Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies

How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
Before Carl Linnaeus began classifying organisms, before John James Audubon drew birds from the wild, before Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution, there lived a thirteen-year-old girl named Maria Merian who loved to draw bugs. With a keen eye and deft hand, she rendered soft green caterpillars, papery-winged moths, and the dazzling, intricate beauty of the butterflies. But drawing these fascinating creatures wasn't enough for Maria; she wanted to understand their small, mysterious lives. Where did they come from? What did they eat? And perhaps most miraculously of all, was there a connection between creeping caterpillars and beautiful butterflies? With no formal training or university education, Maria Merian took on the role of artist, adventurer, and scientist in seventeenth-century Europe-a time when women were rarely allowed responsibilities outside the home, and unusual interests led to accusations of witchcraft. Her intrepid fieldwork and careful observation helped uncover the truth about metamorphosis and changed the course of science forever. The Newbery Honor-winning author and poet Joyce Sidman masterfully paints a riveting portrait of Maria Merian-the girl who drew butterflies, the woman who has been called the world's first ecologist.
  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Levels

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Listen to a narrator who transitions deftly between the different voices in a complex audiobook. Welcome to the seventeenth-century world of Maria Merian, born into an artistic family but a girl with the heart and conviction of a scientist. From an early age, Maria spent time in the field observing, first insects, then butterflies and moths, and also amphibians--all creatures whose biology was little understood. She honed her artistic skill and determinedly brought to it her passion as she observed and recorded the various creatures. Whether it is the story itself, a scientific sidebar, or a direct quote from Maria Merian's journal, Catherine Ho has a voice for each. Her empathy for Merian's frustrations is heartfelt and in sharp contrast to the clipped tone she uses for factual observations. A.R. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from November 20, 2017
      Spreads splashed with vibrant, eye-catching paintings of insects and flowers help tell the story of 17th-century German trailblazer Maria Merian. Eschewing the mores of her time, she became a leading botanical artist, naturalist, and (possibly) the world’s first ecologist, as she depicted insects—in all their developmental stages—alongside their botanical food sources and helped establish the idea that butterflies and moths come from caterpillars. Sidman (Round) punctuates a well-researched, engaging narrative (“She had the curiosity of a true scientist, the patience it took to raise insects, and the superb artistic skill necessary to share her observations”) with excerpts from Merian’s journals to bring the courageous artist’s own voice into the mix. Eclectic sidebars contextualize the biography (one discusses witch hunts of the era), along with archival images, maps, and full-color photographs. Stages of butterfly metamorphosis (accompanied by a trademark Sidman nature poem) serve as fitting chapter headings and mirror the stages of Merian’s life; a chapter titled “Flight” focuses on her groundbreaking research trip to Surinam. An author’s note, timeline, bibliography, and index conclude this beautifully designed and expansive portrait of a gifted boundary breaker. Ages 10–12.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:1110
  • Text Difficulty:7-9

Loading