Stephen Hawking

Kent continues the Genius Series of first-person biographies featuring such figures as Frida Kahlo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Marie Curie. Hawking warmly introduces himself (in Kent’s words): “I’m known not only for my work on black holes and relativity, but because I beat the odds and lived with a form of Motor Neuron Disease for years longer than doctors predicted.” The narrative is light and even, if generic, in tone: “No matter what setbacks you encounter, there is always a way to achieve your dreams.” Though the book won’t give readers a true sense of Hawking’s personality, Munoz captures his resilience and humor (one spread shows children watching his character on The Simpsons) while emphasizing the severity of his disease. Back matter includes a timeline and questions for readers to test their knowledge. Ages 4–8. [em](Feb.) [/em]