Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman

Bibliographical Citation:  Heiligman, D.  (2009).  Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith.  New York: Henry Holt & Company. 268 pages. ISBN: 9780805087215.

Awards:

Best Fiction for Young Adults (2010)

Booklist Editor's Choice (2009)

Michael L. Printz Honor (2010)

SLJ Best Books for Children (2009)

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults-Winner (2010)

Author Website: http://deborahheiligman.com/

Annotation:  Charles and Emma Darwin couldn't be more different from each other in their religious and scientific beliefs.  This story of their love and devotion shows how their marriage endures Charles's pursuit of the theory of evolution despite Emma's religious convictions.

Personal Reaction:    Prior to reading this book, I knew absolutely nothing about Charles Darwin's personal life and family.  The author, Deborah Heiligman, pulls readers in to the life of Charles and Emma Darwin from the moment that Charles draws a line down the middle of a piece of paper, writing "Marry" on one side and "Not Marry" on the other.  Charles is very practical in deciding what would suit him best, but once he decides that he would like the idea of someone sharing his life with him, there's only the matter of hoping that the woman he has in mind will say yes.  Emma and Charles Darwin had a 43 year marriage that worked extremely well for them, despite the fact that Emma was very religious and Charles did not believe in God but instead was constantly exploring scientific theories concerning evolution that during the Victorian era were quite controversial.  Each of them respected the other's beliefs, and Emma always supported Charles in his studies of science, although at times she was afraid for his soul.  Together they raised their children in a happy, open minded environment, and it was only their strong love for each other that helped them to survive family tragedy more than once.  Right up until the end they remained devoted to one another as well as their family.  Emma was always Charles's greatest supporter and most honest editor. 

Front/Back Matter: Table of Contents, Foreword, Acknowledgements, Family Trees, Source Notes, Selected Bibliography, Index.

 *Bibliographical citation information, award information, as well as image retrieved from www.bwibooks.com (Titletales)