Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier

Gr 4-7--Focusing on the space race through the eyes of the women who made it possible, Ottaviani and Wicks, the creative team behind Primates, return with another accurate, informative, people-focused historical account. Narrator Mary Cleave, a former American astronaut, introduces readers to influential women such as Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space; engineer Dottie Lee, who worked on the Apollo space shield; and aviator Jerrie Cobb, who, as part of the Mercury 13, endured the same physiological and psychological evaluation as astronauts aboard the Mercury Seven. The nonlinear storytelling can be challenging at times, as the plot leaps across years and countries with minimal flagging for the reader. The clever use of a faux Cyrillic font, however, makes it easy to tell when characters are Russian. The artwork is cartoonish and appealing. Though the book includes details that make the subject accessible (one scene discusses the number of tampons needed by female astronauts), technical complexity is never oversimplified. Readers will be intrigued and inspired to dive into further research to understand some of the jargon and learn more about the women profiled here. VERDICT Fans of Ottaviani's T-Minus: The Race to the Moon, as well as those interested in science or space travel, will eagerly gravitate to this title. A stellar addition to all collections.--Tammy Ivins, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Following on the heels of the first all-female spacewalk in October 2019 comes a timely graphic novel from the pair behind Primates. This latest offering examines the hurdles, triumphs, politics, and prejudices surrounding the first women astronauts. Lively cartoon panels depict multiple stories, from the Mercury 13 and Women in Space Program, which dead-ends amid the U.S. race; to Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova's milestone flight as the first female in space; and, finally, to the recruitment and training of American women astronauts, including Sally Ride, in the 1970s. Tying all of these stories together is the narrative voice, that of former U.S. astronaut Mary Cleave, whom the authors interviewed extensively. Her NASA training and two space shuttle missions are the focus of the book's second half, and her character's colloquial storytelling, humorous observations, and asides are highlights. Wicks and Ottaviani skillfully capture Cleave's infectious enthusiasm up to the last page. Ages 9-13. 

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With plenty of eye-rolling takes on male-designed spacecraft faux pas and enthusiastic crew reveling in flight adventures, Ottaviani and Wicks drive home the message that it's all about teamwork, and no team can function without diverse members.—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books