Look Up! Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer; Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Raúl Colón

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+.