Almost Astronauts by Tanya Lee Stone

1. Bibliography
Stone, Lee Tanya. 2009. ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 07636502.

2. Plot Summary
This book tells the story of thirteen women who had a desire to become astronauts and travel in outer space. These women had to undergo rigorous tests and physical examinations to prove their ability to achieve these goals. Stone elaborates on these women's perseverance in pursuit of a dream at a time when only men were allowed to be astronauts.

3. Critical Analysis
     Stone is known for writing award-winning picture books, nonfiction, and Young Adult fiction for children. So, given her reputation, she could be considered a suitable author for the subject of this book. One intriguing aspect of this book is the inclusion of opinions from a knowledgeable reviewer like Eileen M. Collins who stated that, "I hope everyone who reads this book will be inspired to experience the joy of flying and supreme honor of venturing beyond this planet." Stone does a good job of properly citing her sources on a page-by-page basis in the "Source Notes" section in the back of the book. However, her language and tone in the book could have been more objective. She seems to overemphasize the idea of femininity and uses unnecessary references from pop culture to support her stance. The illustrations are consistent with the story being told. They are realistic enough for a nonfiction piece like this book.
     The book has a logical layout and clear sequence. It starts from the beginning of the story and ends at the end. It goes from the past and gets closer and closer to the present. It follows a pattern "specific over general" and "simple over complex" in structure.
     The style of Stone's language in the book is clear, lively, and interesting. What the book lacks in objectivity and stereotypes, it makes up for in the demonstration of the author's passion and enthusiasm about the subject. It also encourages curiosity and wonder in the reader. It prompts them to ask questions like the following: Were there even more women who aspired to become astronauts that this book did not talk about? What was there struggle like? If approached creatively by a teacher or librarian, this book could be used to encourage critical thinking among young readers.

4. Review Excerpts
School Library Journal-"This passionately written account of a classic, but little-known challenge to established gender prejudices also introduces readers to a select group of courageous, independent women."
Booklist-"A vivid portrayal . . . from engrossing details of the grueling testing to passionate indictment of the social system.

5. Connections
An appropriate activity for children to participate in after reading this book would be writing a book report or creating a presentation (PowerPoint or poster) on one of the 13 women discussed in this book.

Other great related works include:

• Freedman, Russell, et. al. THE WRIGHT BROTHERS: HOW THEY INVENTED THE AIRPLANE. ISBN 08231082.
• Kettlewell, Caroline. ELECTRIC DREAMS. ISBN 0786714859.