Little People, Big Dreams: Rosalind Franklin

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Rosalind Franklin, the scientist who was crucial to the discovery of the double helix in DNA.

Little Rosalind was born in London to a Jewish family who valued education and public service, and as she grew up her huge intellectual abilities were drawn into the study of science.

Having studied physics and chemistry at Cambridge University, Rosalind moved to Paris to perfect her life’s work in X-ray crystallography. She then moved back to King’s College London, where she would work on finding the structure of DNA with Maurice Wilkins. It was Rosalind’s “photo 51” that was used by Wilkins to create the first ever double helix DNA model with Francis Crick, although he did not credit for her work due to a falling out between the two, and her work went unacknowledged until after her death.

However, today she is revered as the forgotten heroine of the study of how DNA works, and the “Sylvia Plath of molecular biology”.

This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the brilliant scientist’s life.

Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

About the author:

Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director in constant search of new concepts for children’s books. 

In 2014, she created a book for her two twin nieces for their birthday, which shortly thereafter became the first book in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. This multimillion-copy bestselling series of picture books explores the lives of outstanding people. From Mahatma Gandhi to Aretha Franklin, to Prince, Sánchez Vegara researches complex careers and makes them accessible to young children, with her unique and mindful style of writing. She works with a diverse team of illustrators to make each book lively, eye-catching and motivating. 

Working for more than fifteen years for clients in top advertising agencies, her books combine creativity with learning, aiming to establish a new and fresh relationship between children and pop culture. ​