicate verse describes well the blistering unfairness of sexist academia and the complications inherent in having mentors who dont share ones marginalized identities . . .An admirable tribute to a life that holds some timely lessons."

-- Kirkus Reviews
"Atkins approaches her newest biographical novel in verse with the same clarity ofpurpose and ability to express the vision, the courage, and the achievements of a womanaspiring to move science forward . . . Arespectful and very accessible introduction to Meitner." -- Booklist
"Vivid and poignant, Atkinss poems chronicle Meitners hesitation to abandon her experiments and flee Germany after Hitlers rise to power. . . Atkins meshes facts with empathy in this stirring portrait ofas Meitners epitaph readsA Physicist Who Never Lost Her Humanity. -- Horn Book Magazine

Author Bio

Jeannine Atkins is the author of several books for young readers about courageous women, includingFinding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science,Grasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved Math,Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis, andBorrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters. Jeannine teaches writing for children and young adults at Simmons University. She lives in western Massachusetts. Visit her at JeannineAtkins.com.