HER EYES WERE ON THE STARS

Sommer’s children’s book celebrates Nancy Grace Roman, the first woman executive of NASA, who was responsible for the beginning of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Opening with Roman’s defense of the idea for a telescope placed beyond Earth’s atmosphere, this biography then backtracks to Roman’s childhood. Even early on, as a child in the 1920s and 1930s, young Roman is captivated by the stars. Her family moves frequently, and the stars serve as Roman’s constant whenever she has to leave friends behind. Despite being discouraged from her studies by high school counselors, Roman pursues a career in science, attending Swarthmore College, one of only a few co-ed colleges at the time. After earning a degree in astronomy, she completes a doctorate and successfully publishes articles and pursues research before becoming the Chief of Astronomy for the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration. From this point, the narrative focuses on the mission to create a space telescope and send it into the great beyond. Even after Roman’s retirement from NASA, she remains involved with launching the Hubble into space. (The text remarks, “Is it any wonder her co-workers dubbed her ‘Mother of Hubble?’”) Along with descriptions of Roman’s accomplishments, Sommer weaves in quotes from Roman, written in cursive, about her work. Detailed notes illuminating some of the challenges that Roman and the Hubble faced, along with a full timeline of events in both Roman’s life and the Hubble’s history, are included in the endpapers. Sommer’s descriptive text is plainly delivered, with pacing that focuses on the important, star-centered moments in Roman’s life and the challenges she overcomes. Young feminist scientists are sure to notice the casual disparagement from Swarthmore’s head of the physics department, and to be appreciative that pioneering scientists such as Roman carved a path for others. Cobb’s stylized watercolor illustrations sometimes seem to show Roman looking older than her description, but the gorgeous backgrounds and detailed images of telescopes more than make up for that.

An essential acknowledgement of an under-sung scientist.