  | Computer called Katherine : how Katherine Johnson helped put America on the moon Author: Slade, Suzanne | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
The inspiring story of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, an African-American woman who made major contributions to the field of space exploration.
| Illustrator: | Miller Jamison, Veronica |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 4.30 Points: .5 Quiz: 504022 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (12/01/18)
School Library Journal (00/12/18)
Booklist (02/01/19)
The Hornbook (07/01/19)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 02/01/2019 Math came easy to Katherine Johnson while she was growing up. In the 1950s, when she was in her 30s, she was hired at NASA as a “computer” (a female mathematician who assisted the male engineers) and eventually worked her way up to the Apollo 11 project. Vignettes of Katherine’s work—familiar to aficionados of the 2016 film Hidden Figures—depict her talent with calculations, the drama of early space travel, and the way both combined to put humans on the moon. There are a few missed opportunities—just how groundbreaking Katherine's work was for the time, given her gender and race, isn't fully conveyed. Still, Slade, herself a rocket engineer, cleverly integrates topical concepts within the text, and the strong back matter includes a time line and source notes. For younger readers, the racist arguments Katherine’s African American family faces are depicted as being “as wrong as 5 + 5 = 12.” Wide pages offer appropriate room for the engaging mixed-media illustrations (don't miss the endpapers!), which wonderfully introduce, depict, and honor this STEM heroine. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.
