Stone, Tanya L. 2009. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream. Somerville, MA:
Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763636111
Brief Plot
Summary:
This is the story of thirteen women who set
out to prove that they have what it takes to be astronauts. Despite government
rules and general prejudice in a time when women weren’t even allowed to rent a
car or take out a loan from a bank, the women were not deterred and fought to
pursue their dream. Although they never
made it into space, their efforts demonstrated courage and persistence in accomplishing
their goals. This book chronicles their
inspirational story.
Critical
analysis:
Almost
Astronauts
tells the compelling story of female astronauts’ fierce attempts to enter the
space race. Centered around the story of
Jerrie Cobb, one of the first women to complete all of the required tests to be
certified as an astronaut, the book outlines the events that took place from
the 1960s through the mid-2000s as women entered this profession previously
only open to men. The chronology is well
documented and allows the reader to gain a clear picture of the sequence of
events in the lives of these ground-breaking females as they tried to gain a
footing in the field of space exploration, starting with the entry of women
into the workforce during World War II through the appointment of female
astronauts to key positions at NASA in 2008.
The book is laid out logically and plainly, allowing the young reader to
gain a clear understanding of the barriers these women faced, without being
cluttered with political detail that might be overkill for the intended age
group.
The book was well-received by major literary
review sources, including Horn Books,
Kirkus Reviews, and the School Library Journal, for its
meticulous research. A glimpse into the
book’s bibliography reveals the most credible of sources, including documents
from the Lyndon B. Johnson Library, the International Women’s Air and Space
Museum, National Geographic, and the
Air Force News Agency.
This Orbis Pictus Honor Book has an inviting
visual appearance, as it is filled with photographs from Time & Life
Pictures, the Johnson Space Center, and the Kennedy Space Center archives. These photographs are each accompanied by
detailed captions that relate the photo to the story. The photos allow the reader to assign a human
face to the stories of the women who served as role models for many who followed
in their footsteps and they enhance the reader’s interest in the story.
The writing style is clear and concise,
without unnecessary detail or flowery language, and should appeal to the
younger audience, as evidenced by its receipt of an ALA/YALSA Excellence in
Nonfiction Honor. It illustrates the
author’s admiration for and appreciation of the subject and, in my case,
clearly sparked my interest in the topic of women in space. Its forward discussion of the barriers to
women choosing to pursue this career encourages critical thinking on this
issue, especially when comparing these events with the way society viewed women
at the time, as illustrated by the discussion on popular television shows such
as I Love Lucy and Father Knows Best.
One sentence nicely summarizes the attitudes that served as barriers to
these women: “If you were seen as a woman who wanted to have the same
opportunities as a man, you were labeled a trouble-maker, and you didn’t have a
chance.”
Awards
won:
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
2010
ALA/YALSA
Excellence in Nonfiction Honor
Boston
Globe-Horn Book Honor
NCTE Orbis
Pictus Honor
Jane Addams
Children's Book Award Honor
Also: An Outstanding
Science Trade Book, CCBC Choices 2010, Kirkus Best YA Books, Notable Social
Studies Trade Book, Horn Book Fanfare, Amelia Bloomer List, IRA Teacher's
Choice, Richie's Picks, Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books,
Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of 2009, ALA Notable, Horn Book Summer Reading
List, American Association for the Advancement of Science Summer Reading List,
and Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA)!
Review Excerpts:
School
Library Journal
Tanya Lee Stone's
exceptional story (Candlewick, 2009) explores the little known experiences of
13 brave, inspiring women who dreamed of becoming astronauts in the very
early days of NASA's training program and submitted themselves to many of the
tests undertaken by their male counterparts, the Mercury 7. As much a
commentary on the gender prejudices of the 1960s as a biography, Stone brings together
a variety of primary and secondary sources, including her interviews with some
of the women involved, to provide a unique view of the challenges faced by the
female pilots of the day. The focus on Jerrie Cobb, a leader among the group,
who completed all of the tests that the male astronauts underwent, may leave some
listeners wishing for more information on the other 12 women who dared to
dream. Nevertheless, the eye-opening details presented here with such passion
will inspire many students.
Romriell,
Deanna. 2010. "Almost Astronauts: 13
Women Who Dared to Dream." School Library Journal 56, no. 4:
54. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text,
EBSCOhost (accessed July 9, 2013).
Publisher’s Weekly
Enlivened by numerous black and white and
color photographs, this thorough book takes readers back to the early 1960s to
tell the story of 13 women who underwent a battery of physical endurance tests
(including hours spent in a deprivation tank) and psychological analysis to
determine their readiness to travel in space. A gripping narrative surfaces in Stone's text, as the
women are repeatedly thwarted by NASA, discriminated against and patronized by
society ("Gene Nora Srumbough's boss said she couldn't have time off. So
she quit. Sarah Gorelick had the same problem.… So she quit"). Readers
with an interest in history and in women's struggle for equality will
undoubtedly be moved. Ages 10-up. (Feb.)
2009.
"Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who
Dared to Dream." Publishers Weekly 256, no. 18: 49. Library,
Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text, EBSCOhost
(accessed July 9, 2013).
Kirkus
Reviews
"The story of the Mercury 13 was one I knew I had to tell,
but how best to tackle it?" says Tanya Lee
Stone.
"It involved 13 women in a complex battle against sexism set at a time
when women were seen so differently that it is difficult for present-day kids
to imagine. Throw in some famous American heroes behaving badly, and I had a
real challenge on my hands." Stone
tells their story with almost
blow-by-blow immediacy, beginning with Jerrie Cobb, the first woman tested by
forward-thinking Randolph Lovelace, chairman of NASA's Life Sciences Committee,
and his friend Brigadier General Donald Flickinger. Together, the trio
identified 12 more promising women who jumped at the chance to audition as astronaut--and whose
valiant efforts were curtailed at the highest levels of government. Stone crafts a
riveting tale of bravery and tenacity. (Ages 10 & up)
2009.
"Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who
Dared to Dream." Kirkus Reviews 77, no. 8: 15. Library,
Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text, EBSCOhost
(accessed July 9, 2013).
Connections:
Other
books by Tanya Lee Stone include:
Ilan
Ramon: Israel’s First Astronaut
Blastoff
Series – including Mars, Venus, and Saturn
Courage
Has No Color
Other
books about astronauts:
Wings
and Rockets: The Story of Women in Air
and Space
by Jeannine Atkins
To
Space and Back
by Sally Ride
Team
Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo
11 on the Moon
by Catherine Thimmesh
The
Moon
by Seymour Simon
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca
Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially)
True Story by Mark Kelly
I found some great enrichment activities
related to astronauts at the following website: http://www.childcarelounge.com/general-themes/space.php
One activity is to set up a physical
challenge course for kids and explain that astronauts must be physically
fit. Suggested challenges include
jumping over meteors (small boxes decorated like rocks), somersaults to
practice floating in zero gravity, and push-ups to increase strength to hold up
the heavy spacesuits.
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