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What Miss Mitchell Saw
Discover the amazing true story of Maria Mitchell, America’s first professional female astronomer.
Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual: a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell’s extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her to become America’s first professional female astronomer.
Gorgeously illustrated by Diana Sudyka, this moving picture book about a girl from humble beginnings who became a star in the field of astronomy is sure to inspire budding scientists everywhere.
Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual: a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell’s extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her to become America’s first professional female astronomer.
Gorgeously illustrated by Diana Sudyka, this moving picture book about a girl from humble beginnings who became a star in the field of astronomy is sure to inspire budding scientists everywhere.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 100 reviews
November 14, 2019
Maria Mitchell, America’s first professional female astronomer, is the subject of this fine picture book written by Hayley Barrett and illustrated by Diana Sudyka. In 1847, by using a telescope, she discovered a comet, now known as "Miss Mitchell's Comet." She learned science and astronomy from her father and other American astronomers, who supported her claim to the King of Denmark, who gave her a gold medal for her landmark discovery.
A review from the always amazing Maria Popova:
https://www.brainpickings.org/2019/10...
I paraphrase Popova here:
The book ends with the motto on the medal: “Not in vain do we watch the setting and the rising of the stars” — a sentiment that echoes the dying words of the great astronomer Tycho Brahe, which Adrienne Rich incorporated into her tribute to Caroline Herschel, the world’s first professional woman astronomer: “Let me not seem to have lived in vain.”
One of several recent and inspirational STEM-related picture books for girls on the history of science.
A review from the always amazing Maria Popova:
https://www.brainpickings.org/2019/10...
I paraphrase Popova here:
The book ends with the motto on the medal: “Not in vain do we watch the setting and the rising of the stars” — a sentiment that echoes the dying words of the great astronomer Tycho Brahe, which Adrienne Rich incorporated into her tribute to Caroline Herschel, the world’s first professional woman astronomer: “Let me not seem to have lived in vain.”
One of several recent and inspirational STEM-related picture books for girls on the history of science.
February 9, 2021
4.5 STARS
This book is gorgeous. It really felt like an experience reading it. I loved the writing style, loved the illustrations -- everything weaves together so beautifully and I just felt pulled right in. Also, my boys asked for an immediate reread, which is always high praise. I'm so glad I could introduce my children to Mitchell. This book focuses only on her discovery of the comet but the back matter shows her pioneering nature was not limited only to science and mentions her important work with promoting equality for women and blacks.
The only reason I can't award quite five full stars is that I found it slightly annoying that you have to interrupt your reading and do some math to figure out the year of Mitchell's birth (we don't have any dates given in the story -- the biographical information in the back tells us she was twenty-nine in 1847 when she saw the comet) and other aspects of the timeline are a bit vague (i.e., in what year was she "the first professor hired at the newly founded Vassar Female College"? Of course, I could go look up what Vassar was founded... But, it would be so much easier for the reader if a timeline with dates was included (and it's not that hard to include one) and I do think it would have made the back matter stronger. Also, I wish some bibliographical information was provided in the book itself -- there is simply a note to see the author's website for the list of sources. At least it exists, but, again, I do wish this information was more "at your fingertips" without having to jump onto your phone or computer but I guess I'm just being old-fashioned in wanting it right there on the page.
Still, overall it's a wonderful and very memorable picture book and one I would highly recommend to anyone interested in astronomy and/or female pioneers in science.
This book is gorgeous. It really felt like an experience reading it. I loved the writing style, loved the illustrations -- everything weaves together so beautifully and I just felt pulled right in. Also, my boys asked for an immediate reread, which is always high praise. I'm so glad I could introduce my children to Mitchell. This book focuses only on her discovery of the comet but the back matter shows her pioneering nature was not limited only to science and mentions her important work with promoting equality for women and blacks.
