Product Description

A brief biography of the African American scientist who overcame tremendous hardship to make unusual and important discoveries in the field of agriculture.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #531056 in Books
• Published on: 2000-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4-An easy-to-read biography that is well suited for reading aloud or for use by children needing material for social studies or science. The text contains quotes from Carver, which add to the presentation. Adler begins with Carver's birth near the end of the Civil War and ends with his death in 1943. Youngsters will learn important facts about slavery and racial prejudice as well as the botanist's significant contributions. The colorful illustrations complement the simple, but informative text to give children a solid introduction to one of America's most important scientists. A concluding note discusses the peanut tariff of 1921 and Carver's attitude toward racial problems.
Susan Knell, Pittsburgh State University, Pittsburgh, KS
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The newest entry in Adler's Picture Book Biography series introduces George Washington Carver. Focusing more on Carver's life than his work, the book begins with his birth into slavery on the Carver's farm and does not spare youngsters from hearing that "raiders kidnapped him and his mother and took them to Arkansas," a fact illustrated with a shadowy painting of eight ominous, hooded figures, nor that he once witnessed a lynching: "a mob of white men pulled a black prisoner out of jail, tied him with a rope, and dragged him for five blocks. The prisoner was hanged and later burned." Though the child's father was dead and his mother was never found, Mr. Carver brought George back to the farm, where he and his wife raised George and his brother. Illustrated with attractive watercolor paintings, the book follows Carver's life, his education, and his accomplishments as he worked in scientific research and teaching to understand nature and to make a difference to his people. A useful addition to a long-running series, though the references to vigilante activities indicate a somewhat older audience than Adler's other biographies. Carolyn Phelan

About the Author
David Abraham Adler (born April 10, 1947) is the author of nearly 200 books for children and young adults, most notably the Cam Jansen mystery series, the "'Picture Book of..."' series, and several acclaimed works about the Holocaust for young readers. Adler was born in New York City, New York. He graduated from Queens College in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics and education. For the next nine years, he worked as a mathematics teacher for the New York City Board of Education, while taking classes towards a master's degree in marketing, a degree he was awarded by New York University in 1971. In that same year, a question from his then-three-year-old nephew inspired Adler to write his first story, A Little at a Time, subsequently published by Random House in 1976. Adler's next project, a series of math books, drew on his experience as a math teacher. In 1977, he created his most famous character, Cam Jansen, originally featured in Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, which was published that year. Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career. Adler has three children and one grandson. He lives in Woodmere, New York.

Customer Reviews

George Washington Carver was a true inspiration!
I bought this book for my 7 year old. She picked him for her class project and she needed to read his biography from a book, not from the internet. George Washington Carver was definitely an inspiration to his peers as well as all generations that came after him. My daughter really got into this book! She was fascinated by Mr. Carver because he invented peanut butter. I would recommend all school-age kids to read about Mr. Carver, he is truly a woven part of American history.