Trajectory

by Cambria Gordon

The story of one young woman who must find a way to overcome her deepest fears in order to unlock the secret that will help America and the Allies to victory as World War II rages on.

Seventeen-year-old Eleanor is nothing like her hero Eleanor Roosevelt. She is timid and all together uncertain that she has much to offer the world. And as World War II rages overseas, Eleanor is consumed with worry for her Jewish relatives in Europe.

When a chance encounter proves her to be a one-in-a-generation math whiz - a fact she has worked hard all her life to hide - Eleanor gets recruited by the U.S. Army and entrusted with the ultimate to fine-tune a top-secret weapon that will help America defeat its enemies in World War II and secure the world’s freedom. This could be her chance to help save her family in Poland.

Soon, she’s swept from the basement of an Ivy League engineering school, to the desert of California, to an Army Air Corps base at Pearl Harbor, and finally she takes to the skies above the South Pacific.

But before she can solve this complicated problem, she must learn to unlock a bigger herself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, World War II, Historical, Fiction, Audiobook, Jewish

285 pages, Hardcover

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

Cambria Gordon is the author of The Poetry of Secrets (Scholastic, 2021). She is the co-author of The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming, winner of the national Green Earth Book Award. She has written for the Los Angeles Times Magazine, Boys' Life, Parent Guide News, and The Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. Her one-act play, Within Reach, was produced by Jewish Women's Theatre. She lived in Spain for a year, but spends most of her time in Los Angeles with her husband and youngest son while being as near as possible to her two adult children without annoying them.

Reviews

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Eleanor has become somewhat of an expert at keeping secrets, in her seventeen years. She’s never revealed the guilt she feels about her father’s stroke that happened when she was six. It took away his brilliant “math brain”, so Eleanor has never let her unusual math abilities surface in front of others. Now, her math skills are desperately needed by her country to help defeat the Japanese in WW2, which could weaken Germany’s plans to eliminate the Jewish population. Eleanor is Jewish, and has relatives suffering in a Polish ghetto; could revealing her abilities in math be a chance to save them?
Very interesting historical fiction about WW2, on a lesser-known topic. The mathematical formulas and computations were confusing for me (I do not possess a “math brain” like Eleanor’s!). It was still well-worth the reading, though; a must for historical-fiction lovers.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am all for girls in STEM and historical fiction, which is what drew me to Trajectory (well, that and the GORGEOUS cover). As someone whose parent has suffered a stroke, I empathized greatly with the main character, Eleanor, and wanted her to succeed. I kept reading because I had to know how her story ended. As well, I actually enjoyed seeing the math on the page. Some people may find it boring, but I felt it added to the story and gave us a glimpse into Eleanor’s mind.

Trajectory definitely skews towards the younger end of YA (13-14), which I wasn’t expecting. I don’t want to knock this book for skewing younger, but the quality of storytelling was not up to par with other YA historical fiction I’ve read. There was lots of introspection that made the story feel stagnant. I had a difficult time feeling grounded in the narrative simply because of all the telling rather than showing. In terms of appropriate content, I would confidently put this book in the hands of young teens, but older teens might be bored.

My other critique is the believability of what exactly Eleanor is tasked to do at the end of the book by the US military. I read the author’s note which provides the historical context. Yes, women were recruited as human computers for the PCS and one was even selected to run ballistics at the Muroc base. Those parts of Eleanor’s story were fascinating! Beyond that though, the author kept upping the stakes to the point that it felt ridiculous. I won’t spoil the plot, but let’s just say I had to suspend my disbelief for the ending to have any emotional catharsis.

Trajectory certainly has good bones, but it I feel it could benefit from another round of editing.

