Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/15/2022 Nickel’s The Stuff between the Stars (2021) introduced Vera Rubin as a child who loved stargazing and as an astronomer whose ideas were derided by men in her field. Nickel’s latest picture book spotlights Rubin’s contemporary Joanne Simpson, who loved watching clouds as a child but, as an adult, was similarly disdained by male gatekeepers within her field. Simpson’s active, focused mind and fierce determination led her to become the first woman with a doctorate degree in meteorology. The well-paced narrative emphasizes her curiosity and intense resolve in overcoming obstacles to studying cumulus clouds, a topic previously dismissed as unimportant. Her surprising discoveries challenged assumptions, changed weather forecasting, and “sparked a new branch of knowledge.” An appended note offers more biographical details along with a few photos of Simpson at work. Pérez Garcia, a Spanish artist who uses color beautifully, illustrates the story with gouache paintings that place Simpson within orderly twentieth-century surroundings, while occasionally integrating imaginative elements that help viewers visualize her inspirations, her emotions, and her insightful work. A satisfying picture-book biography featuring a groundbreaking meteorologist. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

Booklist - 02/15/2022 - Copyright 2022 Booklist.