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Look Up!: The Woman Who Measured the Stars
Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the scientific importance of a star’s brightness—so why has no one heard of her? Learn all about a female pioneer of astronomy in this picture book biography.
Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born on July 4, 1868, and she changed the course of astronomy when she was just twenty-five years old. Henrietta spent years measuring star positions and sizes from photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard College Observatory, where she worked. After Henrietta observed that certain stars had a fixed pattern to their changes, her discovery made it possible for astronomers to measure greater and greater distances—leading to our present understanding of the vast size of the universe.
An astronomer of her time called Henrietta Leavitt “one of the most important women ever to touch astronomy,” and another close associate said she had the “best mind at the Harvard Observatory.” Henrietta Leaveitt's story will inspire young women and aspiring scientists of all kinds and includes additional information about the solar system and astronomy.
Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born on July 4, 1868, and she changed the course of astronomy when she was just twenty-five years old. Henrietta spent years measuring star positions and sizes from photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard College Observatory, where she worked. After Henrietta observed that certain stars had a fixed pattern to their changes, her discovery made it possible for astronomers to measure greater and greater distances—leading to our present understanding of the vast size of the universe.
An astronomer of her time called Henrietta Leavitt “one of the most important women ever to touch astronomy,” and another close associate said she had the “best mind at the Harvard Observatory.” Henrietta Leaveitt's story will inspire young women and aspiring scientists of all kinds and includes additional information about the solar system and astronomy.
27 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2010
395 people want to read
About the author
Robert Burleigh
71 books47 followersOver the past 35 years, I have published poems, reviews, essays, many filmstrips and videos, and more than 40 children's picture books.
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
November 17, 2014
My five-year-old reluctantly sat through my reading of this book, but my nine-year-old aspiring scientist loved it. It wasn't entirely clear in the story what Henrietta Leavitt was doing or what she'd discovered, but there's a note explaining this in more detail in the back of the book, and that helps.
I'd love if books about women scientists just called them "pioneering scientists" rather than making a big deal about them being women. It feels sometimes like people treat women scientists like dancing bears. Sure, a person dancing isn't all that special, but a bear? Now that's impressive. I mean, Leavitt was considered for a Nobel Prize for her discovery. Seems like that's a pretty decent achievement for any human being. Perhaps the subtitle should be "Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Human Astronomer." Or maybe, "Pioneering Astronomer Despite Not Having Access to a Telescope." Because that's more amazing to me than the fact that she's not a man.
But despite my bellyaching, I'm glad that this book is here and we (at least two of the three of us) enjoyed it.
The next thing I'd love to see is a book about astronomy that explains how people can stand being outside on a New England winter night looking at the sky. I would love to understand the level of attention and passion that would keep a person warm during such an endeavor.
I'd love if books about women scientists just called them "pioneering scientists" rather than making a big deal about them being women. It feels sometimes like people treat women scientists like dancing bears. Sure, a person dancing isn't all that special, but a bear? Now that's impressive. I mean, Leavitt was considered for a Nobel Prize for her discovery. Seems like that's a pretty decent achievement for any human being. Perhaps the subtitle should be "Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Human Astronomer." Or maybe, "Pioneering Astronomer Despite Not Having Access to a Telescope." Because that's more amazing to me than the fact that she's not a man.
But despite my bellyaching, I'm glad that this book is here and we (at least two of the three of us) enjoyed it.
The next thing I'd love to see is a book about astronomy that explains how people can stand being outside on a New England winter night looking at the sky. I would love to understand the level of attention and passion that would keep a person warm during such an endeavor.
July 1, 2021
Look Up!: The Story of the First Woman Astronomer is a children's picture book written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Raúl Colón. It weaves imagination and information to sketch the life of a female scientist and illuminate her achievements.
Henrietta Swan Leavitt was an American astronomer. A graduate of Radcliffe College, she worked at the Harvard College Observatory as a "computer", tasked with examining photographic plates in order to measure and catalog the brightness of stars. This work led her to discover the relation between the luminosity and the period of Cepheid variables. Leavitt's discovery provided astronomers with the first "standard candle" with which to measure the distance to faraway galaxies.
Burleigh's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Burleigh's narrative is simultaneously succinct, descriptive, and appealing. Backmatter includes quotations, afterword, author's note, glossary, Internet resources, and bibliography. Working in his familiar warm, glowing style, Colón uses colored pencils and watercolors to create feathery-textured illustrations.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Working at the Harvard College Observatory, Henrietta Leavitt closely observed photographs of stars and uncovered a way to measure their true brightness, paving the way for others to measure even greater distances to the stars.