Thank you to Scholastic and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I will apparently pick up ANY WWII book with a woman in a skirt looking into the horizon, and there are a LOT of them. This one was especially intriguing, because it had a young protagonist who was good in math who was helping the military, but this was more of a YA story given the introspective quality. There's a lot of math on the page, which is interesting. I enjoyed this and would buy this for a high school library, or for a middle school where the war is studied in social studies or there is a lot of interest in the topic.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming of age during WWII and doing her bit to serve her country far from home, a young woman learns to shake off the shackles she has long worn of grief and guilt over her dad’s stroke and show just how brilliant her mathematical brain can be. I don’t read much Young Adult these days, but when I saw this was set during WWII and featured a woman mathematician who helped with the bombing missions, I had to grab it up.

Eleanor Schiff has lived much of her life feeling guilty that her intelligent mathematics professor father had a stroke and punishing herself by hiding her own keen mathematical mind. But, a discovery by a project recruit for women ‘human calculators’ helps her work through her guilt and see what she can do as vital to the war effort even as certain narrow-minded males put her and the others down and her own lack of self-confidence and shyness must be overcome. They need help calculating trajectory for the bombing runs. Eleanor practices on the American desert and eventually ends up in the Pacific with everything on the line to get her calculations right.

Trajectory is a Young Adult novel with a focus on girls in STEM and a historical backdrop. All are well-layered foundational pieces to the book, but I think the young adult element stuck out the most in many places. Eleanor definitely gets stuck in her own head and things don’t move forward at a good pace as a result. The author wrote the teenager well and the WWII female calculator element was fascinating. Parts of the story seem wildly improbable, but made the story more interesting so I went with it.

I have to admit that I’m not a math lover, so yes, I skimmed those bits. I can say that the author made Eleanor’s ability seem more authentic with the mathematics included so I’m glad the author didn’t gloss over it. I enjoyed realizing that this is based on the true life stories of women who did the math computations and helped the bombers land the bombs with more accuracy which was a part of history I didn’t know about until now. I can easily recommend Trajectory for those who enjoy YA Historical Fiction particularly showcasing women’s history.

I rec’d an eARC from Alison Graham PR to read in exchange for an honest review.



My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 4.14.24.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about the often overlooked contributions of women in wartime, specifically in male-dominated fields like mathematics. The descriptions of the math being used can get you lost pretty quickly if you aren't a mathematician yourself, but the story of Eleanor's coming-of-age is well worth the read. (Just skip over the technical talk and you'll be fine). I'm excited to see what Cambria Gordon comes up with next!

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the main character and the storyline! Would definitely read more books from this author.

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 and a half stars. This WWII "math genius teen girl saves the day and many lives" novel should go in the bookcase next to Candace Fleming's non-fiction Enigma Girls. The ending was a touch improbable and the family back story didn't quite convince me, but I loved the main character and all the math on the page and in particular her lone comig-of-age road trip across the country to California to help the war effort, a mini grand adventure in itself and my favorite part of the book. More please from his author. Recommended.

[Lisa Rogo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realize this was YA, and it really reads like it’s YA, but it was enjoyable!!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid middle grade- WWII about girls asked to do math to help war effort

[Srishti B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not expect the setting of the first half of this book to have as much relevance to my life as it does, but it does make sense after thinking about it, and also makes me think about my own experiences a bit differently. I'll never not be a fan of books that involve the history of computing, though I couldn't exactly explain why if asked.

[Pine Reads Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I vowed to keep the secret forever. My parents would never know about my math brain. They would never discover that I was blessed with the very gift I took away from Dad.”

It may have started out as a childhood nickname from her classmates, but by now, even Eleanor knows herself as “Nervous Nellie.” As a child, Eleanor experienced a traumatic event involving her math genius father. She interpreted this as having taken away his ability to do what he loves and thus decides to keep her own mathematical gift a secret. In the midst of World War II, the US Army discovers her natural talent and requests her service. Eleanor is hesitant to help because of her role as a loyal daughter, but her beloved Jewish family in Poland is missing. She knows that if she can play a part in saving them and winning the war for the United States, then that is what she has to do. Besides, it’s what her role model, Eleanor Roosevelt, would do. With her invaluable skills, the only person standing in Eleanor Schiff’s way is herself.