The only reason I can't award quite five full stars is that I found it slightly annoying that you have to interrupt your reading and do some math to figure out the year of Mitchell's birth (we don't have any dates given in the story -- the biographical information in the back tells us she was twenty-nine in 1847 when she saw the comet) and other aspects of the timeline are a bit vague (i.e., in what year was she "the first professor hired at the newly founded Vassar Female College"? Of course, I could go look up what Vassar was founded... But, it would be so much easier for the reader if a timeline with dates was included (and it's not that hard to include one) and I do think it would have made the back matter stronger. Also, I wish some bibliographical information was provided in the book itself -- there is simply a note to see the author's website for the list of sources. At least it exists, but, again, I do wish this information was more "at your fingertips" without having to jump onto your phone or computer but I guess I'm just being old-fashioned in wanting it right there on the page.
Still, overall it's a wonderful and very memorable picture book and one I would highly recommend to anyone interested in astronomy and/or female pioneers in science.
January 12, 2020
I love everything about this book. The repetition of the names she knew, the language used being so challeging but worked out by context, the amazing illustrations, the story about how being steady and working consistently can pay off.
December 31, 2019
Beautifully illustrated book about Maria Mitchell from Nantucket.. This non fiction picture book tells the story of Maria's life and her love of astronomy and the discovery she made.
June 1, 2021
(The first page brought a wave of nostalgia. My only girl cousin, five years older, was a fan of the song 'They call the wind Maria,' sung it regularly when we did chores or whatever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByqYE...) So, yeah, good reminder that Miss Mitchell's family pronounced her name a little differently.
Anyway, the book is beautiful, with lucid & graceful writing. Normally I'm not a fan of the theme of "who found it first" but given history of diminishing women's contributions, it's important that "Miss Mitchell saw a comet. The world saw her." Even better, it's pointed out all the other important work she did.
Highly recommended.
Anyway, the book is beautiful, with lucid & graceful writing. Normally I'm not a fan of the theme of "who found it first" but given history of diminishing women's contributions, it's important that "Miss Mitchell saw a comet. The world saw her." Even better, it's pointed out all the other important work she did.
Highly recommended.
December 16, 2019
Wow, what an incredible story! The book focuses on Maria Mitchell’s life and the passion she has for astronomy. A very interesting read that I learnt a lot from including some great space vocabulary, which would be very exciting to read alongside the topic of space to teach children about the amazing things astronomers do. This book is very unique compared to some children’s books as it is more of a biographical story. The illustrations are also stunning and adds detail to the text. Love it!
September 21, 2023
A gorgeous book illustrating the life and interest of Maria Mitchell, astronomer, educator and activist.
Throughout this book it is clear that Maria is a passionate and knowledgeable astronomer and Hayley Barrett has done a wonderful job capturing the greatness of her work with a gentle nod to the sheer lack of women in science during the Victorian era.
The story itself feels as though it is a fairy tale. All of the wonder and magnificence involved with Marias work and even the illustrations from Diana Sudyka are fantastic and really engage the reader with just how amazing space and the world around us is.
Maria Mitchell is someone that I hadn’t ever come across before but her work is very commendable and the passion she had which Barrett captured is a wonderful thing to share with a class, especially young girls who may be interested in science.
Throughout this book it is clear that Maria is a passionate and knowledgeable astronomer and Hayley Barrett has done a wonderful job capturing the greatness of her work with a gentle nod to the sheer lack of women in science during the Victorian era.
The story itself feels as though it is a fairy tale. All of the wonder and magnificence involved with Marias work and even the illustrations from Diana Sudyka are fantastic and really engage the reader with just how amazing space and the world around us is.
Maria Mitchell is someone that I hadn’t ever come across before but her work is very commendable and the passion she had which Barrett captured is a wonderful thing to share with a class, especially young girls who may be interested in science.
November 16, 2020
WOW - if i could give this book more than 5 stars i definitely would!
The first thing that stood out to me was the front cover of this book. It is dark but i love the use of colour on the stars and the white lettering and picture of Miss Mitchell on a black background. As well as the front cover, the illustrations by Diana Sudyka are amazing and captivating throughout the book. I personally love space and planets so my view may be slightly biased, but i found the way that the illustrations had been done to be really effective and engaged me further when reading the book.
