Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
ALMOST ASTRONAUTS IS THE
2010 SIBERT MEDAL AWARD WINNER!!!
Almost Astronauts has also won a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Honor
Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor
NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor
Candlewick Press | 2009 | Ages 10 and up
Download FREE BONUS MATERIAL--a tribute to the women by the author.
Download FREE Reading/Discussion Guide.
WATCH Tanya present Almost Astronauts at Politics & Prose on CSPAN-BookTV
ON SHELVES NOW!
ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
ALA/YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction--Almost Astronauts Named One of Five Finalists!
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor title for 2009!
An Outstanding Science Trade Book, Kirkus Best YA Books of 2009, Horn Book Fanfare, Amelia Bloomer List, Richie's Picks, Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of 2009, ALA Notable, and Best Books for Young Adults (BBYA)!
REVIEWS
Natural History Magazine: "a much truer portrait of an era than the many self-congratulatory celebrations of the Moon landing published this year."
Nancy Pearl says: "This is a stirring, and ultimately sad, story of hopes dashed and talent wasted. But in the end, I suppose, it's more helpful to view Cob, Hart, and the others as setting the stage for all the women who came after them."
Kirkus: "fascinating, dramatic story...the author offers great insight into how deeply ingrained sexism was in American society...this empowering, impassioned story will leave readers inspired." Horn Book: "meticulously researched and thrillingly told" School Library Journal: "passionately written account" 1961. Nearly two decades before Sally Ride--there was Jerrie Cobb. Have you ever heard of her? Did you know there were extraordinary women ready and able to be astronauts at the very same time John Glenn and Scott Carpenter were making history? Yet they were turned away. No women allowed.
Jerrie Cobb was one of the top female pilots in the country and completed all the astronaut testing the Mercury 7 men did. She excelled at all the tests. Proved she had the Right Stuff. Twelve other female pilots followed her, passing the tests they took with flying colors. But when push came to shove, the answer was No. There was no room for women in the space program.
But these brave women weren't the kind to give up. They took it to Congress. There was a Congressional hearing. There were heavy hitters who testified against them. This is a story that took me to airfields, to the military...and to the women themselves.
You won't believe what Jerrie Cobb told me Lyndon B. Johnson said to her in his office one fateful day. Get ready to be amazed by their story...
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