Almost Astronauts

Almost Astronauts chronicles the story of thirteen women who underwent testing to become astronauts at NASA in 1958, during the early days of the space program in the United States. These women, known as the Mercury 13, completed the same physical and psychological tests as male astronaut candidates. Stone's narrative follows their journey through rigorous testing procedures and training while documenting the social and institutional barriers they faced at NASA and in American society. The book incorporates historical photographs, personal interviews, and declassified documents to present this previously overlooked chapter in space exploration history. The book examines the intersection of the Space Race, gender discrimination, and civil rights during a pivotal time in American history. It raises questions about equality, perseverance, and the long-term impact of systemic barriers while highlighting the determination of women who helped pave the way for future generations in space exploration.

Readers appreciate the detailed research and documentation of the "Mercury 13" women's story. Many note the book opens their eyes to an overlooked part of space program history. Parents and teachers report the book resonates with middle-school students, particularly girls interested in STEM. Likes: - Clear writing style accessible to young readers - Extensive photographs and primary sources - Focus on perseverance against discrimination Dislikes: - Some find the tone too angry or bitter - A few readers wanted more technical details about training - Several mention repetitive passages Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (3,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (115 ratings) Common Sense Media: 4/5 Sample reader comment: "This book made me furious - in a good way. It shows how qualified women were blocked from the space program through bureaucracy and bias rather than lack of ability." - Goodreads reviewer The book won the 2010 Sibert Medal for youth nonfiction and earned spots on multiple school reading lists.

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly This book chronicles the Black female mathematicians at NASA who served as human computers during the Space Race while confronting workplace discrimination.

Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt The narrative follows the women who worked as human computers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from the 1940s to the present day.

Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight by Martha Ackmann This work documents the women who underwent secret testing for the Mercury program in the same time period as the Mercury 7 astronauts.

Promised the Moon by Stephanie Nolen The book details the stories of female pilots who trained to be astronauts in the early days of the space program while facing institutional barriers.

Breaking the Chains of Gravity by Amy Shira Teitel This text examines the pre-NASA history of spaceflight through the experiences of both male and female pioneers who pushed the boundaries of aviation and space exploration.

★ The "Mercury 13" women featured in the book passed the same physical tests as male astronauts - in some cases performing better than their male counterparts. ★ Author Tanya Lee Stone spent over three years researching this book, conducting extensive interviews and examining newly declassified documents. ★ The first American woman actually went to space in 1983 - Sally Ride, 20 years after Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. ★ The book won the 2010 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal from the American Library Association for excellence in children's nonfiction. ★ Jerrie Cobb, one of the Mercury 13, logged more than 10,000 flight hours as a pilot before participating in the astronaut testing program - more than John Glenn had at the time.