Blast Off!: How Mary Sherman Morgan Fueled America Into Space

A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids

The inspirational story of Mary Sherman, the world's first female rocket scientist, who overcame gender barriers and many failures to succeed.

Growing up in the 1920s on a dirt-poor farm in North Dakota, Mary Sherman's life was filled with chores--until she finally began school and discovered she loved to learn.

Mary excelled at science, especially chemistry, and leaped at the chance to work in a laboratory during World War II designing rocket fuels. And when the US decided to enter the space race, Mary was chosen over her male colleagues to create the fuel to launch a rocket carrying America's first satellite.

With courage and perseverance, Mary's hard work and calculations paid off, opening up a brand-new frontier for exploration. This STEM biography of an unsung and courageous woman in science will inspire and motivate young readers.

Publisher: Calkins Creek Books
Published: 04/12/2022
Pages: 48
Weight: 1.3lbs
Size: 11.70h x 10.20w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781684372416
Age: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2022
Horn Book Magazine 03/01/2022
Booklist 04/01/2022 pg. 30
School Library Journal 04/08/2022 pg. 1
Publishers Weekly 05/09/2022

About the Author
Suzanne Slade is the award-winning author of over 140 children's books. An engineer by degree, she enjoys writing on STEM topics, as well as inspiring figures in history. She lives in Libertyville, Illinois. Visit suzanneslade.com.

Sally Wern Comport has been a working artist since her teenage years as an on-staff artist for her father's advertising agency. She has illustrated numerous picture books and covers. She lives in Annapoiis, Maryland. Visit sallycomport.com