All in all, Look Up!: The Story of the First Woman Astronomer is an artful, inspiring, and stellar biography of the first female astronomer.
Henrietta Swan Leavitt was an American astronomer. A graduate of Radcliffe College, she worked at the Harvard College Observatory as a "computer", tasked with examining photographic plates in order to measure and catalog the brightness of stars. This work led her to discover the relation between the luminosity and the period of Cepheid variables. Leavitt's discovery provided astronomers with the first "standard candle" with which to measure the distance to faraway galaxies.
Burleigh's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Burleigh's narrative is simultaneously succinct, descriptive, and appealing. Backmatter includes quotations, afterword, author's note, glossary, Internet resources, and bibliography. Working in his familiar warm, glowing style, Colón uses colored pencils and watercolors to create feathery-textured illustrations.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Working at the Harvard College Observatory, Henrietta Leavitt closely observed photographs of stars and uncovered a way to measure their true brightness, paving the way for others to measure even greater distances to the stars.
All in all, Look Up!: The Story of the First Woman Astronomer is an artful, inspiring, and stellar biography of the first female astronomer.
March 12, 2016
Henrietta Swan Leavitt always wanted to be an astronomer, but at the time she graduated from Radcliffe College in 1892, such careers were not feasible for women. Instead, Leavitt found a job at the Harvard College Observatory in Cambridge as one of group of all-women human “computers.” These “computers” worked to measure and catalog the brightness of stars in photographic plates from the observatory telescopes, which women were not allowed to operate. (Edward Pickering, a noted astronomer who was head of the Harvard College Observatory, apparently hired women for this job to save money; he would have had to pay men more for doing the same job. Notably, other women in this group also became well-respected astronomers, including Annie Jump Cannon and Williamina Fleming.)
Leavitt received 30 cents an hour for her painstaking work studying plates with “variable stars,” those with luminosity that varied over time. Leavitt’s perseverance led to her discovery of how to measure the galactic distances using these so-called Cepheid variables. Overall, she discovered over 2,400 variable stars, approximately half the known total in that era. Edwin Hubble, who used her findings to establish that the universe was expanding, often said she deserved the Nobel Prize. By working out the “distance key,” Henrietta Swan Leavitt made possible all of the subsequent discoveries in astronomy of the 19th and 20th centuries, according to the Carnegie Institution for Science.
Leavitt was made head of stellar photometry in 1921 by new director Harlow Shapley, but she died late in the year from cancer, at age 53. Shapley later said, “If she had been free from those necessary chores [as a “computer”], I feel sure that Miss Leavitt’s scientific contributions would have been even more brilliant than they were.”
This book begins when Henrietta was a young girl, gazing at stars and dreaming of learning more about them, a trait that did not diminish over time but rather grew stronger:
“At work she looked and looked and looked, until her eyes blurred. When she closed her eyes, she could still see the star dots, dancing across the inside of her eyelids.”
When Henrietta had her breakthrough, she was [amazingly enough] able to publish her findings, proving, as the author states, “that the smallest observation, the tiniest discovery, often leads to something very important.”
An Afterword includes quotes by famous people about the stars, some additional background about Henrietta Leavitt, the names of some other women astronomers, and a glossary.
The prose isn’t all that remarkable, but the illustrations by Raúl Colón, done in his trademark style of watercolor washes, colored pencils and lithograph pencils, are lovely, and go much farther than the text in conveying the wonder of the night skies.
Evaluation: The concepts in here are a little difficult for the intended audience of 4-8, but the general idea, of a woman making important discoveries through a combination of dreams and persistence, is quite clear. The author never mentions that Henrietta became deaf (from an illness) after graduating from Radcliffe - an interesting omission, since that fact makes her accomplishments at that time all the more unusual.
Rating: 3.5/5
Leavitt received 30 cents an hour for her painstaking work studying plates with “variable stars,” those with luminosity that varied over time. Leavitt’s perseverance led to her discovery of how to measure the galactic distances using these so-called Cepheid variables. Overall, she discovered over 2,400 variable stars, approximately half the known total in that era. Edwin Hubble, who used her findings to establish that the universe was expanding, often said she deserved the Nobel Prize. By working out the “distance key,” Henrietta Swan Leavitt made possible all of the subsequent discoveries in astronomy of the 19th and 20th centuries, according to the Carnegie Institution for Science.
