Starred Review In 1646, 14-year-old Antony van Leeuwenhoek began his draper's apprenticeship at a linen merchant's shop. Later, he opened his own shop in Delft. On a visit to London in 1668, he was fascinated by Robert Hooke's best-selling book Micrographica. Though he couldn't read English, the detailed pictures of tiny objects (a flea, a poppy seed) filled him with wonder and spurred his curiosity. Soon, he was patiently grinding his own lenses, building small microscopes, and examining details of the animals, plants, and substances around him. His discovery, in 1674, of tiny living creatures in lake water stunned the scientists of his day and, much later, led to the study of microbiology. Alexander tells his story here in an accessible, down-to-earth way, portraying a man with limited education and resources but an active mind, as well as boundless energy and diligence. She notes that historians' opinions differ on certain dates. The back matter includes a descriptive time line and an informative glossary. From the Delft-tile inspired endpapers to the many engaging illustrations in a naive style, Mildenberger's artwork reflects the tone of the text while helping to define the period. An attractive, very readable book on an important figure in the history of science.

In the latter half of the 17th century, Antony van Leeuwenhoek devised his first microscope by cleverly grinding a bit of glass into a near-spherical shape and mounting it into his own custom-made frame.It would change his world. By grinding his lenses nearly round, he stumbled upon the secret to creating a substantially more powerful microscope than the few then currently in use. With his ability to take a clear look into the microscopic world, he became the first to identify microbes, organisms far too small to be viewed with the naked eye. Although other scientists initially rejected the concept—and he was unwilling to share his microscope design to help them make their own discoveries—an English scientist was later able to replicate his work using his less-sophisticated microscope. Still, Antony's groundbreaking studies seemed to spark little enthusiasm in others for further research. It would be well over 100 years later that Louis Pasteur finally realized that some microbes caused disease. As Alexander describes him, "Antony watches patiently, thinks deeply, and reports carefully." By breaking his work down into simple, understandable steps and incorporating Mildenberger's delicately childlike cartoon illustrations to complement the present-tense narration, this effort makes Antony's life's work accessible to a young audience that is sure to be intrigued and inspired. Excellent backmatter rounds out this fascinating tale.Methodical young scientists will see themselves in the "Father of Microbiology." (Biography. 8-11)

In this well-researched biography, immediate present-tense narration by Alexander (Famously Phoebe) allows readers to feel that they-re making discoveries right alongside scientist Antony van Leeuwenhoek in 1670s Netherlands. Though van Leeuwenhoek didn-t invent the microscope, his refinements of the instrument and endless curiosity resulted in the discovery of hidden microbial realms. Ten short chapters describe how the -father of microbiology,- who viewed hundreds of specimens, succeeded despite lacking formal training. Naïf full-color illustrations