Mae Jemison
By Jodie Shepherd
(Children’s Press: Scholastic, 2015, New York, $20.70)
The first African-American woman in space, Mae Jemison entered the U.S. space program in the early 1980s, a time when few women or African Americans became astronauts. She was also a medical doctor and Peace Corps alumna, a Renaissance woman with an insatiable curiosity about the world and a deep desire to improve it. In Mae Jemison, Jodie Shepherd tells her story for beginning readers. Colorful photos complement the simple, engaging text; fun facts about Jemison’s life and the history of space exploration supplement it. A poem about Jemison’s thirst for knowledge appears at the end of the book. Mae Jemison shows that nonfiction books for early readers can be exciting and that children can absorb new information even as they master basic reading skills. In fact, the very youngest students should learn about pioneers like Mae Jemison: her sense of adventure echoes the excitement children feel when they finally learn to read, and her refusal to limit herself should inspire kids and adults alike.
-Dorothy A. Dahm
