Marie Curie

In a busy home in Warsaw lived a little girl called Manya, with a head full of questions. Why is the sky blue? How do birds stay up? What’s inside a stone?

When she was told that girls could not study at the university, Manya didn’t give up. She learned in secret classes, worked to help her sister become a doctor, and waited for her own turn. At last she travelled to Paris, where she became Marie — the scientist who discovered radium and polonium, and the first person ever to win two Nobel Prizes.

Told in gentle, read-aloud language, this true story shows young readers that every scientist starts just like them: with one small question.

Inside you’ll also find: a “For grown-ups” biography and timeline with sources, a picture glossary of words to know, four simple science activities to try at home, and a “My big question” page for your child to fill in.