{"product_id":"counting-the-stars-the-story-of-katherine-johnson-nasa-mathematician-9781534404755","title":"Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"A detail-rich picture book.\" --\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\"Straightforward and inviting.\" --\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eFrom award-winning author Lesa Cline-Ransome and acclaimed illustrator Ra l Col n comes the sensitive, informative, and inspiring picture book biography of the remarkable mathematician Katherine Johnson, one of the NASA \"human computers\" whose work was critical to the first US space launch.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBefore 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePresident Barack Obama awarded Katherine Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and her incredible life inspired the Oscar-nominated film \u003ci\u003eHidden Figures\u003c\/i\u003e. Get to know this incredible and inspirational woman with this beautifully illustrated picture book from an award-winning duo.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLesa Cline-Ransome is the author of numerous nonfiction and historical fiction titles for picture book, chapter book, middle grade, and young adult readers including \u003ci\u003eGame Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne. \u003c\/i\u003eHer verse biography of Harriet Tubman, \u003ci\u003eBefore She Was Harriet \u003c\/i\u003ewas nominated for an NAACP Image Award and received a Jane Addams Children's Book Honor, Christopher Award, and Coretta Scott King Honor for Illustration. Her debut middle grade novel, \u003ci\u003eFinding Langston\u003c\/i\u003e, won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction and received the Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor. She lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York with her husband and frequent collaborator, James Ransome, and their family. Visit her at LesaClineRansome.com. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eRaúl Colón has illustrated several highly acclaimed picture books including the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling \u003ci\u003eAngela and the Baby Jesus \u003c\/i\u003eby Frank McCourt and Susanna Reich's \u003ci\u003eJosé! Born to Dance\u003c\/i\u003e, which received a starred review in \u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e. Mr. Colón lived in Puerto Rico as a young boy and now resides in New City, New York, with his family.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster\/Paula Wiseman Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50612269318418,"sku":"9781534404755","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_b1d0a84b-e54c-4996-b2c8-0e0f4e298b9f.jpg?v=1732372104","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/counting-the-stars-the-story-of-katherine-johnson-nasa-mathematician-9781534404755","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}