Ernest Rutherford and the Birth of the Atomic Age

Gr 6–8—This is a well-rounded portrait of one of the 20th century's greatest experimental scientists. Baxter not only explains Rutherford's major accomplishments-discovering alpha and beta radiation, observing and naming the proton, introducing the concept of "half life" and proving that atoms can be split to create new elements, etc.-in lucid but not oversimplified terms, but she also paints a vivid picture of an ambitious but not egotistical man with a big personality and close family ties. Enlightening diagrams and plenty of photographs of Rutherford and his contemporaries add solid visual elements, and readers after further information will find extensive source notes and generous lists of print and Web resources. Tracing Rutherford's life from childhood in New Zealand to worldwide fame as both a researcher and an educator who trained a generation of nuclear physicists in Canada and Great Britain, the author makes a strong case for placing him high in the all-time pantheon of great scientists.—John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York City