{"product_id":"reaching-for-the-moon-by-katherine-johnson","title":"Reaching for the Moon by Katherine Johnson","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe inspiring autobiography of the NASA mathematician who helped launch Apollo 11.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“This rich volume is a national treasure.” —\u003cem\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/em\u003e (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e“Captivating, informative, and inspiring…Easy to follow and hard to put down.” —\u003cem\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/em\u003e (starred review)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Story\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs a young girl, Katherine Johnson showed an exceptional aptitude for math. In school, she quickly skipped ahead several grades and was soon studying complex equations with the support of a professor who saw great promise in her. But ability and opportunity did not always go hand in hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an African American and a girl growing up in an era of brutal racism and sexism, Katherine faced daily challenges. Still, she lived her life with her father’s words in mind: “You are no better than anyone else, and nobody else is better than you.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the early 1950s, Katherine was thrilled to join the organization that would become NASA. She worked on many of the agency's most critical projects, calculating the flight paths for the first American in space and the historic Apollo 11 moon landing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy this belongs on your bookshelf:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFirst-Hand History:\u003c\/strong\u003e A look at the Space Race from the perspective of the \"Human Computers\" who made it possible.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSTEM Inspiration:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shows young readers that math is a superpower that can literally take you to the stars.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOvercoming Adversity:\u003c\/strong\u003e A powerful lesson on resilience, dignity, and breaking barriers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e🔭 From the Desk of Paul Bracken:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In astrophotography, we rely on computers to track the stars. Katherine Johnson reminds us that the most powerful computer is the human mind. Her calculations were so trusted that John Glenn refused to launch until she personally checked the numbers. A true hero of the space program.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e","brand":"Simon \u0026 Schuster","offers":[{"title":"English \/ Paperback; 272 pages","offer_id":44487441776779,"sku":"9781534440845","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0706\/7028\/6987\/files\/6cbd5a70e93209ce2a8c30dc0f031836b4156dc1352de0d2f4e7a5d10bc20238.jpg?v=1763183425","url":"https:\/\/bracken-observatory.com\/products\/reaching-for-the-moon-by-katherine-johnson","provider":"Bracken Observatory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}