Ever heard of Nobel Prize winners James Watson and Francis Crick? If you took high school biology, you’ll recognize them as two of the famous scientists who discovered DNA. Less well known is Rosalind Franklin, a researcher at King’s College in London who provided some key information that influenced their work. Franklin, who died in 1958, was never recognized for her accomplishments while she was alive. Among the recent efforts to shine a light on her remarkable story is a new picture book by Vermont author Tanya Lee Stone — Remembering Rosalind Franklin, published in late February, just in time for Women’s History Month in March. The prolific and award-winning writer often focuses on true stories about women whose accomplishments deserve greater attention. Her works include Elizabeth Leads the Way, Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors?, and Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented. “Rosalind Franklin was a one-of-a-kind person whose work impacted quite arguably one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time,” Stone told Kids VT. In other words, it’s a story worth reading.
Remembering Rosalind Franklin by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Gretchen Ellen Powers, Christy Ottaviano Books/Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 40 pages. $18.99.
This article appears in Kids VT, Spring 2024.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!