Gregor Mendel: the friar who grew peas by Cheryl Bardoe and Jos. A Smith  ill. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2006

 ISBN: 0810954753

Living the slow-paced, contemplative life of a friar, Gregory Mendel was able to conceive and put into practice his great experiment: growing multiple generations of peas and introducing genetics.

Media: Watercolors

4Q/4P

Curriculum Connection

 7^th - 8^th Grade Life Science- genetics-biology.

D. Guhl Summer 2009

Bardoe, C. (2006). Gregor Mendel : the friar who grew peas. Illustrated by Joseph A. Smith. New York:  Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2006.

ISBN-13: 978-0-8109-5475-5

A dedicated scholar, teacher, and friar of the nineteenth century, Mendel’s legacy as the “father” of genetics is described and illustrated clearly and effectively through soft watercolors, easy-to-understand graphs and diagrams, and narrative text.  Although not given his due in his lifetime, the records of Mendel’s years of carefully controlled cross-breeding experiments which revealed dominant and recessive genes in peas have cemented his place in history.  This lovely picture book serves as an excellent introduction to the topic.

Curricular connection:  Introduction to genetics/Grade 7 Life Science  

Artwork: Watercolor paintings and graphs/drawings

Subjects: Genetics; Experimentation; Education; DedicationTheme: Diligence, perseverance, and a dedication to scholarship can have big dividends. Category: Non-fictionAge Level Recommendation: Middle SchoolRating: 3Q/3PAAS 5-3-08