“How do mothers and fathers—whether they are apple trees, sheep, or humans—pass down traits to their children?” This was Gregor Mendel’s fixation, and through careful experimentation with peas, he developed his theory of heredity.  His work laid the foundation for today’s genetic research, and he is referred to as the “father of modern genetics”. Readers glimpse the curiosity, religious life, and work ethic of an early scientist whose ground-breaking work was only given serious consideration after his death. This is a good book for children and also for parents who want to increase their understanding of how genetic traits are passed from generation to generation.