# Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician - Hardcover

by **Lesa Cline-Ransome** (Author), **Raúl Colón** (Illustrator)

**"A detail-rich picture book." --_Kirkus Reviews_**  
**"Straightforward and inviting." --_School Library Journal_**

**From 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.**

Before 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.

In 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.

President Barack Obama awarded Katherine Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and her incredible life inspired the Oscar-nominated film _Hidden Figures_. Get to know this incredible and inspirational woman with this beautifully illustrated picture book from an award-winning duo.

### Author Biography

Lesa Cline-Ransome is the author of many award-winning and critically acclaimed nonfiction books for young readers, including _Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams_; _My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle's Journey to Alvin Ailey_; and _Before She Was Harriet_. She is also the author of the novel _Finding Langston_, which received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award and five starred reviews_._ She lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York. Learn more at LesaClineRansome.com.

Raúl Colón has illustrated several highly acclaimed picture books including the _New York Times_ bestselling _Angela and the Baby Jesus_ by Frank McCourt and Susanna Reich's _José! Born to Dance_, which received a starred review in _Booklist_. Mr. Colón lived in Puerto Rico as a young boy and now resides in New City, New York, with his family.

**Number of Pages:** 32

**Dimensions:** 0.5 x 11 x 8.8 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** October 08, 2019

**Accelerated Reader:**

**Quiz Name:** Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician

**Interest Level:** Lower Grades, K-3

**Reading Level:** 5.9

**Point Value:** 0.5

## Details

- **Price:** 18.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 18.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician - Hardcover

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