Carol Alexander (4) (1955–)

Carol Alexander’s biography of Florence Nightingale is a great starting biography for young children for several reasons. First of all, the text is easy to understand. There is not too much writing on each page, and there is even a section called “Words to Know” in the back, and each word is accompanied by a picture. The text is also engaging, as it begins with a question for the reader: “Do you think helping people get well is an important job?” Second, the pictures are real photographs when feasible, and drawings have been added to depict scenes from long ago. For example, a drawing of Florence Nightingale has been included, but real pictures of modern nurses are featured. This is a nice mix, and keeps the reader interested.
A good message is being sent by this biography. Florence Nightingale was born rich, and her parents did not understand why she would want to work in a dirty hospital where only poor people worked, but Florence knew that she wanted to help people become well again. This sends the message that helping others is an important job, no matter where they come from or how much money they have.… (mehr)