Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream - Review

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone. 

Published in 2009 by Candlewick Press. 134 pages. Recommended for ages 10-13 years, Lexile 980.

Almost Astronauts chronicles the stories of the "Mercury 13" women, who went through astronaut testing and training during the Space Race in order to prove that women were just as capable of space travel as men. 

The early portions of the book focus largely on Jerrie Cobb, a pilot who was already making waves as a highly skilled female aviator, when she was approached by a scientist who wanted to run a woman through astronaut testing. Up until that point, only men had been allowed to take the tests, but the scientist, Randy Lovelace, thought that NASA was missing out by not testing women. So in secret, Lovelace began to run Cobb through all the tests that the Mercury 7 astronauts had passed. 

(Stone, 2009, p.18-19)

The results from their testing were clear: women were just as capable, if not more so, than men of going into space. After Cobb was tested, the story caught national attention, and soon Lovelace was able to continue testing a total of 13 women, including Cobb, in order to fight for a place for women in space. 

It was an uphill battle for the women, as sexism ran rampant everywhere from the media through all levels of government. They didn't need to just pass the tests, but exceed them. "If women were going to prove they could equal the best of men--the chosen Mercury 7--they would have to show not only that they were as tough or tougher, but that they could do it all with a smile, never stepping out of the role of the polite, cooperative lady" (Stone, 2009, p.39). They faced incredible scrutiny, jokes, red tape, and ultimately were prevented from going into space themselves. 

However, Stone doesn't end the narrative there. She continues onward through the years, showing how these women, who despite their qualifications were denied the opportunity of a lifetime, paved the way for other women in the future. As feminists were able to prove that women were qualified to work in other fields, NASA eventually got on board with women astronauts. Eventually Sally Ride would become the first women in space, and Eileen Collins the first pilot. "On that trip, Collins had carried with her a gold pin from Jerrie depicting a Colombian bird, the symbol of both Jerrie's airplane and her entire life. This time, with Jerrie staying behind once again on Earth, it was her hopes and dreams that went hurtling into space with Collins, along for the ride" (Stone, 2009, p. 102). 

Throughout the course of the book, Stone deftly weaves in her research, interviews, and photographs. The text is clear and engaging, never talking down to the reader, who may often feel frustrated along with the Mercury 13 women, for all of the hurtles they faced during their testing. Stone also includes artifacts from the time period, including political cartoons and important documents. 

(Stone, 2009, p.80-81)

Almost Astronauts won the Robert F. Sibert Medal, an award given to outstanding nonfiction works for youth, from the American Library Association. It received starred reviews from both School Library Journal and Horn Book, as well as additional praise from other professional reviewers. It makes an excellent read for any child who is interested in learning more about early space travel or women's equality in the United States. 

Other resources to consider:

Women in Space: 23 Stories of First Flights, Scientific Missions, and Gravity-Breaking Adventures 
by Karen Bush Gibson. Published in 2020 by Chicago Review Press. 240 pages. Recommended for ages 12 and up, Lexile 1080. 

This nonfiction book profiles 23 female astronauts from around the world. It would make an excellent follow-up to Almost Astronauts, as it showcases the legacy started by the Mercury 13 women. 

Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of Nasa Mathematician Katherine Johnson by Katherine Johnson. Published in 2020 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 272 pages. Recommended for ages 10 and up, Lexile 1040. 

Katherine Johnson has risen in notoriouty in recent years with the 2016 movie Hidden Figures. Now young readers can learn Johnson's story in her own words with this autobiography that tells the story of another woman who fought both racism an sexism to make her own place at NASA and in the world. 

Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh. Published in 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers. 80 pages. Recommended for ages 10-12 years, Lexile 1060. 

This nonfiction work also won the Siebert medal, and expands on the many stories of the people working at NASA who helped the Apollo 11 astronauts make their historical trip to the moon and back. 

Website - Women@Nasa - Located at https://women.nasa.gov

Women@Nasa includes video interviews from over 60 women who work, or have worked, at NASA. While it doesn't appear that the website is getting updated with new interviews, this link does provide a great archive to learn more about how women today help in all aspects of NASA's initiatives, programs, and goals. 

References:

Stone, T.L. (2009). Almost astronauts: 13 women who dared to dream. Candlewick Press.