Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, From Missiles to the Moon to Mars by Nathalia Holt Little, Brown & Company, 2016 352 pages The space industry was a dominating presence in my early childhood. My father was a technical writer for NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), and my grandfather was retired … Continue reading Rise of the Rocket Girls
Chasing Vermeer
Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet; ill. by Brett Helquist Scholastic, 2003 254 pages Though there’s just one title, this is really a review of three books: Blue Balliet’s series of art mysteries starring three middle-school kids who live in modern-day Chicago. I read the first book, Chasing Vermeer, with my daughter after a librarian friend … Continue reading Chasing Vermeer
Brown Girl Dreaming
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson Penguin, 2014 352 pages I don’t read a lot of poetry, and I’m not entirely sure why. When my poetry-loving friends put up Facebook posts sharing a favorite line or two from what they’re currently reading, I always think, “How beautiful. I really should read more poetry.” Maybe verse is not … Continue reading Brown Girl Dreaming