Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson

by Katherine G. Johnson

The autobiography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who helped launch Apollo 11.

As a young girl, Katherine Johnson showed an exceptional aptitude for math. In school she quickly skipped ahead several grades and was soon studying complex equations with the support of a professor who saw great promise in her. But ability and opportunity did not always go hand in hand. As an African American and a girl growing up in an era of brutal racism and sexism, Katherine faced daily challenges. Still, she lived her life with her father’s words in mind: “You are no better than anyone else, and nobody else is better than you.”

In the early 1950s, Katherine was thrilled to join the organization that would become NASA. She worked on many of NASA’s biggest projects including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first men on the moon.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Middle Grade, Science, Memoir, Space

256 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2019

About the author

Katherine Johnson is a former NASA mathematician whose work was critical to the success of many of their initiatives, including the Apollo Lunar landing program and the start of the Space Shuttle program. Throughout her long career she has received numerous awards, including the nation’s highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Barack Obama.

Reviews

[Yesenia Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always say the same thing when I read a wonderful book about black legends, this needs to be a required read for high school students!!!! This was wonderful, the narrator has such a powerful voice I was crying every time she said “you are no better than nobody else but nobody else is better than you”.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I noticed another reviewer questioned whether Katherine Johnson wrote the book herself. The premise was sure she could do numbers but that must mean she can’t write! Clearly the person didn’t read this book carefully. Katharine Johnson was able to spell pretty hard words at age 4. When the teacher came by to speak to her mother, she spelt various words assuming that would keep Katherine from knowing what was being discussed. Katherine understood each spelled out word! She also authored or coauthored 26 published studies while at NASA. Of course she wrote this herself! One of her favorite activities when retired was tutoring students. It isn’t surprising that she was perfectly capable of writing an absorbing book meant for the students she often tutored! I found this fascinating. I loved the story she told when she went to the White House to receive the nation’s highest award for civilians from the nation’s first African American President. The secret service asked her for her social security number. She said “I’m ninety seven years old. I don’t remember those numbers.” (I guess her head was too full of far more important numbers that got people to the moon, etc!) After bombing on a few other questions she was able to answer her birthdate and was let into the White House! I found it fascinating how well she explained the difference in attitude of her time in the early 1900s of ethnic words that were acceptable then but not now! I loved how she saw the difference in attitude between her generation and her daughters’ generation and how it worried her at the same time she was proud of her daughters for taking a risk for integration. I got a very real sense of her as a modest woman who was proud of what she and others in NASA had accomplished both in terms of racial and sexual equality and in terms of the scientific advancements they had made. I had to laugh at one of her final stories talking with a girl who questioned if she were really alive since her photo was in their textbook! Highly recommended for Black History Month, Women History month, people in need of readable autobiographies, STEAM curriculum and likely more that I haven’t thought of!

[Read by Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing read! Katherine Johnson's story is inspiring.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katherine Johnson grew up as a young African-American in a home where education was highly respected. From the start Johnson was gifted and she was soon allowed to skip grades and to take advanced programs. In a time where being black and a woman were huge obstacles, Johnson overcame the barriers placed before her and became a noted mathematician working for NASA.

This is the story of Katherine Johnson, told in her own words, for children.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only gripe I have with this autobiography is that it's too short. But then in addition to being truly brilliant Katherine Johnson seems quite unassuming. I can imagine her saying 'well I don't want to bore you with my tribulations'. Decimal Star Rating: 4.4 of 5

[Reesie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just found my newest inspiration. Such an amazing story about an absolutely remarkable person.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really well-written autobiography geared towards middle grade. It made me think about what it would have been like to grow up in the south as a black woman. She doesn't shy away from the racism and sexism she experienced and dwells heavily on segregation & racial tension. In the end I wanted more about her life as a mathematician and NASA. This would be a good one to read with your kids and then talk about the issues she brings up.

Content: she talks openly about acts of lynching and racism but not told in a graphic way

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an amazing person! Katherine lived in the 2 areas I’ve lived so it was very interesting personally as there are so many common connections.

[Elaine Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

I'm a little underwhelmed but I believe that's more my fault than the books. I would have liked more of an in-depth look into her life as a young African American girl, an African American student, a wife and later a mom. Because this book was written for younger audiences a lot of the grittier detials were sort of glazed over. The bare essentials were there but it just wasn't enough for me. I do believe that any tween would enjoy this book since it's not bogged down with things that would probably bore many of them.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I might read this to my students during extension. <3 <3 <3

Thank you Katherine.

