She Caught the Light

October 15, 2020
A scientific dreamer grounded in hard work. Poetic, accessible text combines with intricate, appealing illustrations to portray Williamina Stevens Fleming (1857-1911), talented astronomer, resilient and highly intelligent individual, and the first woman given an official title (curator of astronomical photographs) at Harvard University. Her early years are gracefully depicted (her exposure to the magic of chemistry and light via her photographer father; her job teaching at age 14 after his death; how she left Dundee, Scotland, in order to marry and move to Cambridge, Massachusetts), leading up to her husband's disappearance and her path to astronomy. Alone and expecting a child, she secured a job as a maid in the home of the director of the Harvard College Observatory, where she asked questions, absorbed information, and was eventually hired to study and calculate the colors produced by stars and recorded by the observatory. Her discoveries and her love of astronomy rise to the surface and will inspire an interest in young readers and listeners while the struggles and inequities she faced--raising a child alone, subsisting on low wages, not being allowed to use a telescope out of spurious concern for her health--show the difficulties she dealt with as a woman of the time and how she paved the way for others. Swaney's delicate cartoons depict Fleming in Edwardian garb, a White woman amid an almost all-White cast. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 57.4% of actual size.) Both an intriguing introduction to astronomy and an involving tale of a strong woman who overcame adversity. (timeline, glossary, biographical note, author's note, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 6-10)

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November 16, 2020
Highlighting the life of Scottish-born astronomer Williamina Stevens Fleming, this picture book biography illuminates how her work chipped away at sexist barriers of the late 19th century. Lasky’s straightforward narrative describes how the young single mother transitions from being a maid to becoming one of Harvard’s first female “human computers,” studying astronomical photographs to determine a star’s composition. Fleming later discovered the Horsehead Nebula and classified more than 10,000 stars, though she and other women weren’t allowed to peer through a telescope. Swaney’s digitized watercolor and gouache illustrations include stars on a deep indigo field, the motif skirting the edges of scenes while complementing the narrative’s accessible scientific explanations. Wide-ranging back matter provides further information related to this pioneering astronomer. Ages 4–8.

December 1, 2020
Grades 1-3 *Starred Review* In this account of resilience and academic passion, astronomer Williamina Stevens Fleming steps out of the scientific shadows as she becomes the first woman with an official title at Harvard University. Lasky tracks Fleming's progress from little Scottish "Mina," eager to understand the science behind early photography, to her immigration to the U.S. and eventual work in spectrometry, and it's a remarkable journey. After the disappearance of her husband, a pregnant Fleming found housekeeping work in the home of Harvard College Observatory's director, where she impressed him and his wife with constant questions and obvious intelligence, leading to her becoming an indispensable academic assistant and expert in spectrometry. At a time when women weren't even allowed to use a telescope (they might catch cold in the drafty observatory!), Fleming carved out a place in the male-dominated environment, was appointed curator of astronomical photographs, and advocated for other women in science in the nineteenth century. The terrific text is educational as well, combining compelling story with tidbits of scientific information. Swaney's soft, striking digital illustrations are a mix of watercolors, gouache, and colored pencils, sweetly detailing Fleming's story and the wonders of the night sky. Back matter includes a time line, glossary, bibliography, and meaningful author's note. An inspiring introduction to an overlooked and incredibly important life.

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December 1, 2020

Gr 1-3-This picture book biography chronicles the career of Williamina Stevens Fleming (1857-1911), who was a white Scottish scientist. Her groundbreaking work, which classified the spectra of stars recorded on the telescope of the Harvard College Observatory, was a major contribution to the science of astronomy. The text emphasizes Fleming's early signs of curiosity, her frequent questioning, and her ultimate fascination with the stars. Readers follow her growth and development from her marriage, the disappearance of her husband, and her work as a maid. Her job as a maid for Professor Pickering and his wife Elizabeth led to her career in astronomy. Pickering, who was the director of the Harvard College Observatory for studying stars, and his wife recognized Fleming's intelligence and gave her a chance to replace one of the professor's male assistants, who was making mistakes in his mathematical calculations. As one of several women hired by the observatory as "human computers," Fleming classified the spectra of stars as recorded by the observatory's telescope. She also discovered a "stellar nursery," a place where stars are born, within the Orion constellation. When Fleming was appointed curator of astronomical photographs in 1898, she became the first woman to receive an official title at Harvard. Includes an author's note, a time line, and a bibliography. VERDICT A compelling story and a fine addition to STEM studies.-Myra Zarnowski, City Univ. of New York

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