Trajectory begins rich with modern Jewish history and culture and then adds a wealth of other knowledge about math and 1940s war technology. Unless you, too, are a math genius, it is not a book where you can expect to understand everything, but it is a story where you get to watch our main character come into her own. While I do feel that readers might have benefitted from a little more emotional detail and a little less technical terminology, the constant analysis and tracking of patterns gives more insight into who Eleanor is and how she manages her anxiety. Although there is a stereotype of mathematicians being standoffish, Eleanor Schiff is an excellent counterexample, despite her shyness. She makes friends with a variety of people, exceptions being the occasional racist and the smarmy young soldiers who are unused to having a woman around. Eleanor is a lovely young lady doing her part for her country alongside her fellow Rosies, the other women behind the war effort. Her patriotic, familial, and Jewish values shine through her intentions and her interactions with other people. In overcoming our inner battles to make the greatest difference we are able, we should all strive to be more like Eleanor Schiff.

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[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the new book “Trajectory," readers are immersed in the gripping tale of seventeen-year-old Eleanor, whose mathematical career unfolds amidst the turmoil of World War II. Unlike her namesake Eleanor Roosevelt, she grapples with self-doubt and uncertainty about her place in the world. As the war drags on and her Jewish relatives in Europe face peril and uncertainty, Eleanor's worries intensify.

A chance encounter lets Eleanor display her remarkable talent in mathematics, a skill she has kept hidden. Eleanor’s father himself was a famous mathematics professor who suffered a stroke that Eleanor blames herself for. Since that day she saw her father collapse while reaching to collect a toy for Eleanor, Eleanor tells herself the store was her own fault.

Eleanor finds herself recruited by the US Army to work on a top-secret project aimed at aiding America's war efforts. Entrusted with a daunting task, she embarks on a mission that could alter the course of history and potentially save her family and many other Jewish families in Poland. While life becomes intensely challenging on a desolate Army Base, Eleanor finds herself lonely as she cannot share her mission with her family or friends.

"Trajectory" gives a fictional look at the experience of young women who supported the United States Army using their math skills. The author does a phenomenal job setting the scene in the Muroc Army base a truly desolate place in which the Army was aircraft testing and pilot training.

I thought Eleanor was very relatable as a young woman who is dealing with the uncertainty of nearly everything during a time of war. Not being in touch with her cousin and family in Poland is a huge source of concern and while readers know what happened to the Jewish population in Poland during the war, Eleanor and her family grapple with not knowing if their relatives are safe or not.

I also appreciated that the book didn’t focus on a romance for Eleanor and even though she connects with a handsome pilot, her focus on math and her mission is always at the forefront of the plot. Some of the math calculations and descriptions are a bit hard to follow, especially when Eleanor imagines the math unfolding in her head. Ultimately “Trajectory” captures the determination of young people using their skills to fight fascism during the darkest times during World War II.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

How the main character went from being so shy she could not talk to people to acting as a bombardier by the end felt impossible and ridiculous. The use of foul language did nothing for the story and seemed out of place in this historical fiction book. Her long-kept secret was ridiculous and that storyline was well worn-out by the last chapter. I would rather read a true story of the women computers of WWII than this one with so many fictional stretches of reality.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Trajectory. While I did enjoy this WWII-set, female-focused novel, I just felt that it was missing a little bit of the magic that would make it a standout. All of the parts were there, but there was just something missing.

However, I liked Eleanor's growth as a character, though I thought her total willingness to undergo the trial she does near the end of the book was a bit of a hairpin turn. I liked the bit of romance and the perspective of an American Jew during the war. In a landscape where there aren't a ton of books that feel right for middle school students, this one hits the mark, which gives it a place on my order list for my library.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the feminism and math aspect of Trajectory. Eleanor was a likeable character who stepped out of her comfort zone for the first time to work behind the scenes as a civilian for the US military during WWII. The only thing I felt was distracting from the main plot was the inclusion of a sudden romance that took up several chapters. It didn't add anything to the story except Eleanor becoming boy-obsessed instead of focusing on her job. Minus that, I enjoyed learning about a different avenue of WWII. Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC.