[Laura Messervy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book with my 10 year old. Very inspiring. I wish she would have delved into her experiences and work at NASA more, but still an enjoyable book

[Katey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh to have the courage and confidence of Katherine Johnson! A role model for us all. Great autobiography for kids that really explains the historical context of the times.

[starrynights · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, read it in one day. Written in a simple language, conveying the picture of life and work that came from passion. Katherine's story is fascinating and more significant than she makes it sounds, yet she manages to present it in such a that's-just-how-it-went way.

4/5 bc every space-related (auto)biography writing style is now being compared to Mike Massimino's. Plus I didn't skip a few classes in highschool so.

[Keary Birch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read about a wonderful human being. I loved this.

It is written for a young audience but gave me an insight into the USA over the 30s through to the 60s.

I feel very privileged to have grown up in the UK, where (I believe) it was a lot better.

I recommend this book whole-heartedly.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in an afternoon and it was a very succinct and logically-written account of an amazing life. The writing style seems to reflect the author's personality and mind perfectly. She is truly one of my heroes. She just did her thing. Do no harm, but take no shit. And send people to space while you're at it!

[Jana]

Not the best writing... but a truly amazing story!

[Corinne Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

You may recognize the name Katherine Johnson if you have seen the movie Hidden Figures - Katherine is the one who is wicked smart and ends up being the only Black mathematician (and only woman!) in a room full of white men who are trying to get a man on the moon. This book, geared towards younger readers, tells Katherine's story, the way her experiences growing up strengthened her to not just manage the challenges and heartache in her way but to never give up on her dream: to work with numbers for the rest of her life.

I listened to this in the car with my sons on a roadtrip and both my seven year olds and my fourteen year old (but more my fourteen year old) were interested and had a lot of questions. Katherine does not gloss over the racism and sexism she encountered throughout her life and it led to some good discussions. I loved how close she was with her family and how the values she learned from her parents (most especially that her Blackness was not something to be ashamed of and that she truly was as good as anybody) were shown to help her when she was older. I also got a lot of cultural history out of this book - as she learns and teaches in different schools as the years go by and while it was sometimes a little repetitive and she could've maybe gone a little deeper into the details of her work at NASA at the end, it still leaves you with the feelin that this woman led a full and well-lived life.

[Ben Ricketts · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. There are issues here, like the fact that the book very abruptly ends with the moon landing in 1969 before rushing through the rest of her life in the form of an epilogue. That being said, the adult reader must remember that this book was written and published for young readers. Obviously, it’s going to have certain differences from a standard autobiography.

This is a great book that serves as a personal portrait, a firsthand account of the early days of space exploration, and a testament to the strengths of black Americans in the era of segregation and the Civil Rights Movement. Johnson never shies away from discussing the issues that she came up against as a black woman, but she always covers these themes with a tone of strength and resilience. She also doesn’t pretend like the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s magically ended prejudice and structural racism. Her description of life as a black woman in a pivotal time in US history would even work as a standalone book, but we’re fortunate enough that she has woven together this fantastic account of her personal and professional life in such a quick, fascinating, and readable memoir.

I recommend this book (even to readers beyond the intended “young reader” demographic).

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katherine Johnson is best known for her work with NASA, doing complex math to help calculate the trajectory of rockets and plan a variety of space missions. But her story starts much earlier in a small community separated by Segregation. Katherine grew up not realizing she was a prodigy until she started high school much earlier than her peers, but her parents had to sacrifice a lot so she could complete her education. She fell in love and had three daughters, committed to working hard as a teacher and hired help wherever she could despite strict laws surrounding Black employment. Her story ends with hope and triumph, but she isn't shy about sharing her experiences of discrimination that continue to this day.

This book makes no claims not to be biased, which is honestly helpful as we get to see a very specific perspective. In her autobiography, Katherine is generally grateful and takes time to celebrate, but she doesn't shy away from the difficult things. Although this is a short book, it patiently explains the cultural context of her life and work. The writing style is easy to read, making this highly approachable and a great resource for anyone interested in segregation, NASA, and Black history.

[Rob B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for young readers, but I really wanted to know more about Katherine Johnson, especially after a glimpse into her world with the movie (and book) Hidden Figures.

What an amazing woman. Obviously, I'm aware of the issues of segregation that were happening last century in the US, but it's amazing to read about some of the ways the White population in the US at the time made life difficult for those non-whites. From a barber who was not able to cut the hair of his own children's hair in his own shop, to exam boards changing exam venues at the last minute knowing the the Black kids would struggle to get to the new venue. Shocking.

This book is her memoir, so she talks about her life, her family, and her work.

The NASA part of her life is amazing enough, and she is certainly inspirational in that regard, but her life in general is fascinating.

