- Jun 18, 2023
The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who
Discovered What Stars Are Made of
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Chronicle Books
(pub.2.7.2023) 48 pages
Author: Kirsten W. Larson
Illustrator: Katherine Roy
Character: Cecilia Payne
Overview:
" Astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne was the first person to discover what burns at the heart of stars. But she didn't start out as the groundbreaking scientist she would eventually become. She started out as a girl full of curiosity, hoping one day to unlock the mysteries of the universe.
With lyrical, evocative text by Kirsten W. Larson and extraordinary illustrations by award-winning illustrator Katherine Roy, this moving biography powerfully parallels the kindling of Cecilia Payne's own curiosity and her scientific career with the process of a star's birth, from mere possibility in an expanse of space to an eventual, breathtaking explosion of light."
Tantalizing taste:
" ... Cecilia's sphere feels smaller and smaller still when she realizes her new school is a black hole with none of her favorite classes.
No algebra. No German. No science.
Not even any friends for a shy and studious girl like her.
Cecilia hides in a secret place- a dusty lab meant for older students- and studies the rows of chemicals ringing the room. Here are the pieces that put the universe together."
And something more: The Cecilia Payne: Science Superstar section explains: "As a woman working in science, Cecilia often found her path difficult. She didn't look like other scientists of her day; they were mostly men But Cecilia proved not only what makes a star but also what makes a star scientist: curiosity, passion, hard work, and a belief in oneself."
- Jun 16, 2023
The Story of Katanji Brown Jackson
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Crown Books for Young Readers
(pub.2.28.2023) 40 pages
Ages 4-8
Author: Carol Boston Weatherford
Illustrator: Ashley Evans
Character: Kentanji Brown Jackson
Overview:
" From the time their daughter was born, Ketanji Brown’s parents taught her that if she worked hard and believed in herself, she could do anything. As a child, Ketanji focused on her studies and excelled, eventually graduating from Harvard Law School.
Years later, in 2016, when she was a federal judge, a seat opened on the United States Supreme Court. In a letter to then-President Barack Obama, Leila Jackson made a case for her mother—Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. Although the timing didn’t work out then, it did in 2022, when President Joe Biden nominated her. At her confirmation, Ketanji Brown Jackson became the first Black female Supreme Court justice in the United States."
Tantalizing taste:
Ketanji rose
from acting and singing to conquering the debate stage,
where she won national awards for public speaking.
Under the wing of her debate coach, Mrs. Fran Berger, Ketanji thrived.
'Mrs. Berger believed in me, and, in turn, I believed in myself."
She rose
above the debate judges who mocked her African name.
She'd respond by saying it clearly and writing it on the board:
K-e-t-a-n-j-i.
And something more: Author Carole Boston Weatherford wrote, in part, in "A Letter to My Granddaughter and All of Our Daughters":
"The long overdue appointment confirmed what Black women had always known: We belong. I could not help but cry.
There are still obstacles to overcome, doors to open, and hills to climb. Draw on the hope and strength of your ancestors. Your place is in the sun."
- Jun 11, 2023
The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Scholastic Press
(pub.3.7.2023) 48 pages
Author: Aida Salazar
Illustrator: Molly Mendoza
Character: Jovita Valdovinos
Overview:
" Jovita dreamed of wearing pants! She hated the big skirts Abuela made her wear. She wanted to scale the tallest mesquite tree on her rancho, ride her horse, and feel the wind curl her face into a smile.
When her father and brothers joined the Cristero War to fight for religious freedom, Jovita wanted to go, too. Forbidden, she defied her father’s rules – and society’s – and found a clever way to become a trailblazing revolutionary, wearing pants!
Tantalizing taste:
" Sorrow swirled inside Jovita's heart.
Her sadness found sympathy with other Cristeros, who met one evening to form a plan for justice.
When she returned, Jovita cut her long hair short. Next, she put on Ramon's cotton shirt, overalls, riding boots, and wide-brimmed straw hat. Jovita was reborn as a pants-wearing coronel named Juan. She was ready to reignite the revolution."
And something more: Aida Salazar, in the Author's Note explains that "Jovita Valdovinos was my distant great-aunt...My mother says that Jovita was a 'gran señora, a "great lady," and that whileshe was relatively small in stature, her presence was as large as the Mexican mesquite tree which they sat when she visited.
The information in this book is taken primarily from Joviat's memoir, as well as from anecdotes and personal interviews. No person is entirely good or bad, and Jovita's life was as rich as it was complex."