[Noreen Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best for young adults, especially girls with an interest in math, science, and history. A gifted mathematics student, Eleanor ends up being chosen to be part of an elite group of girls who use mathematical calculations to improve the accuracy of bomb drops. As Eleanor turns 18 during the novel, this book is better geared to grades 8-10. While I found it interesting in most places, young readers without an interest in math or science might get bogged down in these sections. A great choice reading book

[Jennifer Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great read. It's set during a war where a woman is the hero. Thinking she was the cause or reason for tragic events in her parents life to finally realize they were natural occurrences and to push through hard times. This was a very inspirational book. I could read again! I received this book in the mail as a gift but not sure from whom or where so thanks for the great read!

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleanor has a gift with numbers and equations, but it is a secret she tries to keep hidden. Her father was also a gifted mathematician and professor, but when she pestered him to get a toy down for her one day he collapsed with a stroke and has never been the same since. She feels guilty about having a gift he was robbed of, and feels like it was her fault. But she can’t resist going to a local math competition just to see the equations used. Little does she know the competition is a cover for an army recruitment for calculators, and someone notices her solving even the hardest question none of the contestants could do. She’s invited to join a top secret group of girls calculating bombing trajectories for the soldiers in the field. Eleanor feels like a fraud, and like the only thing she deserves is the “Nervous Nellie” nickname the teens at school taunt her with. Working for the army will take Eleanor places she never dreamed of, and help her grow in ways she was scared to dream of.

I devoured this as fast as I could (I just didn't get around to writing the review for a while). Gordon’s writing was compelling, and Eleanor’s story was fascinating. I’ve definitely read stories about women calculators during WWII before, and how they were used by what became NASA after the war, but never about those who were calculating trajectories during the war (only those calculators put to work as code breakers). You can tell Gordon did her research. The only part of the story that bugged me was that super smart Eleanor didn’t know what causes strokes. I suppose it is plausible, though. I loved Eleanor’s friendship with Alyce, the Black woman, who helps her grow so much (especially since Eleanor is Jewish and has family in Europe so prejudice is something on her mind). And her falling in love with Sky was sweet. There’s a fair amount of equations actually shown on the page for those who can follow, so the math nerds will love that part (and the rest can easily skim it). This was an engaging coming of age story set in WWII with great historic details that isn’t afraid to be quite smart in the content.

Notes on content:
Language: A handfull of minor swears, 2 moderate swears, and 1 strong profanity and 4 F bombs (the general who oversees Eleanor in California has a mouth on him).
Sexual content: Nothing beyond some kissing.
Violence: There’s a police raid on a mixed bar that gets violent with some punching and beating, and some war violence later on. There’s a practice accident at one of the bases that results in limb loss. War violence. Eleanor has relatives in Europe that go missing and are presumed dead at the hands of the Nazis.
Ethnic diversity: Eleanor is Jewish American of Polish heritage, Alyce is Black, Sky is white and comes from a Mormon community.
LGBTQ+ content: None that I remember.
Other: Eleanor was very traumatized by her father’s stroke and thinks she caused it, not understanding the medical cause for quite a long time. Both Eleanor and Alyce experience racial/ethnic prejudice, and the ladies face gender discrimination. One person experiences a mental breakdown for a bit.

[Character Building Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trajectory presents the enthralling story of a high school math whiz who becomes instrumental in US military success in the Pacific through a well-paced plot and a credible and authentic protagonist who will inspire, frustrate, and engage readers.

