Lately, I have been greatly impressed with the selection of children's biographies about 19th and 20th century female scientists. Many I had never heard of before, but all have made significant contributions to modern day science, and all overcame adversity at the hands of their male colleagues.
Joan Proctor, one of the preeminent experts on reptiles, especially Komodo Dragons, is lovingly told and illustrated in Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor by Patricia Valdez and Felicita Sala.
Mary Anning was the first person to discover the skeleton of the Plesiosaurus and other Jurassic period species along the coastal cliffs of Lyme (UK). She discovered the species in 1812 but was not given credit for finding this and many other specimens until 1846 when she was admitted as a member into the Geological Society.
Kate Sessions, aka The Tree Lady conceived and created Balboa Park in San Diego! She moved to San Diego and noticed that there weren't any trees! She scoured the world looking for trees and seeds of plants that could survive in dry desert climates. What a beautiful soul:-)
Marie Tharp was the first person to map the bottom of the ocean. Many people said it couldn't be done, but Marie proved them wrong! She also helped prove the theory of plate tectonics:-)
Want more?? Check out this list from Nerdy Bookclub