The story was really engaging and i liked that we, as readers, were able to get to know Maria Mitchell straight from when she was born and join her on her journey to becoming an adult and a great astronomer - one who was the first to see a comet! Maria had worked hard her whole life so it made me so happy to see her receive a medal for her findings at the end of the book.
If using with children in a classroom, i would likely use this book this book on a 1:1 basis or with a small group. This is because of the amount of text and the use of some words which children may need defining and someone to explain what it is (e.g. a sextant). I would probably use this book in KS2 rather than KS1 however, if the teacher is reading the book rather than the children this book may be appropriate in upper KS1.
Before getting to the end of the book, i was not aware that this was actually a biography of Maria Mitchell's life. Finding this out made the book even better for me and i am motivated to find out more about Maria and her work. I think the facts would be really good to use, especially if teaching about influential women/women in science/astronomy.
Will definitely be getting a copy (or a few copies) of this book for my classroom.
The first thing that stood out to me was the front cover of this book. It is dark but i love the use of colour on the stars and the white lettering and picture of Miss Mitchell on a black background. As well as the front cover, the illustrations by Diana Sudyka are amazing and captivating throughout the book. I personally love space and planets so my view may be slightly biased, but i found the way that the illustrations had been done to be really effective and engaged me further when reading the book.
The story was really engaging and i liked that we, as readers, were able to get to know Maria Mitchell straight from when she was born and join her on her journey to becoming an adult and a great astronomer - one who was the first to see a comet! Maria had worked hard her whole life so it made me so happy to see her receive a medal for her findings at the end of the book.
If using with children in a classroom, i would likely use this book this book on a 1:1 basis or with a small group. This is because of the amount of text and the use of some words which children may need defining and someone to explain what it is (e.g. a sextant). I would probably use this book in KS2 rather than KS1 however, if the teacher is reading the book rather than the children this book may be appropriate in upper KS1.
Before getting to the end of the book, i was not aware that this was actually a biography of Maria Mitchell's life. Finding this out made the book even better for me and i am motivated to find out more about Maria and her work. I think the facts would be really good to use, especially if teaching about influential women/women in science/astronomy.
Will definitely be getting a copy (or a few copies) of this book for my classroom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2019
What Miss Mitchell Saw is a children's picture book written by Hayley Barrett and illustrated by Diana Sudyka. It is a biographical picture book of Maria Mitchell – an astronomer.
Maria Mitchell was an American astronomer, who in 1847 by using a telescope and discovered a comet, which as a result became known as "Miss Mitchell's Comet". She won a gold medal prize for her discovery, which was presented to her by King Christian VIII of Denmark. Mitchell was the first American woman to work as a professional astronomer.
Barrett's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Barrett focuses on Mitchell's life up to the moment she discovered a comet, emphasizing her persistence and her environment. Additional notes on Mitchell's path-breaking career could be found in the backmatter. Sudyka's watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations show stars gleaming from the ocean depths and inching up a woman's hem as Mitchell herself is swept aloft by their beauty and power.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Born in 1818 to a family of Nantucket Quakers, Mitchell earned international renown for discovering a comet in 1847, winning the King of Denmark's gold medal and besting male claimants to the prize. The narrative tells the story of her birth to her discovery of a new comet.
All in all, What Miss Mitchell Saw is a wonderful biographical picture book about the perseverance of Maria Mitchell – an astronomer.
Maria Mitchell was an American astronomer, who in 1847 by using a telescope and discovered a comet, which as a result became known as "Miss Mitchell's Comet". She won a gold medal prize for her discovery, which was presented to her by King Christian VIII of Denmark. Mitchell was the first American woman to work as a professional astronomer.
