Asha and Baz Meet Mary Sherman Morgan

by Caroline Fernandez

Discover the magic, adventure, history and science of the Asha and Baz chapter book series.
Perfect for fans of Magic Treehouse, Zet Mystery Case, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and more.

Asha and Baz have a paper rocket to launch! Whoever builds the rocket that travels the farthest will get to meet astronaut Chris Hadfield. The only problem is Asha and Baz don't know how to power their rocket.

Stuck and unsure, the kids brainstorm by drawing a rocket in the sand using a stick. Only this is a very unusual stick. In fact, it's a magic stick! And it transports them back in time to meet a person who might be able to help them with their rocket problem: scientist Mary Sherman Morgan!

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

106 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2022

About the author

Caroline Fernandez loves to write children's books for curious kids. She's won awards for her fantastic stories, like the exciting chapter book series "Asha and Baz" which highlights real-life historical women in STEM. She has written numerous picture books including; "Hide And Seek: Wild Animal Groups in North America" and "The Adventures of Grandmasaurus" (series) and "Stop Reading This Book". For those looking for a big adventure, her middle-grade historical novel "Plague Thieves" is now out.

Caroline writes, drinks tea, and bakes in Toronto, ON.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @ParentClub

Reviews

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect choice for kids more interested in building things than sitting down with a book. Short snappy sentences with lots of action and concrete detail make this a page-turning, accessible adventure. This book will make readers out mathy kids, but also models artsy kids in science. Win, win. The biographical and other content in the back of the book encourages kids to continue their exploration.

Kids will read this book because it engages but educators will value it for the role modeling, STEM and inclusiveness.

[Shankar B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this because it was about space and making paper rockets.

[Mahtab Narsimhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Asha and Baz want to win the class competition of building and shooting a rocket the farthest, using only a finite list of materials. While Baz is slightly worried, intrepid Asha is certain that they will find the solution to building a rocket that will be light and powerful enough to win them the contest, and a chance to present it to Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield.
During lunch break, Asha discovers a magic wand, which transports her and Baz to 1957 California, and the world of Mary Sherman Morgan. What follows is a fun encounter with the scientist who discovers Hydyne which helps to successfully launch the Jupiter-C rocket and the first American Satellite, Explorer 1, into space. Inspired by Mary’s brainstorming methods, perseverance, and scientific problem-solving techniques, Asha and Baz return to the future to apply the same to their own project.
A wonderful story which is sure to inspire a new generation of scientists, irrespective of gender and orientation. The characters of Mary and Asha are powerful role models of a can-do attitude, no matter what the obstacles. The facts provided at the end of the book will spark interesting discussions, and many a lesson plan related to the STEM curriculum. Happy to note that the next book in the series is about Hedy Lamarr and coding. I, for one, cannot wait! Highly recommended for all bookshelves, at home, school, and the library.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucas and I were really into this, and no only because it involved rockets! We got time travel, science, and magic (plus positive affirmations for women in STEM). A super series for fans of the Word Travelers to check out.

[Paige Pitcock]

Few black & white pictures, large text and simple writing. Dense pages though.