THE POLIO PIONEER

Portrait of a hero, scientist, and dreamer.

As a child, Jonas Salk saw things from a unique perspective. While his friends played games, he preferred to read but was called to act as a referee because of his awareness and evenhandedness. While others rejoiced at the end of World War I, he saw the soldiers who had sustained injuries. Growing up as an observant Jew whose family had fled Russian persecution, “Jonas prayed that he might, someday, help make the world a better place.” Appealing illustrations and accessible text show how Salk, as an adult, pursued the same ideals through his work as a doctor and researcher, eventually working as a young researcher to help create the first flu vaccine and later, famously, the polio vaccine. This timely, quickly paced selection is straightforward, showing the value of research, experimentation, hard work, and testing while presenting Salk’s dedication and accomplishments within the context of the epidemics he sought to control. Though the text skimps a bit on the role of trial and error in experimentation, this tale of a quiet hero is engaging and enlightening as it celebrates Salk’s accomplishments while showcasing the attributes and attitudes that led to his success.

An exciting, informative introduction to medical research, the work of Jonas Salk, and the man himself.