New York Times bestselling author Margot Lee Shetterly’s book is now available in a new edition perfect for young readers. This is the amazing true story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. This book brings to life the stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, four African-American women who lived through the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the movement for gender equality, and whose work forever changed the face of NASA and the country.

The #1 New York Times bestseller

The phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

Among these problem-solvers were a group of exceptionally talented African American women, some of the brightest minds of their generation. Originally relegated to teaching math in the South’s segregated public schools, they were called into service during the labor shortages of World War II, when America’s aeronautics industry was in dire need of anyone who had the right stuff. Suddenly, these overlooked math whizzes had a shot at jobs worthy of their skills, and they answered Uncle Sam’s call, moving to Hampton, Virginia and the fascinating, high-energy world of the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory.

Even as Virginia’s Jim Crow laws required them to be segregated from their white counterparts, the women of Langley’s all-black “West Computing” group helped America achieve one of the things it desired most: a decisive victory over the Soviet Union in the Cold War, and complete domination of the heavens.

Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race, Hidden Figures follows the interwoven accounts of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, four African American women who participated in some of NASA’s greatest successes. It chronicles their careers over nearly three decades they faced challenges, forged alliances and used their intellect to change their own lives, and their country’s future.

 

La fenomenal historia de mujeres matemáticas afroamericanas de la NASA en la vanguardia del movimiento feminista y de derechos civiles, cuyos cálculos impulsaron uno de los mayores logros espaciales de Estados Unidos. Pronto será una gran película protagonizada por Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, y Kevin Costner. Antes de que John Glenn girara en órbita alrededor de la Tierra, o Neil Armstrong caminara en la luna, un grupo de mujeres profesionales en el área de las matemáticas conocidas como «computadoras humanas» usaron lápices, reglas de cálculo, máquinas de sumar para escribir las ecuaciones base para el lanzamiento de cohetes y astronautas al espacio. Entre ellas se encuentran un grupo de mujeres afroamericanas excepcionalmente talentosas, algunas de las mentes más brillantes de su generación. Originalmente relegadas a enseñar matemáticas en escuelas públicas segregadas del sur, fueron llamadas a servir durante la escasez laboral de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, cuando la industria aeronáutica de Estados Unidos se encontraba en extrema necesidad de alguien con conocimientos. Repentinamente, estas profesionales tenían acceso a un empleo digno de sus habilidades y respondieron al llamado del Tío Sam, se mudaron a Hampton, Virginia, y al fascinante mundo del Laboratorio Aeronáutico Langley Memorial. A pesar de que las leyes Jim Crow de Virginia les obligaba a estar separadas de sus homólogos blancos, el grupo de mujeres afroamericanas «Computadoras del oeste» ayudó a Estados Unidos a alcanzar una de las metas más deseadas: una victoria decisiva sobre la Unión Soviética durante la Guerra Fría, y el dominio completo de los cielos. Iniciando en la Segunda Guerra Mundial y hasta la Guerra Fría, el Movimiento de los derechos civiles y la carrera espacial, Figuras ocultas entrelaza las historias de Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson y Christine Darden, cuatro mujeres afroamericanas que participaron en algunos de los mayores éxitos de la NASA. Es la crónica de sus carreras a lo largo de casi tres décadas en las que enfrentaron desafíos, alianzas y utilizaron su intelecto para cambiar sus vidas y el futuro de su país.

Entre estas “calculadoras” havia um pequeno grupo excecional de mulheres afro-americanas, especialmente talentosas. Faziam parte das mentes mais brilhantes da sua geração. Mulheres que tinham sido relegadas para ensinar matemática em escolas públicas só para negros do Sul, mas que foram chamadas para servir durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, devido à escassez de mão de obra, quando a indústria da aviação necessitava de qualquer pessoa que pudesse ajudar. De repente, essas mulheres desvalorizadas até então, encontraram empregos adequados à sua genialidade, e responderam afirmativamente à chamada do Tio Sam e foram para Hampton, na Virgínia, para o fascinante laboratório aeronáutico de Langley. Mesmo ali, foram segregadas do resto das mulheres porque a Lei na Virgínia assim o estabelecia. Deste modo, esta equipa ajudou de forma excelente a que os Estados Unidos ganhassem a corrida espacial à URSS durante a Guerra Fria. Esta é a história incrível de um grupo de matemáticas afro-americanas que, com os seus cálculos, ajudaram a NASA e os EUA em alguns dos acontecimentos mais importantes da corrida espacial. Este livro começa na Segunda Guerra Mundial e desenvolve-se durante a Guerra Fria, o movimento dos direitos civis e da corrida espacial. Elementos Secretos segue a vida de Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson e Christine Darden, quatro mulheres afro-americanas que participaram em vários dos maiores sucessos da NASA. É uma crónica de quase três décadas durante as quais essas mulheres enfrentaram desafios, forjaram alianças e usaram o seu intelecto para mudar as suas próprias vidas e o futuro do seu país. Elementos Secretos de Margot Lee Shetterly

Durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, a incipiente indústria aeronáutica americana contratou matemáticas negras para suprir sua falta de mão de obra. Esses “computadores humanos” continuaram trabalhando para seu governo e passaram a fazer parte da NASA em uma época em que vingava a segregação racial. Elas garantiram que os Estados Unidos ganhassem a corrida especial contra a União Soviética e lutaram para realizar o sonho americano. Esta é a sua história, que chega também aos cinemas na adaptação cinematográfica estrelada por Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst e Jim Parsons.

The phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA at the leading edge of the feminist and civil rights movement, whose calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space-a powerful, revelatory contribution that is as essential to our understanding of race, discrimination, and achievement in modern America as Between the World and Me and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner. Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. Among these problem-solvers were a group of exceptionally talented African American women, some of the brightest minds of their generation. Originally relegated to teaching math in the South’s segregated public schools, they were called into service during the labor shortages of World War II, when America’s aeronautics industry was in dire need of anyone who had the right stuff. Suddenly, these overlooked math whizzes had a shot at jobs worthy of their skills, and they answered Uncle Sam’s call, moving to Hampton, Virginia and the fascinating, high-energy world of the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory.

This beloved novel hits the big screen in a major motion picture adaptation from Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks Studios — starring Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance as the BFG! 

The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It’s lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the giants are flush-bunking off to England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!

From the bestselling author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Matilda! 

#1 New York Times Bestseller
Newbery Honor Book
Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award (Middle School)
Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Books of 2015
New York Public Library’s 100 Books for Reading and Sharing 

An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars.
 
Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
 
So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
 
This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making.

A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, Can we do this anonymously? Because I don’t need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week.

So begins Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic–and sarcastic asides–to the classics. He explains how the world was created, then gives readers his personal take on a who’s who of ancients, from Apollo to Zeus. Percy does not hold back. “If you like horror shows, blood baths, lying, stealing, backstabbing, and cannibalism, then read on, because it definitely was a Golden Age for all that.”

Dramatic full-color illustrations throughout by Caldecott Honoree John Rocco make this volume–a must for home, library, and classroom shelves–as stunning as it is entertaining.

From award-winning author Sharon Draper comes Out of My Mind, the story of a brilliant girl who cannot speak or write.

“If there is one book teens and parents (and everyone else) should read this year, Out of My Mind should be it” (Denver Post).

Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom—the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged, because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she’s determined to let everyone know it…somehow.

In this breakthrough story—reminiscent of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly—from multiple Coretta Scott King Award-winner Sharon Draper, readers will come to know a brilliant mind and a brave spirit who will change forever how they look at anyone with a disability.