A Computer Called Katherine
How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon
Published on 28. March 2019
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-0-316-43517-8 (ISBN)
Description
The inspiring story of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson (the subject of the hit movie Hidden Figures).
Katherine Johnson grew up during a time when women were not encouraged to excel in the fields of math and science, and when African-Americans were heavily discriminated against. But she was so good at math that she zoomed ahead of her elementary school classmates, attended a high school far away from home, and started college at age fourteen, taking difficult geometry classes taught just for her. She went on to become one of NASA's "computers who wore skirts," women who did calculations that helped the men engineers design flight plans and rockets.
Katherine wasn't like other women. She asked lots and lots of questions, and she didn't stay out of design meetings that were previously just for men. She was so good at her job that she was asked to double check the calculations of a machine computer. Katherine made important contributions to the first flight into space, the first orbit of the Earth, and the first trip to the moon--and back--breaking barriers for African Americans and women everywhere. Author Suzanne Slade brings Katherine's story to life in this smartly written picture book biography, illustrated by debut artist Veronica Miller Jamison.
Katherine Johnson grew up during a time when women were not encouraged to excel in the fields of math and science, and when African-Americans were heavily discriminated against. But she was so good at math that she zoomed ahead of her elementary school classmates, attended a high school far away from home, and started college at age fourteen, taking difficult geometry classes taught just for her. She went on to become one of NASA's "computers who wore skirts," women who did calculations that helped the men engineers design flight plans and rockets.
Katherine wasn't like other women. She asked lots and lots of questions, and she didn't stay out of design meetings that were previously just for men. She was so good at her job that she was asked to double check the calculations of a machine computer. Katherine made important contributions to the first flight into space, the first orbit of the Earth, and the first trip to the moon--and back--breaking barriers for African Americans and women everywhere. Author Suzanne Slade brings Katherine's story to life in this smartly written picture book biography, illustrated by debut artist Veronica Miller Jamison.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Little, Brown & Company
Target group
Children/juvenile
Interest Age: From 4 to 8 years
Product notice
Trade binding
Dimensions
Height: 260 mm
Width: 260 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
460 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-316-43517-8 (9780316435178)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Suzanne Slade (Author)
Suzanne Slade holds a Mechanical Engineering degree and worked on NASA's Delta IV rockets. Her recent titles include The Inventor's Secret, Friends for Freedom, With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School, and Climbing Lincoln's Steps. She lives in Illinois with her husband, and she invites you to visit her online at suzanneslade.com.
Veronica Miller Jamison (Illustrator)
Veronica Miller Jamison is a fashion illustrator whose clients include Essence Magazine, Bloomingdales, and Hallmark. A Computer Called Katherine is her debut picture book. She is an alumna of Howard University and Drexel University, and she lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and their cat. She invites you to visit her online at veronicamarche.com.
Suzanne Slade holds a Mechanical Engineering degree and worked on NASA's Delta IV rockets. Her recent titles include The Inventor's Secret, Friends for Freedom, With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School, and Climbing Lincoln's Steps. She lives in Illinois with her husband, and she invites you to visit her online at suzanneslade.com.
Veronica Miller Jamison (Illustrator)
Veronica Miller Jamison is a fashion illustrator whose clients include Essence Magazine, Bloomingdales, and Hallmark. A Computer Called Katherine is her debut picture book. She is an alumna of Howard University and Drexel University, and she lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and their cat. She invites you to visit her online at veronicamarche.com.