Barrett's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Barrett focuses on Mitchell's life up to the moment she discovered a comet, emphasizing her persistence and her environment. Additional notes on Mitchell's path-breaking career could be found in the backmatter. Sudyka's watercolor, ink, and gouache illustrations show stars gleaming from the ocean depths and inching up a woman's hem as Mitchell herself is swept aloft by their beauty and power.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Born in 1818 to a family of Nantucket Quakers, Mitchell earned international renown for discovering a comet in 1847, winning the King of Denmark's gold medal and besting male claimants to the prize. The narrative tells the story of her birth to her discovery of a new comet.
All in all, What Miss Mitchell Saw is a wonderful biographical picture book about the perseverance of Maria Mitchell – an astronomer.
June 25, 2020
The most wonderful text! Both beautifully told and beautifully illustrated. One to definitely share with every class. A text I will certainly consider to be central to some thematic planning in the future.
June 25, 2021
Library book. We have artwork from the illustrator hanging in our home so I was surprised to find this on the library shelf! The artwork is just glorious and the text holds its own.
August 25, 2021
Beautiful illustrations! It didn’t capture my attention the way that I had hoped.
January 11, 2020
Beautiful illustrations and an engaging story. I was unfamiliar with Marie Mitchell, but am happy to learn about her as a role model for young scientists.
December 8, 2019
Wow, stunning illustrations. A worthy tribute to a lesser known woman in STEM!
December 15, 2019
Reading this book I instantly fell in love with it and I can’t wait to use it in the classroom. Based on the true life story of Maria Mitchell, a girl born in the 19th century who shared her fathers love and passion for astronomy. This book doesn’t follow a conventional adventure narrative that you might expect from a child’s picture book, instead opts to give you an insight into the life of Miss Mitchell as she grows up and develops her passion. This simple passion holds many interesting and exciting details that can inspire and excite children through a quite unique biographical story.
The illustrations by Diana Sudyka have an charming and soothing aura to them that I simply love.
The illustrations by Diana Sudyka have an charming and soothing aura to them that I simply love.
January 6, 2020
Gorgeously illustrated children's book that I picked up from Brain Pickings and loved. The starry theme made this fun to read around Christmas-time and it's a surprisingly richly detailed story despite the short length. I had never heard of Miss Mitchell but can see a direct line from her to The Madame Curie Complex to Hidden Figures now that I have. If you're someone who likes learning about under-represented historic figures, astronomic history, and women's stories, this one is for you. Good for a range of ages as the illustrations are beautiful and will captivate little eyes but the story is detailed enough to snare slightly older kids and keep them from getting bored. Loved this.
December 28, 2019
Maria's (Ma-rye-ah's) story is an important one for young children to read/hear. It is beautifully written and illustrated, creating an engaging piece of history. Maria had a passion, listened to her mentor, researched and studied more on her own, and spent most of her days pursuing her passion. She did so during a time when women were not featured on the front page. This biography shows that perseverance is worthwhile and hard work is enjoyable when you are invested in your work.
January 30, 2020
Perfect example of a great picture book biography. Interesting and engaging, narrative text that doesn't feel bogged down, succinct and interesting back matter. I loved the dreamy illustrations, too.
Read
October 30, 2019A gloriously illustrated look at Maria Mitchell's early life up to her discovery of a new comet. More information is included in the endnotes.
January 29, 2020
3.5 stars -- Enchanting illustrations bring to life a time and place of long ago, when Maria Mitchell discovered a comet and made a place for herself and other women in science.
March 28, 2020
Maria (pronounced ma - RYE - ah) Mitchell was born in 1818 in Nantucket, Massachusetts to a Quaker family. Her father, a teacher and amateur astronomer, showed Maria how to use a telescope and to sweep the sky as carefully as she would sweep a room. The author quotes Maria’s father as advising her:
“Thee must wonder. Thee must watch closely. Then will thee see and know for thyself.
Maria’s father also taught her to use other instruments, including the sextants and chronometers whalers used to help them steer their ships off the Nantucket shores.
Maria became a teacher, like her father, and a librarian, like her mother. She used the quiet time at the library to study advanced mathematics and celestial navigation. At night, she continued to sweep the stars.
