A fun introduction to a real-life heroine, this 40-page picture book is wonderfully illustrated for readers ages 5-9. This is the story of Katherine Johnson, a brilliant African American mathematician who worked as one of the leading minds during the race to space at NASA. She was instrumental in getting the astronauts on Apollo 13 home safely using math!
“Count on me.”
A combination of her relentless quest for precision, ability to creatively problem-solve, and leadership skills led Katherine to become one of the most important women in history in math and science. This book is a fantastic example for all young children showing how curiosity and perseverance in the face of adversity can contribute to your dreams coming true. Katherine went from having limited career options (teacher or nurse – she chose to be a teacher) to having the chance to apply to become a mathematician as part of the US government’s plan to hire women as computers. She did not get chosen the first time around and tried again, going on to become a historical figure.
The illustrations in the book show every young person the beauty in learning how to love your gifts and the triumph of showing up authentically as yourself in all ways. This book is a nice introduction into one of the many diverse women that helped space exploration in the 1950s and 60s.
Find Counting on Katherine How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250137527/.
For reviews of other children’s books featuring diversity in technology and engineering, see STEM Area: Technology and STEM Area: Engineering.
For reviews of other children’s books featuring gender and racial diversity in STEM, see Diversity Type: Gender and Diversity Type: Race.
For reviews of other books that are great for the 6-8 age range see Age Group: 6-8.
Also see our full STEM listings of books and other resources that feature diversity in STEM.