Leavitt was made head of stellar photometry in 1921 by new director Harlow Shapley, but she died late in the year from cancer, at age 53. Shapley later said, “If she had been free from those necessary chores [as a “computer”], I feel sure that Miss Leavitt’s scientific contributions would have been even more brilliant than they were.”
This book begins when Henrietta was a young girl, gazing at stars and dreaming of learning more about them, a trait that did not diminish over time but rather grew stronger:
“At work she looked and looked and looked, until her eyes blurred. When she closed her eyes, she could still see the star dots, dancing across the inside of her eyelids.”
When Henrietta had her breakthrough, she was [amazingly enough] able to publish her findings, proving, as the author states, “that the smallest observation, the tiniest discovery, often leads to something very important.”
An Afterword includes quotes by famous people about the stars, some additional background about Henrietta Leavitt, the names of some other women astronomers, and a glossary.
The prose isn’t all that remarkable, but the illustrations by Raúl Colón, done in his trademark style of watercolor washes, colored pencils and lithograph pencils, are lovely, and go much farther than the text in conveying the wonder of the night skies.
Evaluation: The concepts in here are a little difficult for the intended audience of 4-8, but the general idea, of a woman making important discoveries through a combination of dreams and persistence, is quite clear. The author never mentions that Henrietta became deaf (from an illness) after graduating from Radcliffe - an interesting omission, since that fact makes her accomplishments at that time all the more unusual.
Rating: 3.5/5
September 2, 2022
The story of Henrietta Leavitt is inspirational. This book for children tried to simplify the story to it's basic elements. A girl. She likes the stars. She works as a computer. She makes a discovery about the stars. But, what was the discovery and why was it so important? This question does not get answered and it left a gapping hole in the story. Oh well, I will find the answer by reading other books about Henrietta...and even check out the article she published about the pulsing of the stars.
February 5, 2014
Henrietta Leavitt helped discover in the early 1900s the first accurate method for measuring great distances in space. At that time, most women did not study astronomy or work in the field--but she was fascinated with the mysteries of the stars and followed her dreams to become one of the first women astronomers. Little is known about Henrietta. Based upon what he could uncover, Burleigh creates a simple inspiring narrative with more detail in the back matter about her life, a glossary, what she did discover, and other women astronomers who have made discoveries in the field. He invites children to explore the stars by listing books and web sites. Accompanied by Raul Colon's lovely watercolor illustrations, this book is well-written and organized--a fine introduction to astronomy and the work astronomers perform.
August 16, 2016
A very interesting story about a woman in a field of which I know very little. Astronomy has never appealed to me. I don't know, maybe I just lack imagination. But I thoroughly enjoyed this story about Henrietta Leavitt, her fascination with the stars and her groundbreaking work in astronomy. Of course, being a woman working in the 19th century, I'm certain she has not gotten the credit she deserves. However, it pleases me that this book is out there and may find it's way into the hands of imaginative little 21st century girls and inspire them to look up.
May 6, 2023
Oh my, starry eyed surprise.
Henrietta loved sitting on her porch gazing up at the stars. How high? How high is the sky? The sky seemed endless and she wanted to know about all of the bigness that she saw. Obsessed with stars, she would meticulously study photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard Observatory where she worked. The more she looked, the more she noticed. There were tiny changes; the stars going from bright to dim to bright again. It was a pattern! The stars were speaking to Henrietta and would help her unlock the secrets to the universe. A universe that was far bigger than anyone had dared imagine…
This is a glorious picture book biography about a remarkable and under-acknowledged female astronomer. A love for the night sky, an inquiring mind and an eye for the smallest of details tell the story of a young girl who would grow up to become the ‘pioneering woman astronomer.’ Robert Burleigh’s starry narrative and Raúl Colón’s fine watercolour illustrations offer a fascinating and insightful read.
The name Henrietta Leavitt was one I had not heard of before which is astonishing given what she discovered. A discovery that would change our understanding of the universe, Earth’s place within it and the course of astronomy forever. Painstakingly recording the tiny changes and patterns in the stars, Henrietta would unlock the secrets of the sky and make it possible for scientists and astronomers to determine the distance of stars. This would lead to a greater understanding of the vastness of not only the Milky Way, the galaxy containing the Earth, but the unimaginable scale of the universe and the further galaxies within it.
Henrietta’s story is a fine example of a woman in history achieving in a field that, at the time, was dominated by men. Surrounded by male astronomy teachers and students, Henrietta wanted to follow what she loved even if it meant working in a small, stuffy room as a ‘human computer' where the hours were long and the pay was poor. It would have been easy for her to just fall in line and to do what was asked of her, to record, to measure, to calculate; to work not think. Persistence and determination in the face of adversity and following your passion underpinned Henrietta’s life and her hard-work proved that the tiniest of discoveries can have the biggest impact.
