More Details

Summary:

"Have you ever heard of the 'Mercury 13' women? Did you know that nearly twenty years before the first women were let into NASA's astronaut program, there were others who tried? What are the requirements for being shot into space, piloting a hunk of metal while carrying the hopes and fears of your nation? Mastery of flying, as well as courage, intelligence, resistance to stress, and fitness - any checklist would certainly includes these. But when America created NASA in 1958, there was an unspoken rule in place: astronauts must be male, and they must be white. Here is the tale of thirteen women who proved not only that they were as tough as any man but also that they were brave enough to challenge the government. Their passage to space was blocked by prejudice, jealousy, and a note scrawled by one of the most powerful men in Washington. But in the end, their inspiring example empowered young women to take their rightful place in the sky, piloting jets and commanding space capsules. Almost Astronauts is the story of thirteen true pioneers of the space age."--Book jacket.

Table of Contents:

• Foreword / Margaret A. Weitekamp
• T minus thirty-eight years
• I jumped at the offer
• Not a meaningful test!
• Mommy's going to the moon!
• Too good to be true
• Regret to advise
• Let's stop this now!
• Jerrie Cobb isn't running this program. I am!
• The men go off and fight the wars and fly the airplanes
• NASA never had any intention of putting those women in space
• We want to see a woman driving the bus, not sitting in the back
• I am living proof that dreams do come true
• Author's note
• Appendix
• Further reading
• Webliography
• Sources
• Source notes
• Photography credits

• Index
• Acknowledgments.

View 2 more lines View less

Author/Creator:

Stone, Tanya Lee , author

Contributors:

Weitekamp, Margaret A., 1971- , writer of foreword

Languages:

English

Language Notes:

Item content: English

Main Work:

Almost astronauts: 13 women who dared to dream [by Stone, T.L.]

Subjects:

Project Mercury (U.S.) — History — Juvenile literature

Women astronauts — United States — Biography — Juvenile literature

Women astronauts — United States — History — 20th century — Juvenile literature

Sex discrimination against women — United States — History — 20th century — Juvenile literature

Project Mercury (U.S.)

1900-1999

Sex discrimination against women

Women astronauts

United States

Genres:

Biographies

History

Juvenile works

General Notes:

"The true story of the "Mercury 13" women"--Front cover.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 123-130) and index.
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2010
Orbis Pictus Honor, 2010
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2010
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, 2010
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist, 2010
Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor, 2010
Reading Counts RC 6-8 8.3 9.0 46506.
Accelerated Reader AR MG 7.1 4.0 129067.
Accelerated Reader Grades 5-8 7.1 4 SD Quiz 129067 English non-fiction.

Audience:

Children
980 (source: Lexile)

Physical Description:

133 pages : illustrations (some color), portraits ; 26 cm

Physical Characteristics:

portrait; illustration

Call Numbers:

J920 S881al

ISBNs:

9780763636111 (hbk.)
0763636118 (hbk.)
9780763645021 (pbk.)
0763645028 (pbk.)
9780329700805 (bound)
0329700804 (bound)
9781451703764 (Paw Prints)
1451703767 (Paw Prints)
9780606087063
0606087060
9781606867969
1606867962

Library of Congress Control Numbers:

2008017487

OCLC Numbers:

225846987