Counting the Stars

By Lesa Cline-Ransome, Raúl Colón (Illustrator)

A mathematician's calculations are crucial for a historic space mission.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 372 ratings

32 pages· 1,772 words· Est. 14 min read-aloud

$17.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Katherine Johnson, a brilliant mathematician, defies the odds in 1950s Virginia, where segregation laws prevail. As NASA prepares for John Glenn's orbital mission, her calculations become indispensable. With pencils and paper, she charts the path to space, proving her unmatched skills. Her story, celebrated in an Oscar-nominated film, highlights her pivotal role in space exploration. Discover her inspiring journey in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

From the publisher

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.

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