by Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn
Illustrated by Frenci Sanna
4 stars
A fascinating exploration of scientific experimentation, color, and history.
Purple was once the color of royalty, a shade only the rich could afford. But through persistence and experimentation, William Henry Perkin found a way to bring purple to everyone. The book goes through Perkin’s childhood, his interest in science, his experiments to find an affordable cure for malaria, how he discovered Mauveine, and its widespread impact.
Nicely written. Incorporates themes of persistence, following your interests, and scientific experimentation.
The artwork is absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been on a Sanna kick lately and have been reading a bunch of the books they’ve illustrated. These visuals did not disappoint. Gorgeous use of color, which really worked for this story.
The backmatter contains an Authors’ Note with more information about Perkin, how we perceive color, the impact of Perkin’s innovations, the steps of the scientific method, and further resources about scientists, Queen Victoria, and color. Also includes photos and an experiment for dyeing carnations.
The book only focuses on the positive impact of Mauveine and does not include information about its environmental or health impacts. While it arguably had an important impact on history in terms of allowing for the staining of bacteria and microbes and the demonstration of the scientific method, his legacy also includes pollution, cancer risks for workers, and toxicity in food. I would have liked to see a more realistic balance to the history rather than focusing solely on the good. Still, an interesting read.
Great blend of science and beauty. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the stunning illustrations.