Eleanor Schiff is finishing high school in the first days of US involvement in WWII, but she has been fighting her own internal war since she was six. That's when her father suffered a stroke and she began blaming herself for everything he lost, his brilliant math genius at the top of the list. So she hides her own mathematical genius, faking her way through school until a chance event reveals her skills to Mary Mauchly who is forming an all-female team of mathematicians to work out the computations that will help American troops land bombs accurately. While she loves the work, she has to learn to overcome her lack of confidence and shyness, become a part of a team, and make friends who see her for her true abilities and gifts. Her talents take her from Philadelphia to California and eventually to Hawaii, but she is still running from her past, her guilt over her father's stroke, and the trauma she sustained from it. When pressure builds and a pilot makes the connection between her and her father, she can no longer run from the fight, but she isn't sure she will be the same person once the dust settles.

Eleanor is a realistic character who carries the flaws and strengths of a real person. Her unwillingness to reveal her talents to her family or share her family with others show how deep her trauma goes, and her mathematical skills will inspire and amaze readers and may nudge them to seek out the true stories of the women who participated in these historic computations. The story's plot is engaging, well-paced, and has the stakes to maintain readers' interest. The only elements that lack credibility are Eleanor's ability to move out of her home, travel across the continent, and participate in classified operations without her parents' knowledge or consent.

Overall. Trajectory is a fascinating story with a character-building protagonist who faces heavy problems with courage and perseverance that her "guardian angel," Eleanor Roosevelt, would applaud.

[kim baccellia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventeen-year-old Eleanor is shy but loves numbers. Her classmates call her 'Nervous Nelly'. She's a math whiz but she has other worries. She worries about her Jewish relatives in Europe as the war rages overseas. And she blames herself for her father's stroke. Then during a chance encounter at Math Meet, she's recruited by the U.S. Government to use her math abilities to help a top-secret weapon that will help America defeat its enemies. Can she overcome her nervousness and make a difference? Even if this means facing her worst fears head-on?

What worked: Fascinating portrayal of a teen 'human computer' during WWII. An interesting fact is that the U.S. government used these mostly women mathematicians to use calculations to help break codes and much more. Only recently have we learned about these brave women. Eleanor is one of them.

The novel shows a multi-dimensional character with strengths like her math ability and love of family. But it also shows her vulnerabilities like her nervousness and fear of standing out. Readers see Eleanor go from a shy teen to one who is recruited to help solve a top-secret project across the country. She faces harassment while traveling alone, antisemitism from a fellow recruit, and overwhelming guilt for contributing to her father's stroke.

The author does a great job showing Eleanor as she struggles to feel good enough and to finally face her fears head-on. Also, readers sense the horror Eleanor feels when she finds out the tragic fate of not only her relatives in Europe but all Jewish people.

The romantic angle felt rushed and took away from an otherwise engaging portrayal of a teen during WWII. The story sped up and I felt came to a too-quick resolution.

Overall, this fast-paced novel brings light to the voice of the many women who contributed during WWII.

Riveting historical set during WWII and a teen who helps during the war effort.

Original post: https://www.yabookscentral.com/trajec...

[Riya Karadge · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Trajectory" by Cambria Gordon is a five-star gem that took me on an unforgettable journey through World War II America. The story centers around Eleanor, a teenage math prodigy from Philadelphia who, despite her lack of confidence, is recruited by the US Army to use her hidden talents for the war effort. This book beautifully captures her transformation from a shy girl into a confident young woman making significant contributions behind the front lines in weapons development.

Eleanor is an inspiring heroine, and watching her grow throughout the novel was both enjoyable and empowering. Her journey from Philadelphia to California and even the Pacific theater offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of a woman in a predominantly male field during the war. The book is rich with historical detail, and Gordon's meticulous research shines through every page, making the settings and events come alive.

What truly sets this novel apart is its strong ensemble of female characters. Eleanor's interactions with these powerful women add depth to the story and highlight the vital roles women played during the war. The book's focus on mathematics as a crucial part of the war effort is both unique and engaging, providing a fresh perspective on World War II historical fiction.

