What Miss Mitchell Saw

June 1, 2019
A tale of astronomical accomplishment. Born on the island of Nantucket, Maria Mitchell grows up among the dunes and knows the local whaling vessels and shopkeepers by name. Illustrations rendered in gouache, watercolor, and ink initially depict her island world and move on to the endless sky she later studies. Because of her hardworking nature--she perseveres at school despite finding it challenging--her mother suggests her father take her on as an astronomy assistant. This leads Maria to learn the stars, planets, and celestial events by name as well, as she begins to "sweep the sky" with her telescope. Later on, she notices a new glow--a comet! At the advice of her father, she reports her discovery, which earns her a gold medal from the king of Denmark and worldwide recognition. While the text has a nice flow and a poetic feel, the meaning of the specialized vocabulary introduced is not always evident. Though the illustrations of an all-white cast in old-fashioned garb set the story squarely in the past, the time frame is not presented until the final notes, and readers unfamiliar with women's history may be unaware of how unusual Mitchell's accomplishments were if they miss them. Still, this is an engaging story of women's history and astronomy that may inspire readers to further biographical research and exploration of STEM. An involving addition to the women-in-STEM shelves. (Picture book/biography. 5-8)

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July 8, 2019
A bright-eyed baby peers up from a star-studded swaddle; the baby will become one of history’s most famous female astronomers, Maria Mitchell. Born in 1818 to a family of Nantucket Quakers, Mitchell earned international renown for discovering a comet in 1847, winning the King of Denmark’s gold medal and besting male claimants to the prize. Barrett focuses on Mitchell’s life up to that moment, emphasizing her persistence (“Schoolwork did not always come easy, but she studied with determination”) and her environment (“celestial phenomena that arched overhead like a whale’s sparkling splash”). Sudyka’s watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations show stars gleaming from the ocean depths and inching up a woman’s hem; Mitchell herself is swept aloft by their beauty and power. Notes on the subject’s path-breaking career close the book. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from September 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 3-This beautiful biography of astronomer Maria Mitchell begins with her birth and childhood on the island of Nantucket, where her father taught her to use a telescope and "sweep the sky" to observe and learn about all types of celestial phenomena. Mitchell's perseverance and fascination with the night sky led to the discovery of a comet and a gold medal from the King of Denmark commemorating her accomplishment. The ink, gouache, and watercolor illustrations provide the perfect accompaniment to the story, especially the repeated use of the night starscape, not just in the dark sky, but also in the characters' clothes, reflected in the sea, on the school blackboard, and in the thoughts of the astronomer. The dialogue is effectively splashed across the pages rather than being inserted into the text. Both the text and illustrations introduce specialized vocabulary related to astronomy that might be used to launch further exploration. The book closes with additional information about Mitchell and her distinguished career, as well as some background information on the Quakers and how their beliefs are reflected in the book. VERDICT An engaging, inspiring biography of an important figure in the history of science. This book could also serve to launch discussions and inspire further research about astronomy. Highly recommended.-Theresa Muraski, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Library

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2019
Grades K-3 On an October evening in 1847, Maria Mitchell identified a comet in the heavens. Two days later, a Vatican astronomer saw it, too, but the world's scientific community rightfully agreed to credit Maria with the discovery, naming the object Miss Mitchell's Comet. Barrett begins with Maria's Nantucket childhood, where Sudyka's gorgeous gouache-and-watercolor starscapes already bleed through the fabric of her reality, shimmering in the ocean waters and along the hems of her dresses. The art often utilizes visual metaphor; dialogue flows across the page in swirling ribbons of text as Maria's father teaches her how to sweep the sky. The language is simple and lyrical, preferring to evoke the wonder of the subject rather than get bogged down in scientific detail, and yet it manages to infuse a healthy dose of education, describing instruments and methods, as well as celestial objects. Back matter further details Mitchell's distinguished career, and an author's note gives an inspiring call to action. A beautiful biography about one watchful woman being seen by the world.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)