Jellyfish Scientist: Maude Delap and Her Mesmerizing Medusas

Gr 1-4–Maude Delap was an amazing scientist in a time when women were discouraged from participating in scientific study. Her determination to learn about jellyfish and tackle adversity make her an admirable topic for a picture book biography. The illustrations that accompany the informative text not only capture the scientific detail and the Irish setting but also provide an ephemeral quality that is mesmerizing as the delicacy of the jellyfish is explored throughout its life cycle. Late in the 19th century and into the early 20th century Delap collected, studied, and learned about jellyfish in her island home of Valentia, Ireland. Prior to Delap no one had succeeded in nurturing a jellyfish through a complete life cycle. Present-tense narration takes readers into Delap’s lab, the “Department” as she called it, and through the arduous task of learning how to care for and maintain jellyfish so they could be studied throughout their life cycle. The text is broken into journal entries documenting her learning and perseverance in a scientifically measured way. Back matter adds to the biography of this amazing scientist and provides further information on sea jellies as these creatures are now called by many modern scientists.