Gordon's writing is accessible and entertaining, drawing readers in with a complex main character and an intriguing supporting cast. The pacing is strong, and the tension builds beautifully, making it hard to put the book down. Whether you're a fan of historical fiction or just looking for a compelling read, "Trajectory" is a must-read that will leave you inspired and thoughtful long after you turn the last page.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this incredible historical fiction novel, readers travel to World War II America where they encounter teenager Eleanor, a math genius from Philadelphia who lacks confidence in her skills. Worried about her Jewish family in Europe, Eleanor is recruited by the US Army to do math -- using the skills she has always tried to hide from everyone -- for the war effort. Bringing her across the country from Philadelphia to California and the Pacific theater, readers get to explore a woman’s life behind the front lines in the weapons development side of the American war effort during World War II. Eleanor is a fantastic heroine, and watching her grow in confidence and skill over the course of the novel is particularly enjoyable and empowering. With a host of powerful female side characters that interact with Eleanor at various points during the novel, fans of the women’s historical fiction genre and the World War II historical fiction genre are sure to enjoy this book. Gordon has clearly done her research for this novel, and readers are sure to enjoy the incredible detail, varied settings, complex heroine, well-developed side characters, and the high stakes of this excellent World War II historical fiction novel.

Thanks to NetGalley, Scholastic, and Scholastic Press for the advance copy.

[Anne Osterlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleanor has a mathematical gift. One she wishes she could give away. If it weren't for that gift, her father would never have had a stroke. He would have remained the mathematician in the family.

But even thought Eleanor has been hiding her gift for most of her life, she can't deny it to herself, and when a local math competition is held in her hometown of Philadelphia, she goes. Not to compete, but to work the problems for fun as she sits in the audience.

Little does Eleanor know that the U.S. Army is recruiting. Not the young men, who will be drafted once they graduate. But the young women, who will be staying home and could be solving the math problems to win the war.


I loved Trajectory and flew through it. While the heroine and her actions are fictional, the book is filled with facts and time-period references from the 1940s. Eleanor, herself, is Jewish and of Polish descent. She has family trapped in the Stanislou ghetto. She is hired to work in the Philadelphia Computing Section, and she ultimately becomes personally involved in the war in the Pacific. A likeable heroine, and a quick, engaging read that covers lesser-known territory on the WWII American homefront.

[Shirley Freeman]

I really enjoyed this page-turning story about a young, female, gifted mathematician recruited to help the war effort during WWII. Eleanor Schiff, 17, has inherited her abilities from her math professor father who had a serious stroke when Eleanor was five, causing him to need care the rest of his life. Eleanor is convinced she caused the stroke which took away his abilities so she is determined to hide her gift. Once she is accidentally 'discovered', however, her coming-of-age begins. First she's part of a team of female 'calculators' trying to accurately predict where a missile will fall, then she's sent to the mojave desert to try to fix the errors in a top-secret machine the army has developed and then to Pearl Harbor to be the calculating part of a secret bombing mission. Eleanor witnesses, and challenges, some sexism and racism along the way. Her passion for the mission is intensified knowing that her Jewish relatives in Poland are being killed as the war progresses. Coming in April 2024, this is good historical fiction for ages 12 and above (the math can be skimmed with no loss to the story if the reader isn't interested).

[April Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

As WWII is waging, Eleanor worries for her Jewish family in Poland and wants to help the war effort. She has spent her life hiding her math prowess but learns that she has the necessary skills to help and is eventually recruited by the US Army.

Eleanor is a fantastic character with a great character arc. She goes from being a “Nervous Nellie” to a confident and capable young woman. I really enjoyed the other characters that she encounters on her journey. I liked how even though there was a romance, it wasn’t at the forefront of the story and Eleanor remained focused on her own journey.

While some of the story is based on real life events--women helping the war effort by serving as human computers and running ballistics, some of the plot, especially at the end, seems far-fetched and unrealistic. The descriptions of the mathematics involved went over my head, but it was easy enough to skim over and gave insight into how Eleanor’s mind worked.

