Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician

Lesa Cline-Ransome

Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician
Format
Hardback
Publisher
Simon & Schuster
Country
United States
Published
1 November 2019
Pages
32
ISBN
9781534404755

Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician

Lesa Cline-Ransome

A detail-rich picture book. -Kirkus Reviews

Straightforward and inviting. -School Library Journal

From award-winning author Lesa Cline-Ransome and acclaimed illustrator Raul Colon comes the sensitive, informative, and inspiring picture book biography of the remarkable mathematician Katherine Johnson, one of the NASA human computers whose work was critical to the first US space launch.

Before John Glenn orbited the Earth or astronauts walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as human computers used their knowledge, pencils, adding machines, and writing paper to calculate the orbital mechanics needed to launch spacecraft. Katherine Johnson was one of these mathematicians who used trajectories and complex equations to chart the space program. Even as Virginia’s Jim Crow laws were in place in the early 1950s, Katherine worked analyzing data at the NACA (later NASA) Langley laboratory.

In 1962, as NASA prepared for the orbital mission of John Glenn, Katherine Johnson was called upon and John Glenn said get the girl (Katherine Johnson) to run the numbers by hand to chart the complexity of the orbital flight. He knew that his flight couldn’t work without her unique skills.

President Barack Obama awarded Katherine Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and her incredible life inspired the Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. Get to know this incredible and inspirational woman with this beautifully illustrated picture book from an award-winning duo.

This item is not currently in-stock. It can be ordered online and is expected to ship in approx 4 weeks

Our stock data is updated periodically, and availability may change throughout the day for in-demand items. Please call the relevant shop for the most current stock information. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Sign in or become a Readings Member to add this title to a wishlist.