To the Stars!: The First American Woman to Walk in Space

To the Stars!: The First American Woman to Walk in Space
By Carmella Van Vleet and Dr. Kathy Sullivan
Illustrated by Nicole Wong
Charlesbridge, 2016. Biography.

Growing up, Kathy wanted to be more than what was expected of a girl from her generation. She wanted to explore and see the world. Even at a very young age she loved studying the aircraft blueprints her father brought home from work. Her family encouraged her to pursue her love of flying and science. As she later discovered as an adult “I know what I love, and I’m just going to follow that compass.” That led her to apply to and be accepted into NASA’s first space-shuttle class along with six other women.

This picture book biography is great for any young adventure. In alternating page spreads it tells an experience of Kathy’s young life and how it influenced her as she prepared to be an astronaut. Extensive endnotes include “A Note from Kathy”, a one page biography, and short paragraphs about 14 other women astronauts. A great introduction to women in NASA space program to inspire further reading.

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