What do you think?
Rate this book
Up Periscope!: How Engineer Raye Montague Revolutionized Shipbuilding
Discover the hidden figure who created the first comprehensive computer program to design ships for the US Navy.
Girls like Raye Montague weren’t supposed to like math or science, or go to engineering school. But tenacious Raye had a plan, one that eventually took her all the way to the US Navy. There, she was assigned an impossible task: to come up with a single computer program that could design every part of a ship. It had never been done before—but Raye’s groundbreaking program revolutionized the way ships and submarines were built, and set her on a path to become a pioneering figure in naval engineering and the navy’s first female program manager of ships.
Award-winning author Jennifer Swanson and acclaimed illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison celebrate a self-made engineer who worked around anyone and anything that stood in her way in this illuminating biography about never giving up on your dreams.
Girls like Raye Montague weren’t supposed to like math or science, or go to engineering school. But tenacious Raye had a plan, one that eventually took her all the way to the US Navy. There, she was assigned an impossible task: to come up with a single computer program that could design every part of a ship. It had never been done before—but Raye’s groundbreaking program revolutionized the way ships and submarines were built, and set her on a path to become a pioneering figure in naval engineering and the navy’s first female program manager of ships.
Award-winning author Jennifer Swanson and acclaimed illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison celebrate a self-made engineer who worked around anyone and anything that stood in her way in this illuminating biography about never giving up on your dreams.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 2024
1 person is currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Swanson
73 books39 followersScience Rocks! And so do Jennifer Swanson’s books. She is the award-winning author of over 45 nonfiction books for children. Using her background in science and history that she received from the U.S. Naval Academy, and her M.S. in Education, Jennifer excels at taking complex facts and making them accessible, compelling, and humorous for young readers, Jennifer's passion for science resonates in in all her books but especially, Astronaut-Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact and BEASTLY BIONICS which both received Florida Book Awards and NSTA BEST STEM book awards. Her Save the Crash-test Dummies book received an NSTA BEST STEM Award and a Parent’s Choice GOLD Award. Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival (twice), the Atlanta Science Festival (twice) and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival in 2019. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 3, 2025
A good child's biography about Montague! I'd never heard of her before, but would like to read a full biography now. My only complaint would be wishing for more!
I had no idea they had submarines on display, for tours, during WWII. What? Not very smart, personally.
I had no idea they had submarines on display, for tours, during WWII. What? Not very smart, personally.
November 28, 2024
I found this book on the Wakelet, under the article of Outstanding Science Trade books for students K-12. This book is for ages 7-9 and is considered a biography of Raye Montague. Raye Montague was inspired as a child after touring a WW II submarine. She followed the advice of her mother who told her she could do and be whatever she wanted. She took that to heart and followed her dreams. Kirkus Review is quoted in saying "An inspiring and definitely underrecognized role model." I found to be true and will be using this in my classroom library.
April 21, 2024
Award-winning author and Navy veteran Jennifer Swanson has a love for science and STEM that goes back to her own elementary school years. Those interests and experiences converge in a delightful way in this picture book exploration of the career of engineer Raye Montague. From her first visit to a submarine in 1943 to her final assignment designing a submarine for the U.S. Navy, readers will see Raye overcome one obstacle after another.
The author was able to interview Raye Montague about her experiences and how she worked to meet her goals despite the limitations placed in the way of Black women who were interested in science and math. Raye persevered and became a third-generation college graduate, learned to program the UNIVAC computer, and even invented a way to have a computer design an entire naval ship - not just separate systems as others were doing at that time.
Many may recognize the style of illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison (A Computer Called Katherine). The changing fashions and hairstyles help to show the time periods in various scenes. Readers may also see the enormous banks of machines with their reels of magnetic tape that made up the UNIVAC. The end papers at the back of the book even show the design for the USS Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate Raye's computer program created.
Back matter includes more information about Raye Montague and an author's note. This book is the perfect addition to library collections - it can be used in units for Black History Month, Women's History Month, biography projects, and STEM careers.
The author was able to interview Raye Montague about her experiences and how she worked to meet her goals despite the limitations placed in the way of Black women who were interested in science and math. Raye persevered and became a third-generation college graduate, learned to program the UNIVAC computer, and even invented a way to have a computer design an entire naval ship - not just separate systems as others were doing at that time.
Many may recognize the style of illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison (A Computer Called Katherine). The changing fashions and hairstyles help to show the time periods in various scenes. Readers may also see the enormous banks of machines with their reels of magnetic tape that made up the UNIVAC. The end papers at the back of the book even show the design for the USS Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate Raye's computer program created.
Back matter includes more information about Raye Montague and an author's note. This book is the perfect addition to library collections - it can be used in units for Black History Month, Women's History Month, biography projects, and STEM careers.
