The Next Scientist: The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of the World’s Great Scientists

PreS-Gr 4–Fascinating and captivating, Messner’s latest nonfiction book encourages elementary readers to keep digging, crafting, deconstructing, building, reading, and moving to find out more about themselves and the world around them. The book opens with a request to name the “world’s greatest scientist.” Readers then discover that there is not one greatest scientist, but many, many who have contributed to the betterment of the world. Digitally rendered illustrations feature over 35 diverse (in gender and skin color) scientists, depicting them as children doing activities that led to them becoming great in their individual fields as adults, followed by scenes of them grown up. That offers further information about what the scientists discovered or how they contributed in some way to certain fields of study. Readers will find themselves encouraged to continue exploring with everyday materials in order to learn. Back matter includes extensive sources for further reading.