I think teen and tween fans of historical fiction will really enjoy this.

[Allison Feist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trajectory by Cambria Gordon is an exciting and inspiring story set during World War II. It follows Eleanor Schiff, a 17-year-old Jewish girl from Philadelphia who is stellar at math. She hides her talent because she feels guilty about her father's health problems. Everything changes when Eleanor is asked to join a secret Army project to help with the war effort. She works with other "human computers" to help design a tool that will make American planes more accurate during bombings.

The book does a great job of showing what life was like back then, especially for women and minorities who weren't always treated fairly. Eleanor’s story is about finding courage, standing up for yourself, and making a difference in a world full of challenges. Cambria Gordon mixes real history with a story that feels very personal and real.

For teachers who want to use this in their classroom: Teachers could have students research real "human computers" from World War II and compare their lives to Eleanor’s. Then, students could create a short presentation or poster showing what they learned about these amazing hidden heroes!

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eleanor is a seventeen-year-old, timid and top mathematician, but she hides it from everyone because she thinks she stole it from her dad when he had a stroke rushing up the stairs behind Eleanor to help her get something. Eleanor also worries about her family in Europe while World War I rages on. When she has a chance encounter with a woman who sees her math potential, that women offers her a job using her math to help do tables for sighting in guns. But Eleanor never imagines where she will end up and what she will be doing.
This is my favorite book so far this year, I know it is early in the year but I really liked this book. Eleanor is a believable character even with everything she goes through. She is still a teen and sometime the people in the book forget because of what she can do but they come back and she figures out things as well. This is a wonderful book and I like how they even included a reference to the Army nurse Ms. Fox who made it through Pearl Harbor seeing to as many sailors and soldiers as possible.

[Jessica Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trajectory is historical fiction with a STEM twist that’s fascinating for young adults and adults.

At the center of the story is Eleanor, a girl who loves math but has kept her talent hidden. But it’s hard to keep that sort of ability quiet forever, and when she leans into it, she realizes what a difference she can make.

Because Trajectory is about human computers, readers should expect to see some math. It may not all make sense to readers as far as following the equations, but it does make sense in Eleanor’s story. The book wouldn’t be the same without it.

That said. Author Cambria Gordon’s writing is accessible and entertaining. She draws readers in with a complex main character and an intriguing supporting cast. Her pacing is strong and she does a great job creating tension.

Trajectory is a historical fiction novel where plot points are built from true events. It’s a thoughtful and engrossing read with broad appeal.

[Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1942 shortly after America's entrance into World War II. Eleanor Schiff, who is Jewish and has extended family in Poland, is recruited to work for the the top-secret Philadelphia Computing Section of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. Eleanor has hidden her incredible math abilities from her family as blames herself for her father's stroke years before, which ended his incredible math career as a professor, and now she has too keep her work secret from her family. Eleanor's talent gets her sent to California and to the Pacific theatre to work on the Norden navigation device. Eleanor gets second hand accounts of the horrors of the holocaust and she starts a romance with a pilot, but the primary focus is on Eleanor and her abilities to help with the U.S. war effort. Her magical thinking self-blame of her father's disability hurts the storyline more than highlights it. Recommended for teens who enjoy WWII historical fiction.

[Hannah McMurphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was simultaneously too smart and too dumb for me. Every time the author wrote dialogue or feelings of the main character, I felt like it was simplistic and boring, but every time she started writing about math it all went completely over my head. I hated that there were actual equations and charts written out, like I would have any idea what I was looking at. I wish that I could be impressed by how good Eleanor was at math, but found all her math talk to be incredibly tedious. I found the main character insufferable, especially because she based her entire personality around blaming herself for her dad's stroke, but literally never talked with her family about it. It could have all been avoided. Like in many YA books, the romance was unnecessary and took away from the plot. I don't think there are really any elements in this that will appeal to teens, and I am not sure who the target audience would actually be for this book.