With their latest collaboration, the B.C. author-illustrator team of Diane Swanson and Warren Clark (who also did Nibbling on Einstein’s Brain) have taken another step toward establishing themselves as top-notch creators of science books that are both fun and hugely informative.

The main theme of Turn It Loose is that while not everyone can be a scientist, we all have enough curiosity and intellectual capability to allow us to look at the world in a scientific manner. Swanson organizes her narrative around a series of vignettes. These stories follow famous men and women scientists of all kinds from the time they became interested in the natural world as kids, to the growth of their careers as well-known archeologists, astronomers, inventors, and the like. By organizing the book this way, Swanson focuses on the human side of scientific inquiry without ever stinting on clear descriptions of just how the physics, chemistry, and biology work as well.

In some instances the definition of science is stretched to include, for instance, how the young Louis Armstrong fell in love with the sounds of his native New Orleans and went on to become a jazz legend. But the vignettes are so compellingly written and effectively illustrated by Clark’s line drawings that no one will likely complain.

Any young reader looking to learn more about how natural human curiosity grows into scientific inquiry will be well served by this book. And any adult looking to nurture that process will find it a valuable resource as well.