November 10, 2024
Jenifer Swanson has done it again, finding another unknown, successful woman who made a difference in improving our world. First, I want to say the cover of this book is spectacular. It will draw in children, adults, and teachers. The story indeed has Hidden Figure vibes. I love learning about unknown people who overcome their race and gender to make a big difference. I appreciate you finding and sharing Raye Montague with everyone. While sharing her story of growing up during the 1940s and World War II in Little Rock, Arkansas, this book helps children understand how life during that time wasn't easy for a little black girl. But her mother, like mothers today, told her she could learn anything, do anything, and be anything, and she believed her. This is an essential message for all children to absorb.
When Raye's grandfather took her to see the submarine he was working on in 1943, she fell in love with submarines. She asked an officer how she could build a submarine. He laughed and told her only design engineers could do that. Her Grandfather explained that girls didn't become engineers—especially black girls. But Raye believed her mother when she could learn, do, and be anything she wanted.
In high school, she wanted to take a shop class and learn how to build things. She was told girls can't take Shop. Her mother convinced the principal to let her in. Yay! for strong moms. Then, the University of Arkansas would not let a black woman in their engineering program, so she went to business school to learn computers, hoping to sneak in the back door, and she was right; she ended up working for the Navy in their UNIVAC department. She wasn't allowed to touch the UNIVAC system, but she watched and took notes. Then, one day, all the men got sick, and she stepped up and ran the system. Her boss was stunned. Fourteen years later, because of her UNIVAC skills, she was able to transfer to the Naval Engineering Ship Center and on her way to building her first ship.
Again, she faced men who didn't want to work with a black woman, so they gave her an impossible task. But nothing was going to stop her from solving the problem. She even disassembled an old computer and took it apart to work on it like a puzzle. Her boss would not pay anyone to help, so she taught her mother and three-year-old son how to punch cards. Raye and her mother work late into the night while her little boy sleeps on the floor. Then, a special request came in from President Nixon, wanting to see the design of a brand-new navy ship. She spent days without any rest inputting information into the computer. Finally exhausted, she set her new program in motion, went home, and was woken up by a phone call saying it worked.
Instead of a team spending thousands of hours over two years, Raye's new program took just eighteen hours and twenty-six minutes to build the first comprehensive ship design.
No one thought a woman could do it.
No one thought a black woman could do it.
But Raye Montague did and became the first person to do it.
Veronica's illustrations are sure to please everyone. They bring Raye's story to life and will keep children returning to the book to enjoy her vivid pictures.
I hope Hollywood notices this book and makes a movie about Raye Montague's life.
When Raye's grandfather took her to see the submarine he was working on in 1943, she fell in love with submarines. She asked an officer how she could build a submarine. He laughed and told her only design engineers could do that. Her Grandfather explained that girls didn't become engineers—especially black girls. But Raye believed her mother when she could learn, do, and be anything she wanted.
In high school, she wanted to take a shop class and learn how to build things. She was told girls can't take Shop. Her mother convinced the principal to let her in. Yay! for strong moms. Then, the University of Arkansas would not let a black woman in their engineering program, so she went to business school to learn computers, hoping to sneak in the back door, and she was right; she ended up working for the Navy in their UNIVAC department. She wasn't allowed to touch the UNIVAC system, but she watched and took notes. Then, one day, all the men got sick, and she stepped up and ran the system. Her boss was stunned. Fourteen years later, because of her UNIVAC skills, she was able to transfer to the Naval Engineering Ship Center and on her way to building her first ship.
Again, she faced men who didn't want to work with a black woman, so they gave her an impossible task. But nothing was going to stop her from solving the problem. She even disassembled an old computer and took it apart to work on it like a puzzle. Her boss would not pay anyone to help, so she taught her mother and three-year-old son how to punch cards. Raye and her mother work late into the night while her little boy sleeps on the floor. Then, a special request came in from President Nixon, wanting to see the design of a brand-new navy ship. She spent days without any rest inputting information into the computer. Finally exhausted, she set her new program in motion, went home, and was woken up by a phone call saying it worked.
Instead of a team spending thousands of hours over two years, Raye's new program took just eighteen hours and twenty-six minutes to build the first comprehensive ship design.
No one thought a woman could do it.
No one thought a black woman could do it.
But Raye Montague did and became the first person to do it.
Veronica's illustrations are sure to please everyone. They bring Raye's story to life and will keep children returning to the book to enjoy her vivid pictures.
I hope Hollywood notices this book and makes a movie about Raye Montague's life.