One evening, she found a comet, and she and her father rushed to publish the news; the King of Denmark had pledged a gold medal to any astronomer who discovered a new comet with a telescope.
Maria, only 29, made the historic observation in 1847, and won the medal. It bore the motto: “Not in vain do we watch the setting and the rising of the stars.” (These were the dying words of the great astronomer Tycho Brahe). The author concludes: “Miss Mitchell saw a comet. The world saw her.”
End matter includes more information about Maria Mitchell, such as the fact that she was the first woman astronomer employed by the U.S. government, the first professor hired at the newly founded Vassar College (though she had no college education of her own), the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a cofounder of the Association for the Advancement of Women.
The author also notes that Maria was active in campaigning for both women’s rights and for abolition. She even refused to wear clothes made out of Southern cotton. She became quite well-known, and entertained prominent activists in her home, including Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth.
Maria died in June 28, 1889 at the age of 70. An organization, the Maria Mitchell Association, was established in Nantucket to honor Mitchell’s work and to promote the sciences. It also operates an observatory named in her honor.
Illustrator Diana Sudyka uses gouache, watercolor, and ink to depict Maria’s world as one filled with both the ocean swirls off the coast of Nantucket and the stars and planets in the night sky overhead. (This connection is a reflected in the text as well: “She marveled at the celestial phenomena that arched overhead like a whale’s sparkling splash.”) A variety of fonts help emphasize what was important to Maria.
Evaluation: This welcome addition to picture book accounts of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) should have great appeal to its intended audience of 5-8 years. I especially loved the way Maria’s clothes are shown as sparkly and full of stars, which might convince girls fond of glitter and princesses that scientific endeavors are worth their consideration.
“Thee must wonder. Thee must watch closely. Then will thee see and know for thyself.
Maria’s father also taught her to use other instruments, including the sextants and chronometers whalers used to help them steer their ships off the Nantucket shores.
Maria became a teacher, like her father, and a librarian, like her mother. She used the quiet time at the library to study advanced mathematics and celestial navigation. At night, she continued to sweep the stars.
One evening, she found a comet, and she and her father rushed to publish the news; the King of Denmark had pledged a gold medal to any astronomer who discovered a new comet with a telescope.
Maria, only 29, made the historic observation in 1847, and won the medal. It bore the motto: “Not in vain do we watch the setting and the rising of the stars.” (These were the dying words of the great astronomer Tycho Brahe). The author concludes: “Miss Mitchell saw a comet. The world saw her.”
End matter includes more information about Maria Mitchell, such as the fact that she was the first woman astronomer employed by the U.S. government, the first professor hired at the newly founded Vassar College (though she had no college education of her own), the first woman elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a cofounder of the Association for the Advancement of Women.
The author also notes that Maria was active in campaigning for both women’s rights and for abolition. She even refused to wear clothes made out of Southern cotton. She became quite well-known, and entertained prominent activists in her home, including Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth.
Maria died in June 28, 1889 at the age of 70. An organization, the Maria Mitchell Association, was established in Nantucket to honor Mitchell’s work and to promote the sciences. It also operates an observatory named in her honor.
Illustrator Diana Sudyka uses gouache, watercolor, and ink to depict Maria’s world as one filled with both the ocean swirls off the coast of Nantucket and the stars and planets in the night sky overhead. (This connection is a reflected in the text as well: “She marveled at the celestial phenomena that arched overhead like a whale’s sparkling splash.”) A variety of fonts help emphasize what was important to Maria.
Evaluation: This welcome addition to picture book accounts of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) should have great appeal to its intended audience of 5-8 years. I especially loved the way Maria’s clothes are shown as sparkly and full of stars, which might convince girls fond of glitter and princesses that scientific endeavors are worth their consideration.
