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.

About the 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 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.


Book Information
ISBN 9780316435178
Author Suzanne Slade
Format Hardback
Page Count 40
Imprint Little, Brown Young Readers
Publisher Little, Brown & Company
Weight(grams) 460g
Dimensions(mm) 260mm * 260mm * 16mm