Happy February!! February has many amazing things about it: Valentine's Day, Presidents Day, Black History Month, etc. I always love finding new books about Black people to share in February. Today I get to share a new one about a hero of mine--Katherine Johnson. I love that she was a mathematician. I love that she was Black and fought for her right to be heard and share her knowledge. She changed history and not so faraway history. History about our space travel. We are talking the 1960s not the 1800s. I always feel like most female mathematicians had a love for math but didn't really get much credit for the work they did. Katherine did not get much credit for her work until recently, but she made a huge difference in the space race. Today I am sharing the book Katherine Johnson by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and illustrated by Jemma Skidmore. It is part of the Little People BIG DREAMS series. It is recommended for ages 6 to 8.
From the Publisher:
Learn about the incredible story of Katherine Johnson! The trailblazer whose calculations changed the future of space exploration.Little Katherine loved learning and her favourite subject was maths. In class, she worked so hard that she was able to move up to high school four years early! Due to the racist laws of the time, Katherine's family had to move town for her to go to a school where Black students were admitted. After high school and college, she was accepted to one of West Virginia's top universities and was the first Black woman to attend.
In 1953, she joined the US space agency, which later became NASA. Alongside other talented African American women, Katherine's mathematical skills were essential to the early successes of the space programme. She was part of the team that planned the Apollo 11 mission which landed the first people on the moon! Katherine’s tenacity and expertise led to the dawn of a new era for humankind, making her an inspiration to all of us.
This powerful book is the perfect gift for STEM and space enthusiasts. It features quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Katherine's life.
Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.
This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.
From Me:
Katherine Johnson was an American hero. She ensured the United States success in the space race. She encountered so much but believed in our country. This book shares her love of numbers and math ability. It shares how intelligent she was--she graduated from high school four years early. She had her children and taught but then got her dream job--be a human computer. Eventually she showed her talents and filled the need of the space race with her mathematical ability. She ensured that Neil Armstrong land safely. She continued her work with NASA for many years and ensured their successes with her calculations and brilliance. This book shares the general outline of her life starting with her love of counting. At the end of the book there is a more detailed biography of her as well.
This book shares how Katherine was a hero. She worked hard for her country and shared her intelligence with it. She loved doing math. All of these things are wonderful and make her an amazing role model for our kids. The fact that she was a Black woman makes her even more of a role model! This book helps give younger children a first glimpse at this American hero. My hope for this book is to have it in libraries and classrooms across the country. I hope it sparks interest in STEM fields for young girls and especially young Black girls. We need them!! The book itself is perfect to be read aloud at a story time or class or at bedtime. I feel like all kids will benefit from hearing about Katherine Johnson and her work with our space travel. She broke many barriers to help our country succeed. She was Black and female and was in a very white male world. Her story should be shared with young children as well as older children. It is an amazing one and it truly makes her a role model for our kids. The book does a great job of introducing the reader to her. I hope you will check it out!
