'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Review: Aussie STEM Stars: Georgia Ward-Fear

Georgia Ward-Fear has always loved animals. As a kid, when everyone else wanted to avoid the snakes slithering through the bushland, Georgia only wanted to get closer.

She took her fascination with wildlife with her as she grew older. It led her around Australia as she studied and worked in conservation to find ways to protect animals. She conducted ground-breaking research to protect native Australian animals from the threat of cane toads. 

Georgia is a biologist, an explorer, an inventor and a world-leading scientist. But once… she was a young girl playing in the bush, reading as much as she could about snakes and other animals.

With passion and dedication, we can grow up to be Aussie stars, just like Georgia Ward-Fear, and the Aussie STEM Stars series delivers the evidence to make kids believe it.

Each book in the series focuses on a different Aussie star who has done amazing things in science, technology, engineering or mathematics. The books highlight their lives from childhood, so you get to know these amazing people when they were kids. 

This is a glorious feature of the series. You get to know these people from a young age, discovering their interests and hobbies and uncovering what might have led them to be the amazing people they are today. 

Georgia Ward-Fear was a girl just like you and me. She was (and is) curious and passionate, and she worked hard to achieve her dreams. And you can, too! That’s the message that shines through in this book, and I adore it. 

Each book in the series is written by a different award-winning author — this one by the super talented Claire Saxby. Saxby takes us inside Georgia’s head and reveals her likes, dislikes, hopes and fears. Her words showcase Georgia’s strong passion, and Saxby weaves this passion through the pages, so as you read, you are cheering Georgia on as she reaches her goals.

The book is mostly text, but there a few illustrations peppered throughout, and I love the helpful definitions that appear when a technical word is used. Kids interested in amazing Australian people or kids with dreams to one day be one will adore this book. It’s an easy and engaging read for junior readers aged 8 to 13.

And make sure to check out the dedicated website for the series, Aussie STEM Stars. There are more books available in the series now, plus more coming next year. There are also videos, teacher resources and links to super fun STEM stuff.

Follow your curiosity, express your unique self and always stop to observe the wonders of Nature; we are just one species amongst millions. Georgia Ward-Fear

Title: Aussie STEM Stars: Georgia Ward- Fear
Author: Claire Saxby
Illustrator: Diana Silkina
Publisher: Wild Dingo Press, $14.95  
Publication Date: 1 September 2020
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781925893342
For ages: 8 - 13
Type: Junior Fiction, Middle Grade