"Nobody is better than you, and you are not better than anyone else."

The world lost Katherine on 24 February 2020, but it is nice to know that we can finally read about her story.

Loved it.

[Kelly Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

”By now, I have learned that anyone who doesn’t love math hasn’t been taught math by someone who is passionate about it.” This quote perfectly encapsulates the essence of Katherine Johnson, the brilliant American mathematician known for calculating the trajectory for Apollo 11 and one of the inspirations for the book "Hidden Figures."

Katherine Johnson’s autobiography offers a compelling and insightful look into her fascinating yet challenging life. It guides the reader through the racism and sexism she faced, painting a vivid picture of her experiences before and after her groundbreaking work at NASA.

One of the most enduring aspects of her story is the wisdom imparted by her father, which Katherine carried with her throughout her life: “You are better than nobody else and nobody else is better than you.” These words, along with her incredible achievements and unwavering determination, ensure that Katherine Johnson’s autobiography will stay with me long after the last page is turned

[Ginger Vampyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extraordinary book about an extraordinary woman, and a very difficult read. Having been born after schools are integrated and the civil rights movement, I know the history, but reading the struggles of someone living through it makes it real in a way it never was for me before. While Katherine Johnson is very matter of fact about her life, its hard not to feel heartbreak and disgust at the world she lived through, and honestly the problems that it still has. Her, and her family, are extraordinary in pushing themselves to achieve an education that most of their world didn't want them to have. Katherine Johnson has more determination and grit in a single day than I do in my entire being. I am so glad she is no longer a hidden treasure.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great memoir by a woman behind Hidden Figures who describes her life as a black woman working in the forties and fifties, how her parents were determined to give her and her siblings college educations back when that was even harder for black people than it is today. She talks about her work and her family and her love of math and then gets to her work at NASA, which was important to her but only one part of her life along with everything else, and especially for Blacks, everything else was a lot. I really liked the balance of personal, societal, and space that Johnson had, and how her love of numbers and the church both shone through.

[Kristin Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a mind. What a lady. A story filled with the tragic realities of segregation and racism in one hand and the genius mind and accomplishments of Katherine Johnson in the other. She hung on the words of her parents that shaped how she moved through the world and pushed social boundaries that never should have existed. She lived a long impressive life... wow. I loved the audible reader and it was fun listening to the Epilogue where she tells what parts of the movie Hidden Figures was fact or fiction and hearing her ongoing accomplishments in her life of 101 years! NASA used to have Katherine check the math from computers because she was more accurate.... what a life.

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful life story of Katherine Johnson, genius mathematician and NASA super “computer.” Now to read Hidden Figures!
Also made me wonder, when does this ever end? Excerpt is dated in the early 1950s and speaks of being Black in a Virginia metropolis.
“…we didn’t know what types of mistakes with White residents might get the girls in trouble, one of us fired, or our family’s life endangered.
To be safe, we taught the girls to stay within a narrow corridor. Don’t go downtown. Go to the colored YWCA but not the all-White youth center. If something happens and you get hurt, go to the Colored hospital, not the white hospital. Don’t go to the grocery store by yourself. We taught them to obey the rules and show good manners. Most of all they were to behave respectfully toward White people. Some of our friends taught their children - particularly boys - not to even look at White people at all.”

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Hidden Figures’ Katherine Johnson ...What an extraordinary woman and life. I love being able to learn about our American history through a woman who really lived it... triumphs and tragedy both.
Hard stuff but so good to be reminded of how horrific Jim Crow laws were and what it must have felt like as the country began to desegregate. The power of perseverance, education, community and family was stronger than the injustice. Such an inspirational American life and hero. Great juvenile biography pick for our book club.

[Taylor Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great YA narrative nonfiction book! I’m not much of a STEM girly so I didn’t have a lot of prior knowledge about NASA or Katherine Johnson, but I really enjoyed this one. It narrates Katherine Johnson’s life from start to finish–an incredible and triumphant woman, I might add–while also addressing the hardships of growing up as an African American woman during the Civil Rights era. I’ll be adding this one to my classroom library!

[Julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! My family watched the movie and it was equally great. I won’t give you spoilers though...... I always get a little put-off when people write books for kids and use the simplest language they can find. This was not. Mrs. Johnson should become a writer! Loved it!

[Julie Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did a great job of speaking at an appropriate level to a ya audience without seeming condescending. The author did a marvelous job of telling her story without sugar coating the many harsh realities of her time.

[Amy S. Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! Even more so that it’s the autobiography of Katherine Johnson. I enjoyed reading about her life story as well as the history lesson of race relations throughout her lifetime.