September 29, 2021
I wasn't as enamored with this as Kathryn was. I know the story and I've been to Maria Mitchell's home in Nantucket. In this book I was missing the influence of Maria Mitchell's Quaker upbringing which is mentioned in the author's note in the back of the book. Because her family was Quaker and they believed in equality, she was educated the same as boys. I think more could have been made of the typical sexism of the time. I also felt the author could have made more of Maria Mitchell's exceptional skill at mathematics. Maria attended a school for young ladies and also learned astronomy and advanced mathematics from her father. Maria soon opened her own school for girls to learn the same subjects as boys. By 14 she was calculating navigational computations for sailors leaving on whaling journeys. The book indicates her father was helping her the official museum tour mentioned only Maria. I also missed the part of the story where she went up on the roof of her family's home at the Pacific National Bank to avoid a tedious PARTY when she discovered a comet! She never would have seen the comet if she had stayed inside playing the piano the way she usually did.
I agree with Kathryn that more dates need to be mentioned.
I did like the inclusion of the part of her story where she pushed for credit for discovering a comet. Her meticulous notes won her the award.
While I appreciate the illustrator's stylistic approach to Maria Mitchell's plain black wardrobe- the milky way dress is pretty- the rest of the illustrations are duds. She didn't seem to have traveled to Nantucket or looked at photos. Not even the Mitchell house looks accurate in the least bit. I didn't recognize it or the town and the house is just up from Main Street which looks similar to what it would have looked like in the mid-19th-century.
If you've never heard of Maria Mitchell and can't get to Nantucket, I suppose this is a good place for kids to start but I would highly recommend a trip to Nantucket. The museum admission includes a natural history museum, an aquarium, the Mitchell House and the Maria Mitchell observatory next door. I did the Maria Mitchell House, the observatory and natural history museum. Then my brother bought tickets for his family and they enjoyed the natural history museum. My dad used my ticket to take the kids to the aquarium.
I agree with Kathryn that more dates need to be mentioned.
I did like the inclusion of the part of her story where she pushed for credit for discovering a comet. Her meticulous notes won her the award.
While I appreciate the illustrator's stylistic approach to Maria Mitchell's plain black wardrobe- the milky way dress is pretty- the rest of the illustrations are duds. She didn't seem to have traveled to Nantucket or looked at photos. Not even the Mitchell house looks accurate in the least bit. I didn't recognize it or the town and the house is just up from Main Street which looks similar to what it would have looked like in the mid-19th-century.
If you've never heard of Maria Mitchell and can't get to Nantucket, I suppose this is a good place for kids to start but I would highly recommend a trip to Nantucket. The museum admission includes a natural history museum, an aquarium, the Mitchell House and the Maria Mitchell observatory next door. I did the Maria Mitchell House, the observatory and natural history museum. Then my brother bought tickets for his family and they enjoyed the natural history museum. My dad used my ticket to take the kids to the aquarium.
March 20, 2025
I purchased this book in July of 2024 while vacationing on Nantucket with my daughter, just a few days after visiting the Maria Mitchell Association's Loines Observatory for one of their fantastic evening stargazing events. 'What Miss Mitchell Saw' is a beautiful introduction to her awe-inspiring life and work, and I knew from the first moment I read it in the bookstore that I wanted to share this story with my daughter's 5th grade class during one of my guest reader visits. I got the opportunity to do just that on March 18th, in the heart of Women's History Month. This was very appropriately ordered by the hand of fate given Maria Mitchell's contributions as not only the first professional female astronomer in the United States but also the first American scientist to discover a comet, as well as the first female astronomy professor and an early advocate for science and math education for girls. Like I said, awe-inspiring!
December 15, 2020
Note: Would work well for Twilight Tales.
Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual--a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell's extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her to become America's first professional female astronomer. Gorgeously illustrated by Diana Sudyka, this moving picture book about a girl from humble beginnings who became a star in the field of astronomy is sure to inspire budding scientists everywhere.
Subject: Women astronomers -- United States -- Biography.
Astronomers -- United States -- Biography.
Comets -- Juvenile literature.
Subject: Mitchell, Maria, 1818-1889-Juvenile literature.
Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual--a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell's extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her to become America's first professional female astronomer. Gorgeously illustrated by Diana Sudyka, this moving picture book about a girl from humble beginnings who became a star in the field of astronomy is sure to inspire budding scientists everywhere.
