Breakthrough

About the Book

This book is the first complete account for young readers of the development of the first “wonder drug,” penicillin, and of the men and women who took part in this extraordinary project. It provides a background for understanding the significance of this breakthrough and the new direction it gave to medical science. Breakthrough: The True Story of Penicillin won the New York Academy of Sciences fifteenth Annual Children’s Science Book Award.

About the Author

Francine Jacobs has written more than 20 non-fiction books for young readers, including The Tainos: The People Who Welcomed Columbus, Breakthrough: The True Story of Penicillin, and A Passion for Danger. Her books explore history, science, and the natural world. She has been honored by the New York Academy of Science and her work has been televised on PBS.