Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream

They had the right stuff. They defied the prejudices of the time. And they blazed a trail for generations of women to follow.

What does it take to be an astronaut? Excellence at flying, courage, intelligence, resistance to stress, top physical shape -- any checklist would include these. But when America created NASA in 1958, there was another unspoken rule: you had to be a man. Here is the tale of thirteen women who proved that they were not only as tough as the toughest man but also brave enough to challenge the government. They were blocked by prejudice, jealousy, and the scrawled note of one of the most powerful men in Washington. But even though the Mercury 13 women did not make it into space, they did not lose, for their example empowered young women to take their place in the sky, piloting jets and commanding space capsules. Almost Astronautsis the story of thirteen true pioneers of the space age. Back matter includes an author's note, an appendix, further reading, a bibliography, sources, source notes, and an index.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 02/24/2009
ISBN: 9780763645021
Pages: 144
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 9.80h x 9.10w x 0.40d

Review Citations: Booklist 02/15/2009 pg. 77
Horn Book Magazine 03/01/2009 pg. 214
Publishers Weekly 05/04/2009 pg. 49
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2009 - Outstanding, Noteworthy In Style

Accelerated Reader Quiz #/Name: 129067 / Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream
Reading Level: 7.1 / Interest Level: Middle Grade / Point Value: 4