Subject: Women astronomers -- United States -- Biography.
Astronomers -- United States -- Biography.
Comets -- Juvenile literature.
Subject: Mitchell, Maria, 1818-1889-Juvenile literature.
April 5, 2021
A beautifully illustrated picture book about Maria Mitchell's discovery of a comet. The story is quaint, succinctly telling of Maria's early life and her father's great influence in her desire to study the sky. My big complaint is this: I didn't know anything about Maria Mitchell before reading it and I still don't know much. Even a picture book should be teaching me and my child about the person/event. I admit that I am now intrigued to learn more about her, but I feel that this book could have easily added more detail without changing the style. I am curious now to see if any other picture books exist about Maria Mitchell and her comet.
This book was enjoyable to read aloud to my 6 y.o. son, who enjoyed the illustrations and found it kid friendly.
This book was enjoyable to read aloud to my 6 y.o. son, who enjoyed the illustrations and found it kid friendly.
September 9, 2020
Discover the amazing true story of Maria Mitchell, America’s first professional female astronomer.
Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual: a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell’s extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her to become America’s first professional female astronomer.
Gorgeously illustrated by Diana Sudyka, this moving picture book about a girl from humble beginnings who became a star in the field of astronomy is sure to inspire budding scientists everywhere.
Every evening, from the time she was a child, Maria Mitchell stood on her rooftop with her telescope and swept the sky. And then one night she saw something unusual: a comet no one had ever seen before! Miss Mitchell’s extraordinary discovery made her famous the world over and paved the way for her to become America’s first professional female astronomer.
Gorgeously illustrated by Diana Sudyka, this moving picture book about a girl from humble beginnings who became a star in the field of astronomy is sure to inspire budding scientists everywhere.
February 20, 2022
Having the fortune to be born to an open-minded family, Maria Mitchell worked with her father from an early age to be an observer of the night sky. After becoming a teacher, then a librarian, always after a day's work, Miss Mitchell climbed the stairs in her house and observed the sky through her father's telescope. She learned to work night sky navigation equipment such as the sextant, and knew the whalers by name.
When the king of Denmark offered a gold medal to anyone who discovered a new comet, Miss Mitchell's discovery of that comet took longer than expected to reach the King by mail, but she was awarded the medal and to this day is lauded for her astrological visions.
When the king of Denmark offered a gold medal to anyone who discovered a new comet, Miss Mitchell's discovery of that comet took longer than expected to reach the King by mail, but she was awarded the medal and to this day is lauded for her astrological visions.
May 14, 2025
I hadn't realized this was a "nonfiction" children's picture book ... still written in storybook form. While still definitely a picture book (lovely illustrations) this had more words and without fun rhymes, might need to be for slightly older children. Maria Mitchell had been trained to look up at the stars and learn about the planets, the people, the equipment ... and in 1847, she saw a comet (one that was not visible to the naked eye, only through a telescope).
After the story, there are a couple additional pages of facts and information.
The book I picked up at a library sale for the LFL was a READ/LISTEN with built in audio.
After the story, there are a couple additional pages of facts and information.
The book I picked up at a library sale for the LFL was a READ/LISTEN with built in audio.
October 6, 2019
Thee shut up! My eldest said to my second daughter while reading the book. They loved the use of language and the story.
It is definitely more geared towards older children, and the illustrations are fabulous, and so is the story telling. I truly enjoyed it and even found myself teary eyed in the end. I had never heard of Miss Mitchell, nor have we been to Nantucket, but if we ever decide to go, a visit to her house in order.
A great role model for girls and women!
Highly recommended.
It is definitely more geared towards older children, and the illustrations are fabulous, and so is the story telling. I truly enjoyed it and even found myself teary eyed in the end. I had never heard of Miss Mitchell, nor have we been to Nantucket, but if we ever decide to go, a visit to her house in order.
A great role model for girls and women!
Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 100 reviews