Throughout history, women have first had to battle the prejudice of simply being a woman before being allowed to achieve other greatness. It was no different for Marie Curie, but she also had to battle the prejudice of being Polish under a Russian controlled government. The first chapter begins, ” In a time when men ruled the science world, Marie Curie stood alone as a female scientist. Today, she stands out in history as the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. She is also the only person to win two Nobel Prizes in two different sciences: physics in 1903 and chemistry 1911.” (p. 5) First, she needed to study in secret with other Polish women, followed by helping her older sister go to university, before earning enough money as a governess to attend university in  France. Even today it is hard for a married woman to juggle college life with a child, but, in 1897, there were no day-care facilities. Marie’s recently widowed father-in-law helped out with child care. Marie was a good mother. Her working on her doctorate did not distract her from being a good mother. Marie worked with Wilhelm Conrad Rðntgen’s newly discovered X-rays and coined the phrase ‘radioactivity’. She discovered two new elements: polonium and radium. ” Curie believed radioactivity was an atomic property of the radioactive element…In years to come, scientists would reveal that Curie’s hypothesis was correct.” (p. 30) At this time the effects of radioactivity on humans was not known. She didn’t “believe that it was their research that was making them sick.” (p. 31) Her husband Pierre always made sure Marie was given the credit she deserved because it was her research, Pierre was the assistant. After Pierre’s death, scandal erupted in her and her daughters’ private lives. She kept away from the media. That and Marie’s ill health kept her away from research for awhile, but she eventually was able to return. Marie Curie’s work with X-rays helped in WWI by using X-ray equipment with injured soldiers.

She died in 1934 still not believing in the health risks of radiation. “Marie Curie will long be remembered … Because of her, the benefits and the dangers of radiation are understood much better. She also paved the way for the equality of women in the science field and beyond.” (p. 41)

In addition to the story of Marie Curie’s life, author Katherine Krieg has included primary sources and engaging questions for the readers to ponder off and on through the book and at the end in the section ‘Stop and Think’.