Member Reviews
'Stephen Hawking' by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara is a captivating addition to the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. This book chronicles the life of the brilliant physicist and author, Stephen Hawking. Despite his health challenges, Hawking’s determination led him to groundbreaking discoveries. With engaging illustrations and extra facts, this book celebrates the remarkable journey of a beloved scientist.
Like other books in this series, it is a fun little introduction to inspiring people. Definitely a great way to introduce kids to biographies and a nice read for adults too. I would recommend all the books in this series.
The Little People Big Dreams series are always great, and I'd always happily recommend any and all of them to customers. I'm yet to find one I don't like and they offer a great introduction to some fascinating people for kids (and in some cases adults too!).
What a fabulous little book!
Accessible and super easy to read, it's a great introduction to the life and mind of Stephen Hawking for the younger person.
The illustrations are wonderful, very in keeping with a fun but informative vibe and the personal information (the reading at dinner etc) are lovely touches to add to the story of someone so we'll known in certain aspects but not others.
This is an excellent series. The people written about in the series aren't your run of the mill children's biography subjects. But they are all intriguing people and make for interesting reading. The illustrations are going to appeal to the kids as well. These books are a good way to broaden their horizons.
I received an e-arc from net for review
I love this series, it's always a joy to read about someone who I may a lot, a bit or nothing at all. The art style is pleasing to look at, these are books would be a great addition to many elementary classrooms.
I download this but did not read it in time for the archive. I do apologize, and thank you for the chance to read this book.
This is another brilliant addition to this series – even as an adult I look out for the next book in the series being released. I love the images in this series and this is a delightful introduction to Stephen Hawking, one of the most amazing minds we have had.
They are excellent introductions to some of the well-known, and less well-known, characters that have had a great impact in our lives through a variety of subjects such as literature, women’s rights and science. Stephen is an inspiration to me and his story should be shared with children to show what he managed to achieve even though his health deteriorated he was still an eminent figure in his field and had some astounding scientific breakthroughs.
5 stars from me for this one – a delightful read and one I will be highly recommending!!
Stephen Hawking had an intriguing character and equally intriguing life. In this edition of Little People, Big Dreams, we learn about the type of household Stephen grew up in, his education, his curiosity and intellect, and his perseverance in the face of a devastating illness. Young minds will read this and learn a little something about the wonders of the universe, about a man who would advance science further than most could ever imagine, and who didn’t let the failings of his body prevent him from pursuing his dreams.
I am always excited to read the books in the "Little people. BIG DREAMS." series, and this book wasn't an exception.
The storytelling is beautiful, and very few words are used. Instead the illustrations are used to tell the story as well, which is a huge plus, as that makes it easier to understand, and it gives a better experience when the words and illustrations tell the story together, compared to the illustrations just showing what the words already tell you.
This is a perfect introduction to Stephen Hawking toddlers or young children, but it's also a book many adults will be able to enjoy.
Do your child/children (and yourself) a favor, and buy this entire collection! It is educational without feeling like learning is being shoved down their throats. Very, very nice books!!
Stephen Hawking by Isabel Sanchez Vegara is part of the Little People, Big Dreams series that looks at famous people and how they made a difference in the world. I loved that Hawking's family all read while they ate and it wasn't seen as being antisocial. I after read while eating. Well… I read as often as possible! This story shows the progression of Hawking's disorder- ALS- and how the doctors only gave him two years to live. I didn't know he went on a zero-g trip. It must have felt wonderful to be free of the wheelchair for the first time in decades. And he was 65 when he did it! The end of the book has a more detailed timeline of his life, written more for older readers. I read this with my cubs. We love this series! Highly recommended!
***Many thanks to Netgalley & Quarto Publishing for providing an ecopy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The Little People, Big Dreams series is always a joy to read. It is a great introduction to well-known people for young children. Most of the books in this series highlight women, but there are a few great male role models included, Stephen Hawking being a great choice. It was inspiring to read about his achievements considering that most of them happened when his illness had already started taking control of his body. This is definitely a nice introduction to the life of one of the most important scientists of our time. Stephen Hawking's achievements are not the easiest to explain or understand, but Isabel Sanchez Vegara has done a good job taking a lot of complex moments in Hawking's life and bringing them down to a child's level. I love the quirky style of the illustrations, which are very colourful and engaging. The high quality of artwork is matched by the informative and entertaining text, simple and accessible even to a very young child. This would be a good beginning reader book for young children, especially those reluctant readers who tend to gravitate to non-fiction. For those older readers, there is a more detailed biography and timeline found at the end of the book. A wonderful addition to this series that I recommend be in all public and school libraries
I adore this series - such a fantastic way to introduce history and spark further discussion and learning!
