Rosalind Franklin’s DNA Discovery follows two young travelers as they journey through time and are introduced to DNA research and groundbreaking scientific work. Where did the idea behind this story come from?

The idea came from my desire to help young readers see that DNA is more than a diagram in a science book. It represents years of careful observation, experimentation, measurement, and questions asked by real scientists. Rosalind Franklin gave me the opportunity to bring that process to life. Her work with X-ray diffraction, her attention to detail, and her determination to let the evidence guide her conclusions made her an ideal scientist for Jennifer and Daniel to meet through the Portal. I wanted children to enter her world, see the laboratory work taking place around them, and understand that important discoveries are often built one careful piece of evidence at a time.

How does this book build on the educational goals of the earlier books in the series?

Each book in Dr. K’s Portal Through Time combines science, history, and adventure so that children can learn scientific ideas through the people who helped shape them. Book 5 continues that goal, but DNA gives us the opportunity to move into the science of life itself. Jennifer and Daniel are not simply told what DNA is. They see how scientists study structure, interpret evidence, ask questions, and revise ideas as new information becomes available. The book also continues the larger purpose of the series, which is to show children that science is a process of curiosity, observation, persistence, and discovery. I want readers to understand the science, but I also want them to understand how scientists think.

What do you hope readers understand about Rosalind Franklin beyond her connection to DNA?

I hope readers come away seeing Rosalind Franklin as a complete scientist, not only as the person associated with one famous DNA photograph. She was a highly skilled chemist and crystallographer who approached her work with precision, independence, and discipline. She believed that conclusions should be supported by evidence, and she was willing to keep working until the evidence was strong enough. Her scientific career also extended beyond DNA into important research on coal, carbon, and viruses. I want young readers, especially young girls, to see a scientist who was serious about her work, confident in her abilities, and committed to getting the science right.

What would you most like teachers to discuss with students after reading Book 5 in Dr. K’s Portal Through Time series?

I would most like teachers to discuss how scientific knowledge develops and why evidence matters. Rosalind Franklin’s story opens the door to conversations about careful experimentation, collaboration, scientific credit, and the way several researchers can contribute different pieces to a major discovery. It is also a good opportunity to talk about the importance of understanding science within its historical moment. What scientists knew in early 1953 was not the same as what we know about DNA today. I would encourage students to ask what Franklin could observe from her own experiments, what conclusions could reasonably be drawn at that time, and how later discoveries expanded our understanding. Most of all, I hope students leave the discussion knowing that science grows through questions, evidence, persistence, and the willingness to keep learning.

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