Women in Space: 23 Stories of First Flights, Scientific Missions, and Gravity-Breaking Adventures (Women of Action)

One of a couple of books I sent to my grandniece that wants to be an aerospace engineer. She’s in grade school and I thought this book would inspire her. She loved it!

Our granddaughter loved this!

This book had several stories that are seldom told in regular classes.This book was comfortable reading, and it described the women in sufficient detail to understand the mark the individuals made in history.Often the book describes work that was attributed to others long ago.Some of these names do not come up in simple Internet searches for famous women from the space program. Thanks!

my 4 year old daughter is really into astronauts and space and I thought this book would be perfect for her! We haven't started reading it just yet, but we're both happy with having it. She's very excited to learn about women in space.

Book arrived in time and in great condition. I plan to read it, along with other books about inspiring women in WWI, WWII, American Revolution, American Frontier, etc.

Great book! great historical overview about space exploration in general and then focusing on women's journey in space

So I’ve been on a space kick lately, reading a LOT of books about space and astronauts. In my hunt this book, Women in Space: 23 stories of first flights, scientific missions, and gravity-breaking adventures by Karen Bush Gibson, really caught my attention, I never knew that there were women being tested for the Mercury space program. I never knew the Soviets launched a woman into space before the US did. This book is in the teen section at my local library but I’d recommend it for anyone 4th grade and up, maybe even lower depending on their reading level.This book first talks about the Mercury 13, women who underwent all of the same tests as the male Mercury 7 astronauts. Each of these women was an accomplished pilot. They underwent the tests often completing them with better results than the male astronauts but were not allowed to be part of the program. One was made a “NASA consultant” that was almost never consulted. When the women tried to get changes made allowing them to be part of the program, appealing to then Vice President Lyndon Johnson who as a Senator had fought for the space program they were rejected. One reports that when she spoke to Johnson about it he told her “We can’t let you into space, if we did we’d have to let the Blacks go to space, and then the Mexican Americans, all the minorities would want to go.” Now this is obviously a secondhand quote but WOW. I realize this was before the Civil Rights Movement really got underway and made a difference but to hear that these words came from a man that would soon be President of the United States is seriously disconcerting.The book continues with stories of four female Soviet Cosmonauts, two of which went to space before the first American woman. Before their individual stories there is a short chapter giving a bit of the history of the Soviet space program and comparisons between it and the US program at NASA.Next up a chapter on American women in space beginning with Sally Ride the first American woman in space, it also tells of women walking in space, piloting the shuttle, commanding the shuttle and commanding the Space Station, and ends with the story of Barbara Morgan the back up to Christa Mcauliffe, teacher who died in the 1986 Challenger explosion (a site that gives me shivers to this day and I only saw it on tv unlike a friend of mine who living in FL at the time was standing outside her elementary school watching the launch live) previously there is the story of another American female astronaut that was on that flight.The last section of the book begins with a summary of the space programs of other countries and then continues with stories of female astronauts from several other countries including another member of the Challenger crew.The exciting thing to me is that while it took a long time for women to get to space it seems in the US at least that women are really making headway, 1:4 astronauts are women (compared to 1:7 in the police force nationwide), the 2013 class of astronauts is half women (a fact I was excited to see on a special display at the St. Louis Science Center for Women’s History Month.)

Everything I thought I knew about the space program went out the window when I read this book.This is a YA book, but it’s easily enjoyable by readers of all ages. The writing flows well and hooked me right away. I learned a lot about the women who’ve been to space. Not just that the US sent women, but the first women in Russia and across the globe. Sure, there is a large portion on US astronauts, but it’s balanced by plenty of stories about other female astronauts.Each chapter is easily understood and well-written. I liked how the author made the women interesting and understandable. It’s not just a story where there is information and it’s presented blandly. Instead, it’s told in a bouncy way that drew me in.I’m glad I read this book. I’ve wanted to know more about female astronauts and the space program, so this was a perfect piece to add to that puzzle. If you’re interested in the full story of space, this is one book you won’t want to miss.originally posted at long and short reviews

The book gives some background to the women who flew in space, including the four Americans who died on launch or re-entry. Obviously very intelligent and well trained. Not an insightful or well written as "Beyond".

I bought this book as a present and my colleague absolutely loved it.

Gran oportunidad para recuperar la historia de la carrera espacial de las mujeres. Describe interesantes detalles sobre los obstáculos que tuvieron que superar aquellas mujeres injustamente olvidadas en muchos casos.