This engaging non-fiction narrative of the life of Sir Isaac Newton features extensive primary source images, quotations, and samples from his own notebooks. They provide insight into the father of physics and one of the greatest scientists to have ever lived

This unusual biography of Newton completely captivated me once I started it; but I think it will need a lot of booktalking to get kids to pick it up initially.

The narrative of Newton, focused primarily on his youth, begins with the discovery of a small notebook belonging to a young Isaac Newton, wherein he wrote of the secrets of alchemy and the philosopher’s stone. Newton was separated from his mother at a young age, left behind at the family farmhouse while his mother went to live with her new family. Isaac attended the village school and rarely saw his mother again until his stepfather died and the family moved back to the farmhouse, when he was ten. But Isaac was soon sent away again, this time to live with an apothecary and study at another school. Losure considers how Newton may have felt, but never goes beyond speculation to fiction; during this time she focuses on the books he would have had access to, his writings, and contemporary events and philosophy.

Newton moved on to the University of Cambridge, continuing to be solitary, hoarding his secret discoveries to himself. But then came the plague and he returned to the farmhouse of his childhood. Isolated and alone, even in the midst of family and servants, Newton made a great discovery; a mathematical work he called fluxions. When Newton returned to the university he continued to study mathematics, revealing his knowledge to no one; but he also delved ever deeper into alchemy. Although eventually the university discovered his mathematical genius and he did, reluctantly, share some of his discoveries, Newton continued his search for truth on his own. He created his own telescopes and instruments, retreated from the Royal Society after Robert Hooke dismissed his experiments with light and color in prisms, and despite great acclaim after his astronomical discoveries and laws governing motion were made public, continued to pursue his own path.

Losure’s back matter consists of some further explanations of Newtonian laws, chemistry, and alchemy, copious source notes, photographs of some of his original documents and writings from his youth, bibliography, and index.

The genius of Losure’s book lies in the smooth blending of science and story, making Newton seem like a real, albeit strange and remote, person. Readers will sympathize with his difficult family situation and imagine their own reactions and feelings in his place. Losure simplifies the mathematics and science so readers will find themselves understanding the basics of Newton’s experiments without stopping to struggle with the complicated mathematical equations, although mathematically-inclined readers may also pursue those in more detail.

Verdict: Beautifully written and presented, this book brings the life and world of Newton to contemporary readers, showing not only the importance of his discoveries but also the change from medieval to modern world that he played such a large part in. The problem will be trying to find readers for it. While the writing is clear and comprehensible, something even elementary-aged children will be able to learn from, it’s not, at first glance, a riveting topic. I wouldn’t hand this one to reluctant readers or those who are unwilling to explore new topics. It will need a reader who is passionately interested in history or science and one who is willing to give a book at least a chapter before losing interest. Although it may not have a wide audience, it’s a great book that deserves recognition and to be promoted to readers, something that will expand their worldview and understanding and may spark a lifelong interest in learning.

ISBN: 9780763670634; Published 2017 by Candlewick; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

RGG: Well-written and surprisingly clear science explanations. The brevity of the text combined with the illustrations makes the best target audience somewhat difficult to determine. But an understanding of chemistry and physics would probably add to the reading experience. Reading Interest: 12-YA

Very nicely constructed book of 176 pages, rather large print. Many illustrations, reproductions of contemporary notes, engravings, and paintings all black and white. The focus is really on Newton's life up until he wrote the Principia. The alchemical metaphor is of Newton's transformation of the whole world.
The book is full of questions, as if daring the reader to write a novel about Isaac Newton: a sad one, a crazy one, or maybe an occult one. As usual, I wish that the illustrations had been better captioned.

Chapter 1: The Apothecary's House
Isaac lives in the apothecaries house, and brews stuff up. The store of his early life and anger at his mother and stepfather.

Chapter 2: Book of Mysteries
Isaac is influenced by John Bate's "The Mysteries of Nature and Art". Isaac grows up in very Puritan England.

Chapter 3: Stars
Isaac records the names of stars and their positions in his notebook.

Chapter 4: School
Isaac's notebook contains a mix of things, some may be his own thoughts, but some may be exercises. We will never know. The story of how he beat up a fellow school boy is told.

Chapter 5: Siege Weapons
Isaac also reads "Mathematickall Magic" by John Wilkins. This chapter has several illustrations taken from that work.

Chapter 6: An Inclination for Mechanics
Isaac Newton the builder and model maker. He fights w/ the apothecary's children, but is friendly with Katherine.

Chapter 7: Chymistry
Alchemists and apothecaries.

Chapter 8: Triumph and Recreation
Isaac flies lighted kites, which alarm the neighbors.

Chapter 9: Hemlock, Henbane, Mandrake Root
Isaac reaches his teens, writes out a list of occupations. Hangs out with some other kids. Arthur Storer eventually emigrates to the Americas and becomes a prominent astronomer. There is no other book that I have read that has mentioned this fact.

Chapter 10: What Good is Such a Bookish Boy
Isaac goes home to become a yeoman farmer and does not thrive. It is decided to send him to Cambridge, where is uncle had gone.

Chapter 11: Truth is My Greater Friend
Isaac relocates to Trinity and launches his own private personal research programme, laying out his philosophical questions. This book indicates that that Trinity was a quiet place, but most books seem to concur that it was rowdy, full of Cavalier frat boys.

Chapter 12: Astrology...to Mathematics...to the Ghosts of Light
Isaac gets into math through astrology, picks up a prism at Stoubridge Fair, and does his fearsome "bodkin in the eye socket" experiment.

Chapter 13: The Comet
A comet shows up, the plague reaches London, Isaac goes home to Woolsthorpe, sets up his study, and does crucial experiments in optics.

Chapter 14: Year of Wonders
Isaac invents the calculus and does numerous calculations in his Waste Book.

Chapter 15: Isaac's Alchemy Begins
Isaac goes back to Cambridge, keeps mum about his discoveries, and gets into alchemy. He also gets promoted; is given a stipend and some status.

Chapter 16: Enter the Royal Society
Isaac's telescope is built and brought to the notice of the society and he gets into a fight with Hooke about the nature of light. Correspondence with John Collins, great quotation: "For I see not what there is desirable in publick esteeme.It would perhaps increase my acquaintance, the thing which I chiefly study to decline."

Chapter 17: Isaac the Alchemist
Isaac gets deeper and deeper into alchemy and mostly ignores all his colleagues.

Chapter 18: Transformations
Newton is persuaded to publish the Principia and all the rest of his life happens.

Afterwords:
Isaacs Notebooks:
Childhood notebooks, written in a secret shorthand, not decoded until the 60s.

Chymistry Demistified

Stinks, Bangs, and More Chymical Secrets ( )

ISAAC THE ALCHEMIST by Mary Losure takes a fascinating look into the life of Isaac Newton.
This work of narrative nonfiction immerses readers in the life of a boy living in an apothecary’s house. Readers will be particularly intrigued by the connections between magic and science during Isaac’s time period. The book concludes with information about Isaac’s notebooks, science, and additional sources.
Librarians will find this well-written biography to be popular with both children who enjoy narrative nonfiction as well as those simply looking for good report material. The short chapters, discussions of magic and science, and interesting primary source visuals will appeal to reluctant readers. Look for this title on “best of children’s nonfiction” lists for 2017.
Published by Candlewick on February 1, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher. ( )