January 23, 2026
This book is such an inspiring story for little girls, especially those of color! A little girl from Little Rock, AR (our home state!!!) went on to become one of the most notable people from the US Navy. She made a computer program that would design an entire ship instead of spending TONS of manpower fussing over paper designs! How cool is that! I think both boys and girls will have an interest in this book. Girls will enjoy it because the main character is from their home state and a complete and total amazing woman. Boys will enjoy it because it talks about building ships and working for the US Navy. This is not a piece of history that kids are taught about in school, so it will be totally new for most readers. If the reader doesn't enjoy history, it may be a little boring for them. The illustrations were made with watercolors, acrylics, and some digital add-ons. They were beautiful and really made the story pop from page to page. This book would be great for STEM classes. (Diamond 25-26)
May 10, 2025
Now, more than ever, we need books to remind children that they have the right to be who they are, and who they want to be, regardless of what obstacles might stand in their way. As Raye Montague was growing up in the 1940s, her mother told her that she could learn anything, do anything, and be anything. Raye took those words to heart and, despite multiple forms of discrimination and other setbacks, found a way to make her childhood dream of building ships a reality. It is almost unbelievable how much drive, skill, patience, and persistence Raye had to demonstrate to finally reach her goal. Her very indirect path to success, told in a very direct style (appropriate for a book related to engineering), is sure to inspire many young readers!
March 16, 2025
5 stars (I loved it)
This was great! I love the representation but I also love how Raye Montague herself gave the author the words about Montague being the first PERSON to make a computer program to design a ship. Not the first BLACK person, not the first WOMAN, but the first PERSON.
The book is so inspiring and the illustrations are so welcoming.
I think this might be a good pick for our annual Read Across America Week. We could pair it with a career dress up day or a nautical dress up day or a science... so many choices!
This was great! I love the representation but I also love how Raye Montague herself gave the author the words about Montague being the first PERSON to make a computer program to design a ship. Not the first BLACK person, not the first WOMAN, but the first PERSON.
The book is so inspiring and the illustrations are so welcoming.
I think this might be a good pick for our annual Read Across America Week. We could pair it with a career dress up day or a nautical dress up day or a science... so many choices!
July 2, 2025
An excellent picture book biography of yet another unrecognized women in science and history. Inspired by a childhood visit to a submarine, Ray Montague was denied entry to an engineering school as a young woman. With amazing determination, she took a job as a clerk typist with the US Navy, completed her engineering studies, and went on to design Navy ships and, at last, a submarine.
Well written by Swanson with excellent appealing illustrations by Veronica Miller Jameson, this a great choice for elementary libraries and classrooms.
Well written by Swanson with excellent appealing illustrations by Veronica Miller Jameson, this a great choice for elementary libraries and classrooms.
January 31, 2025
Raye Montague was told from an early age that she could never be an engineer; but she did not listen. As she worked hard in school she was told time and time again that there were two reasons she could not become an engineer: she was African American and female! But she overcame all obstacles and became the first engineer to creating a computer-generated draft of a U.S. naval ship! Inspiring STEM book for young children!
April 1, 2025
A picture book biography of the first person to build a computer program that could design an entire ship.
The book highlights the skepticism Raye had to overcome as a Black woman, and underscores her inspirational determination to achieve her goals.
Tie-in with STEM emphases, Black History Month, Women's History Month, ELA biography units.
The book highlights the skepticism Raye had to overcome as a Black woman, and underscores her inspirational determination to achieve her goals.
Tie-in with STEM emphases, Black History Month, Women's History Month, ELA biography units.
January 31, 2025
Inspiring story of perseverance and also of taking advantage of the circumstances she was in even if it wasn’t ideal.
February 3, 2025
Intriguing and inspiring!
March 8, 2025
Perseverance is everything!
Read
March 19, 2025Raye was taught she could learn anything, do anything, and be anything. And she did!
March 22, 2025
Inspiring and well written biography with great illustrations!
April 15, 2025
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book! So inspiring :)
April 17, 2025
Great inspiring story! Love that its easy to understand for little ones.
July 10, 2025
Really great book about an under-sung engineer!
August 3, 2025
Another great library find and another fantastic history lesson not taught in schools. Now more then ever we need to spotlight the diversity that lead to many scientific shifts in humanity.
March 5, 2026
So interesting, I never knew a black woman innovated ship engineering
March 9, 2026
Inspiring, engaging, succinct biography of a young black female engineer. Very well written!
January 14, 2025
As another reviewer stated - Jennifer Swanson has done it again!
Wow. Raye Montague changed the world of naval ships in a significant way and she did it with persistence, determination, passion.
Recommend reading aloud in grades k-2. The BACK MATTER (including the author's note) would be great for older students to read and think about after reading the text for themselves or with a partner.
Wow. Raye Montague changed the world of naval ships in a significant way and she did it with persistence, determination, passion.
Recommend reading aloud in grades k-2. The BACK MATTER (including the author's note) would be great for older students to read and think about after reading the text for themselves or with a partner.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews