HOW THE CONTINENTS MOVE

Translated from the Dutch and focused on the uncovering of evidence of continental drift, this offering in the Marvelous but True series briefly addresses early hypotheses before moving on to geologist Marie Tharp’s 1943 discovery of the rift along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which proved that continental drift had occurred. While factually accurate, the text fails to provide historical context and omits information likely of interest to readers, particularly surrounding Tharp’s accomplishments as a female scientist—for example, that Tharp was one of the few women working in a field almost exclusively dominated by men; that, despite her brilliance, she was initially unable to secure a scientific job due to sexism; and that her findings were dismissed for the same reason. Seemingly designed to educate rather than excite, the overall product is reminiscent of a basal reader (the text is somewhat stilted and choppy while the illustrations inexplicably feature individuals with oddly pointed ears). No charts or additional source notes are provided. While this may be helpful as an additional selection for students interested in the topic, there are other selections for the age group that provide greater inspiration, more in-depth information, and stronger historical background on both Tharp and her accomplishments.

A tepid tale of scientific discovery.