Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed, illustrated by Stasia Burrington

Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  From an early age, Mae Jemison dreamed of becoming an astronaut.  Her mother told her what becomes a repeating refrain in this book: “If you can dream it, if you believe it and work hard for it, anything is possible.”  At school, some kids laughed at her aspiration, and a teacher told her nursing would be a more appropriate profession.  Fortunately, her mother didn’t let her believe this, and Mae promised that one day she would wave to her parents from a spaceship.  The last page shows the adult Mae in her orange space suit and reveals that she did become an astronaut and wave to her mom and dad on Earth.  Includes a page with additional biographical information.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  An inspiring story of following your dream, illustrated with engaging round-faced characters and plenty of color.

Cons:  The biographical information is pretty thin.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.