Detailed back matter includes a collection of famous quotes about the stars with words from Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr.,Vincent Van Gogh and Dante Alighieri; commentary on Henrietta’s life; an overview of her discovery and its impact; and a brief overview of other notable women in astronomy. A glossary and further reading suggestions complete this attractive picture book biography.
Described by one astronomer of her time as ‘one of the most important woman ever to touch astronomy,’ and regarded by another close associate as having the ‘best mind at the Harvard Observatory,’ Henrietta Leavitt will inspire STEM loving children, especially those with a head (and eyes) for the stars.
Recommended for 7+.
Henrietta loved sitting on her porch gazing up at the stars. How high? How high is the sky? The sky seemed endless and she wanted to know about all of the bigness that she saw. Obsessed with stars, she would meticulously study photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard Observatory where she worked. The more she looked, the more she noticed. There were tiny changes; the stars going from bright to dim to bright again. It was a pattern! The stars were speaking to Henrietta and would help her unlock the secrets to the universe. A universe that was far bigger than anyone had dared imagine…
This is a glorious picture book biography about a remarkable and under-acknowledged female astronomer. A love for the night sky, an inquiring mind and an eye for the smallest of details tell the story of a young girl who would grow up to become the ‘pioneering woman astronomer.’ Robert Burleigh’s starry narrative and Raúl Colón’s fine watercolour illustrations offer a fascinating and insightful read.
The name Henrietta Leavitt was one I had not heard of before which is astonishing given what she discovered. A discovery that would change our understanding of the universe, Earth’s place within it and the course of astronomy forever. Painstakingly recording the tiny changes and patterns in the stars, Henrietta would unlock the secrets of the sky and make it possible for scientists and astronomers to determine the distance of stars. This would lead to a greater understanding of the vastness of not only the Milky Way, the galaxy containing the Earth, but the unimaginable scale of the universe and the further galaxies within it.
Henrietta’s story is a fine example of a woman in history achieving in a field that, at the time, was dominated by men. Surrounded by male astronomy teachers and students, Henrietta wanted to follow what she loved even if it meant working in a small, stuffy room as a ‘human computer' where the hours were long and the pay was poor. It would have been easy for her to just fall in line and to do what was asked of her, to record, to measure, to calculate; to work not think. Persistence and determination in the face of adversity and following your passion underpinned Henrietta’s life and her hard-work proved that the tiniest of discoveries can have the biggest impact.
Detailed back matter includes a collection of famous quotes about the stars with words from Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr.,Vincent Van Gogh and Dante Alighieri; commentary on Henrietta’s life; an overview of her discovery and its impact; and a brief overview of other notable women in astronomy. A glossary and further reading suggestions complete this attractive picture book biography.
Described by one astronomer of her time as ‘one of the most important woman ever to touch astronomy,’ and regarded by another close associate as having the ‘best mind at the Harvard Observatory,’ Henrietta Leavitt will inspire STEM loving children, especially those with a head (and eyes) for the stars.
Recommended for 7+.
June 30, 2022
Once upon a time in a time much different from our own there lived a young girl who admired the vast sky surrounding us. At nights she would come out of her parents house and wonder how high and admirable the stars were high up in the sky. This young girl grew up to become an astronomer who discovered one of the first accurate methods for measuring great distances in space. Her discovery promised to become the backbone for many space discoveries that came in and after her years. This women was even nominated for Nobel Prize in 1921.This astronomer's life is one of the greatest examples that dreams do come true. Who is she you many wondering by now. Her name was HENRIETTA SWAN LEAVITT and Look Up by Robert Burleigh is her story.
In my opinion every young reader would love and enjoy this book. This is one of the best books you can gift to your space enthusiastic young readers. Wonderful writing packed with beautiful illustrations makes this book wonderful. The mesmerising quotes at the end of this picture book is so stunning and awesome to read. Filled with eye catching illustrations and cosmic fantasies written beautifully this is a great read.
Cheers and best wishes:)
J
In my opinion every young reader would love and enjoy this book. This is one of the best books you can gift to your space enthusiastic young readers. Wonderful writing packed with beautiful illustrations makes this book wonderful. The mesmerising quotes at the end of this picture book is so stunning and awesome to read. Filled with eye catching illustrations and cosmic fantasies written beautifully this is a great read.
