The Amazing Discoveries of Ibn Sina

Gr 2–4—This picture book tells the story of Ibn Sina, who compiled The Canon of Medicine, an encyclopedia of medicine that was used in the Islamic world and Europe up until the 18th century. An influential thinker, Ibn Sina came up with many ideas taken for granted today, such as that learning begins at birth and that contaminated water can spread disease. He was born in Persia in 980, and this story starts with his childhood, emphasizing his passion for literature and medicine. Even before turning 18, Ibn Sina succeeded where the best doctors failed, curing Sultan Nuh ibn Mansour al-Samani. As a reward, he was invited to stay at the sultan's palace and given access to the library. As the political landscape changed, Ibn Sina traveled often, helping many sick people and learning from the experiences. Enchanting illustrations convey the man's experiences. Educators may enjoy having the opportunity to introduce a lesser-known historical figure to kids. However, the text is less than stellar. Told in the first person from Ibn Sina's point of view, the narrative is on the wordy side and tends toward the didactic, covering somewhat complex concepts with which few students are likely to be familiar.