Frances Durkin Books

Eurek-Her is a diverse, engaging non-fiction book which tells the stories of 20 pioneering women, who used their knowledge and skills within STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) to shape and change the world we live in today. What makes this book unique is that the stories of these inspirational women are told from all over the world and at various different time eras in history.

This made the book very interesting to read, because some stories, for example Mary Anning, may have been studied in schools before, but others, for example Mary Herbraea from Ancient Egyptian times, may rarely have been heard. The themes also covered through these women’s stories (including artistry, astronomy and medicine) mean that there is likely a story which will engage every reader interested in STEM.

Each woman has a dedicated page in the book, which tells the story of their life, work and achievements. These follow the traditional layout of a non-fiction book, using subheadings, labels and illustrations to support the reader with their understanding. A glossary of terminology is also included at the back of the book.

As an additional piece to this book, readers can complete one of 12 activities inspired by these stories, each with clear instructions of how to do so. These vary from making your own periodic table, to playing the small test game, and could easily be used as a science experiment at school or home.