This cheery book is one of author Brad Meltzer and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos’ series of biographies for young readers—though told in a relatable first-person narrative. The well-known highlights of physicist and astronaut Sally Ride’s life are here: her early athleticism and refusal to be bound by traditional rules and roles for girls; a developing interest in science and math that eventually led to acceptance in NASA’s astronaut training and a seat on the Space Shuttle; and her inspiration of the younger generation.
Readers also learn details about life in space, about Ride’s commitment to stopping global warming here on Earth, and about how they, too, can achieve their dreams by telling themselves “yes” when others say “no,” by having the support of family and teachers, and mostly by believing in themselves.
While the narrative is kept relatively simple for the age group, it manages to pack a lot in. The primary focus is on her career, but her partner Tam O’Shaughnessy is noted and seen on a final page of photos and a timeline.
A recommended book about a true role model and hero.
