Mae Jemison A Space Biography

Children's Literature - Melissa A. Caudill

This is a well-organized, well written account about the first African-American woman in space. It will especially appeal to children who are interested in becoming an astronaut. Organized into five chapters, the book begins with Dr. Jemison's lift off into space aboard the space shuttle. Next, a journey through her early years of school until her graduation from medical school and volunteer work with the Peace Corps. Photos of Dr. Jemison's life are interspersed. The next couple of chapters detail interesting insights into her training with NASA and finally her blast off into space. A concluding chapter describes what Dr. Jemison has accomplished since her travels into space. The book ends with a chronology of her life, a glossary of space terms, further readings on the subject of space and an index. This is a wonderful account of a positive role model for girls. Readers will learn many interesting experiences about Dr. Jemison's journey along with the hard work and dedication that it takes to become an astronaut. This is part of the "Countdown to Space" series.