Cheers and best wishes:)
J
March 11, 2019
I normally don't read a book for its illustrations, but for this book, I found the pictures particularly notable. (Funny thing is, I have a great-grandmother Henrietta.)
I liked about this book how it hints at all of what you can investigate in the astrophysics like what I've done at the university with all the sigmas and lambdas, without going into a discussion of partial derivatives. It gives you Henrietta's affirmation, yes, I am an astronomer! so that you can think maybe you can be that way soon too.
Well, that is, after you're done playing with all the fun mathematical necessities.
I liked about this book how it hints at all of what you can investigate in the astrophysics like what I've done at the university with all the sigmas and lambdas, without going into a discussion of partial derivatives. It gives you Henrietta's affirmation, yes, I am an astronomer! so that you can think maybe you can be that way soon too.
Well, that is, after you're done playing with all the fun mathematical necessities.
October 16, 2017
Growing up Henrietta loved to look into the sky at night and watch the stars. As she got older only men worked at observatories and the women did all the research for them. After a long study she realized something about the milky way that no man ever found in the 60's. Do not give up your dreams just because only a certain gender does it.
September 2, 2021
A second book about a woman astronomer- Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921) -- that I read today. I liked The Stuff Between the Stars about Vera Rubin more (both for the text and the illustrations) but I am happy to know that more women are being recognized as scientists and having more picture books written about them.
May 6, 2019
The illustrations in this book were colorful and detailed which made them appealing to look at. However, this book contained a lot of information that was all in large chunks of text of every page. This might be discouraging to reluctant readers or young readers.
Ideas
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Ideas
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LEXILE: N/A
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February 25, 2025
As a woman astronomer in the late 19th-early 20th centuries, Henrietta Leavitt was all too often overlooked or dismissed. I am happy to see her getting some long overdue recognition, and hope her story proves inspiring to many young future scientists.
March 23, 2017
This non-fiction book is for older children in elementary school. I would say the audience is in the 6-12 year old range. Maybe a handful of older preschoolers who love science & astronomy and who can sit through longer, more complicated books might like it.
My kids are very into science and they were just studying astronomy in school so they both enjoyed this book.
I did not know anything about this astronomer prior to this book so I also learned a lot.
Interesting, well written & nicely illustrated book.
My kids are very into science and they were just studying astronomy in school so they both enjoyed this book.
I did not know anything about this astronomer prior to this book so I also learned a lot.
Interesting, well written & nicely illustrated book.
November 1, 2018
My son said " The beginning was good but the ending was not ok". My son is 6 years old.
March 6, 2019
Gorgeous illustrations, but the text is a bit dry. I understand that explaining exactly what Leavitt discovered takes quite a bit of explanation, but it felt a bit tedious.
Even so, good story!
Even so, good story!
June 9, 2019
3 1/2. A good introduction.
October 3, 2019
Ok book. Her scientific contribution is mentioned, but the science itself is not explained.
December 2, 2020
Beautiful children's book!
Read
December 21, 2020Great book and great story.
October 12, 2022
Amazing! I enjoyed reading about her discovery and how humans learned that the universe was bigger than they thought.
October 24, 2022
This was not great.
May 27, 2024
Read and rated: 2018-12-13
July 30, 2022
Okay, but the story felt oversimplified and underwhelming. The artwork wasn’t anything outstanding but I can appreciate this book for what it is.
October 14, 2019
The pictures resonated...but not the words. But that's just me, I guess
March 4, 2017
Interesting non-fiction book for elementary age kids about the woman astronomer who broke with tradition and studies the skies and the stars. She was always wondering about the distance. Good resource for report for younger grade kids. Long read aloud with many words.
March 2, 2017
Young dreamer becomes an astronomer and discovers the vastness of the universe.
April 29, 2017
An engaging biography of Henrietta Leavitt, female astronomer. The complexity of her work is explained in a way that younger readers will understand. Includes backmatter. Artwork is exquisite.
April 17, 2018
Growing up Henrietta loved to look into the sky at night and watch the stars. As she got older only men worked at observatories and the women did all the research for them. After a long study she realized something about the milky way that no man ever found in the 60's. Do not give up your dreams just because only a certain gender does it.
February 24, 2017
Raul Colon's gorgeous illustrations are the perfect complement to Robert Burleigh's clear but vibrant writing. Henrietta Swan Leavitt's passion and determination shine through in both the text and art, resulting in a historical story of a woman's triumph in the male-dominated world of astronomy that is inspiring and engaging.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews