Grace Hopper

May 8, 2017
In an upbeat biography, Wallmark (Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine) introduces readers to self-assured tech pioneer Grace Hopper. From the time Hopper was a girl, she “wanted to understand how things worked so she could make them better.” After becoming an engineer for the Navy and being assigned to work as a computer programmer, Hopper developed a new (and time-saving) method of writing code. Newcomer Wu’s digital illustrations are rendered in a vivid
and appealing cartoon style that harmonizes with Wallmark’s enthusiastic writing, which emphasizes how Hopper’s accomplishments arose as much from her intuition as her number sense. Quotes from Hopper, scattered throughout, further amplify the personality and drive of a trailblazing programmer. Ages 5–up. Author’s agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary.

May 1, 2017

Gr 2-4-Grace Hopper (nee Murray), a girl with a keen mind and a determined attitude, grows up to become the "queen of computer code." Wallmark shares incidents and stories from the scientist's remarkable life that illustrate "Grace being Grace," and with these anecdotes, the author paints an engaging portrait of a unique woman in this bright and informative biography. At age seven, Hopper dismantled several clocks in her house to find out what made them tick. Finishing high school two years early, she overcame difficulties with Latin before she was admitted to Vassar College. Convinced she could make a difference to the war effort, Hopper enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and embarked on a lifelong military career writing computer programs. After finding a moth trapped inside a navy computer, she coined the phrase computer bug. Colorful and crisp digital illustrations accompany the text. The vibrant palette and straightforward composition are eye-catching, and Hopper's curiosity, love of learning, and ambition shine through in her expressive features. Be sure to examine the endpapers, which offer supplemental information. VERDICT Inquisitive readers who, like Hopper, "want to understand how things work" will appreciate this upbeat biography of a woman who was ahead of her time. A sound purchase for most collections.-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2017
Grace Hopper was a pioneer in computer programming whose accomplishments have had lasting influence.A breezy introductory verse names some of Hopper's most notable characteristics, including "Rule breaker. / Chance taker. / Troublemaker." A prose narrative takes over, explaining how from early childhood she was fascinated by how things worked, disassembling clocks and creating a dollhouse elevator. Fortunately the white girl had parents who supported her talents at a time when women were not encouraged to attain higher learning, especially in math and science. When the country entered World War II, she enlisted in the WAVES, the women's division of the Naval Reserve, overcoming age and weight restrictions. She worked on programs for the earliest computers and for each more complicated machine that followed, solving complex problems and eventually revolutionizing the use of word commands to replace the binary system. She is credited with first using the term "bug" to describe a computer glitch; she discovered that a moth had caused a computer to break down. She eventually became an admiral and remained in the Navy until she was 80. Wallmark's tone is admiring, even awestruck, describing Hopper's skill, inventiveness, and strength of character in straightforward, accessible language, introducing a neglected heroine to a new generation of readers. Wu's strong, bright digital illustrations perfectly complement the text while incorporating Hopper's own words in a variety of bold, eye-catching pull quotes scattered throughout the pages. Amazing Grace indeed. (timeline, bibliography, list of honors) (Picture book/ biography. 7-12)

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April 15, 2017
Grades K-3 Wallmark, who wrote Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine (2015), now introduces a twentieth-century woman who contributed significantly to the history of computer programming. Grace Hopper grew up in a family that encouraged her childhood interests in math, science, and tinkering. Working for the U. S. Navy for many years, beginning during WWII, she was known for her intelligence, outside-the-box thinking, and sense of humor. Her most notable achievement was the creation of the first compiler, making it possible to use a word-based program that increased efficiency and led to other computer languages. It's hard to say what primary-grade kids will make of Hopper's technological accomplishments, but this picture book goes a long way toward showing that she was a lively, curious, diligent person who developed original ideas and knew how to get things done. Well-chosen anecdotes and quotes offer a sense of her personality, while Wu's digital illustrations feature rich colors, strong structure, and unexpected but accurate details, such as the Jolly Roger flag above Hopper's desk. An inviting picture-book biography.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)