Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 12/15/2015 This biographical picture book presents astronaut Kathy Sullivan, who, in 1984, became “the first American woman to walk in space.” Double-page spreads featuring scenes from her youth alternate with those showing her adult years, while the succinct text uses thematic links to draw pairs of illustrations together. For instance, on one spread Kathy is a girl doing a cannonball dive into the pool, while on the next she is an astronaut doing underwater training. Learning to fly, teenage Kathy looks at the dials in the cockpit of a plane, while the next page shows astronaut Kathy studying a larger, more complex instrument panel. Though occasionally a bit static, the ink-and-watercolor illustrations do a good job showing Sullivan growing up. Readers wanting more information will find “A Note from Kathy” appended along with biographical information about Sullivan and paragraphs introducing other notable women in space. An attractive introduction to an American astronaut. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 02/01/2016 Gr 2–5—A picture book biography of Sullivan, the first woman to do an extravehicular activity—more commonly known as a space walk—during her 1984 mission on the Challenger. Whimsical illustrations alternate between Sullivan as a young girl looking over her father's blueprints, daydreaming about seeing the world, and learning to fly and Sullivan as an adult training at NASA and riding the launch into space. The text supplies a subtle dose of girl power as readers witness Kathy succeeding despite sexist statements from friends and adults, such as "Girls don't like those jobs" and "Girls are supposed to be teachers or nurses or moms." Back matter includes a note from Sullivan about how she dreaded being asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?," as well as a short essay with more information on her and other female space pioneers. However, only American women are featured here; others, such as Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, are not mentioned. The simple text makes this volume a good option for a group read-aloud during a unit on space or Women's History Month, but there may not be enough substance here for school reports. VERDICT A wonderful and inspiring addition to biography and space collections.—Meaghan Darling, Long Hill Township Public Library, Gillette, NJ - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.