I have a growing fascination with Stephen Hawking and his scientific views. Obviously, his science doesn't play much of a role in this book. It's more about overcoming adversity, defying expectations, and achieving in spite of limitations. Hawking is the example that your body doesn't really matter, that we are our minds and our souls.
Full of fantastic facts and information that will engage children from beginning to end. Another great edition to a great series.
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Stephen Hawking is a new biography for young readers in the Little People, Big Dreams series. I've reviewed a number of these titles and I'm always impressed and enchanted by how much detail they manage to include in these little books in an age-appropriate and accessible manner.
Released 7th Feb 2019 by Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint, it's 32 pages and available in hardcover, and ebook formats.
Written by Isabel Sánchez Vegara it's well written in clear accessible language. I really loved the illustration (p. 4) of the whole family with Stephen and siblings reading at the dinner table and talking. The art by Matt Hunt is appealing and colorful and supports the text very well. The illustrations are rich in small subtle details which bear a closer look. I like that his neurological health issues were mentioned, but not dwelt on, and that they mentioned his relatively normal family life (he married, had 3 kids and a wife).
Well written and appealing, I am really enjoying all of these little books. This one is a worthy addition.
Five stars.
I love this series. Every single book that I have read and reviewed from it is inspirational, information and perfect for that targeted age group. I love to highlight them whenever I can because I want to encourage you to have a collection of these stellar books.
Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford to a very eccentric and intellectual family. " His parents loved science, as did Stephen and his three siblings. They all ate dinner with a knife, a fork, and the company of a good book."
When he was a wee boy he used to stare out his bedroom window up at the stars and ponder the universe's magnitude and hidden mysteries. Although Stephen was not the smartest in his class his peers dubbed him "Einstein". Why one day he built a computer from clock parts and an old telephone as his assigned science project. He put curiosity ahead of his daily school work and his mind was always buzzing with possibilities. He attended Oxford and Cambridge Universities and he longed to solve the mysteries of the universe.
Unfortunately he was diagnosed with a paralyzing illness and his whole world drastically changed. He came to terms with his physical ailment and was determined to use his mind to reach heights that had never been reached before. He worked hard, studied hard, got married and fathered three children. He lost his voice, but that did not deter his pressing on and with a new robotic one he dictated books and interactived vigorously with the scientific world. He went on to make one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the 20th century: Hawking radiation. He was an inspiration to humanity on so many levels.
This board book contains high quality illustrations that are colourful and engaging. They enrich the text for young readers to get a visual understanding of Stephen Hawking's life and achievements. The author has included a more thorough biography and timeline of Stephen's life at the end of the book.
This book would be a lovely addition not only to read in a home setting, but in a classroom and to place in a school library also. In fact when I was an elementary school librarian I would have ordered the entire series to adorn my shelves. This book is highly, highly recommend. I will wrap up with my favourite quote from the book:
"No matter how difficult life may seem there is always something you can do and succeed at."
The Little People, Big Dreams children's series is primarily full of famous women from history. However there are a few noted men included; and instead of being Presidents or your average successful white male they chose some people that I think are more inspiring for children. In this edition we get Stephen Hawking.
Hawking is a man I have untold respect for. To live your life with virtually no ability to do anything yourself and yet still be able to show others that you have abnormally high intelligence is difficult. Most people would see Hawking (if they didn't know him) and immediately dismiss him because of his inability to physically move. He sure proves them all wrong!
I really like how these books are easy to follow. Good starter reading for kids. A Grade 1 student learning to read, for example, could learn new words and discover a new hero from them. Isabel Sanchez Vegara has done a good job of taking a lot of complex moments in Hawking's life and bringing them down to a child's level. My hope is that kids will read this book and want to become scientists or at least learn that the universe and space are mysterious and worth studying.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
This series never fails to get me interested in the life of an influential figure in history. Stephen Hawking certainly does not disappoint, especially as I read it during our school science week.
With clear pictures and uncomplicated vocabulary, this book introduces young readers to the life of the determined scientist who did not let his disability hold him back.
I adore this series and love the now familiar format of an illustrated biography of key professional and personal events in the life of the subject of the book to whet a reader's appetite and suggestions for further reading. There is also a short history with some photographs taken throughout their life.
I will be recommending that we purchase copies of this whole series for our school library and use in English and Topic lessons.
I received a review copy of the eBook from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Lincoln Children's Books of the Quarto Group.