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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
This is very good. It's great that the women in the book are based on real women and I love the use of problem solving.
If you've ever wanted to count the number of stars in the sky, you might need the help of some scientific principles and processes, which are explored in Kamal Singh's Ara the Star Engineer.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Ara wants to count the number of stars in the sky, but is overwhelmed with the prospect of trying to count the immense number. With plenty of determination and the assistance of her droid friend DeeDee and some inspiring, intelligent women, based on real-life scientific minds, in various departments at the Innovation Plex, Ara pieces together a successful algorithm to help her count the stars.
The story parses out the complexities of scientific, engineering, and coding principles in a manner that is more readily accessible, understandable, and empowering to the target audience of female children, while also providing further information in the form of a glossary to more directly address the more technical jargon that was introduced in the story. The text is fairly simple and easy to follow and the colorful illustrations complements the narrative well. Though I thoroughly understand and appreciate the need to demonstrate to young girls that STEM isn't just for boys, I was a bit surprised that there weren't any strong male figures, in addition to the female ones offered, within the book to also help encourage the pursuit of knowledge in this area for readers.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Ara wants to count the number of stars in the sky, but is overwhelmed with the prospect of trying to count the immense number. With plenty of determination and the assistance of her droid friend DeeDee and some inspiring, intelligent women, based on real-life scientific minds, in various departments at the Innovation Plex, Ara pieces together a successful algorithm to help her count the stars.
The story parses out the complexities of scientific, engineering, and coding principles in a manner that is more readily accessible, understandable, and empowering to the target audience of female children, while also providing further information in the form of a glossary to more directly address the more technical jargon that was introduced in the story. The text is fairly simple and easy to follow and the colorful illustrations complements the narrative well. Though I thoroughly understand and appreciate the need to demonstrate to young girls that STEM isn't just for boys, I was a bit surprised that there weren't any strong male figures, in addition to the female ones offered, within the book to also help encourage the pursuit of knowledge in this area for readers.
New Heroines For Smart Girls
Love the opening of doorways for smart girls and I love the diversity represented. My granddaughter’s favorite part wasn’t actually the story, but seeing that the characters are real life women. Highly recommended bedtime reading.
Love the opening of doorways for smart girls and I love the diversity represented. My granddaughter’s favorite part wasn’t actually the story, but seeing that the characters are real life women. Highly recommended bedtime reading.
An inclusive book about girls in STEM. Inspired by Google (where the author works), this story walks through the steps needed to solve a problem: courage, creativity, code, and collaboration - with explanations about making a plan, designing an algorithm, writing the code, and troubleshooting when it doesn't work the first time. Back matter highlights the real, diverse women working at Google who inspired the women in the book who mentor and help Ara in her task. Don't miss Ara's notebook at the end! This serves as a sort of primer for the steps it takes, and the collaboration involved, in computer science. Themes of determination abound.
Pair with coding books [b:How to Code a Sandcastle|35845088|How to Code a Sandcastle|Josh Funk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508418778l/35845088._SX50_.jpg|57356837] & [b:How to Code a Rollercoaster|40031582|How to Code a Rollercoaster|Josh Funk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550522198l/40031582._SX50_.jpg|62011511] alongside books on "superheroes in computer science" [b:Ada Lovelace: The Poet of Science|25728418|Ada Lovelace The Poet of Science|Diane Stanley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440378320l/25728418._SX50_.jpg|45565305], [b:Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers?: The Story of Ada Lovelace|33275673|Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers? The Story of Ada Lovelace|Tanya Lee Stone|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497950028l/33275673._SX50_.jpg|53998267], [b:Ada's Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer|28818295|Ada's Ideas The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer|Fiona Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456379283l/28818295._SX50_.jpg|49035604], [b:Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code|30340888|Grace Hopper Queen of Computer Code|Laurie Wallmark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486610791l/30340888._SX50_.jpg|50840684], [b:Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13|35795914|Counting on Katherine How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13|Helaine Becker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516691159l/35795914._SX50_.jpg|57295718], [b:A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon|31933056|A Computer Called Katherine How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon|Suzanne Slade|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553384460l/31933056._SX50_.jpg|52587987], [b:Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician|43121539|Counting the Stars The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician|Lesa Cline-Ransome|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568550884l/43121539._SX50_.jpg|66920761], & [b:Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race|35008834|Hidden Figures The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race|Margot Lee Shetterly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1502703988l/35008834._SX50_.jpg|78800025].
Pair with coding books [b:How to Code a Sandcastle|35845088|How to Code a Sandcastle|Josh Funk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1508418778l/35845088._SX50_.jpg|57356837] & [b:How to Code a Rollercoaster|40031582|How to Code a Rollercoaster|Josh Funk|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1550522198l/40031582._SX50_.jpg|62011511] alongside books on "superheroes in computer science" [b:Ada Lovelace: The Poet of Science|25728418|Ada Lovelace The Poet of Science|Diane Stanley|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440378320l/25728418._SX50_.jpg|45565305], [b:Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers?: The Story of Ada Lovelace|33275673|Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers? The Story of Ada Lovelace|Tanya Lee Stone|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1497950028l/33275673._SX50_.jpg|53998267], [b:Ada's Ideas: The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer|28818295|Ada's Ideas The Story of Ada Lovelace, the World's First Computer Programmer|Fiona Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1456379283l/28818295._SX50_.jpg|49035604], [b:Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code|30340888|Grace Hopper Queen of Computer Code|Laurie Wallmark|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486610791l/30340888._SX50_.jpg|50840684], [b:Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13|35795914|Counting on Katherine How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13|Helaine Becker|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516691159l/35795914._SX50_.jpg|57295718], [b:A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon|31933056|A Computer Called Katherine How Katherine Johnson Helped Put America on the Moon|Suzanne Slade|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1553384460l/31933056._SX50_.jpg|52587987], [b:Counting the Stars: The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician|43121539|Counting the Stars The Story of Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician|Lesa Cline-Ransome|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568550884l/43121539._SX50_.jpg|66920761], & [b:Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race|35008834|Hidden Figures The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race|Margot Lee Shetterly|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1502703988l/35008834._SX50_.jpg|78800025].
Ahhhh! This was so great! A picture book for a slightly older reader (maybe 6-8? it's quite wordy) but great for kids of all ages, especially girls. Ara poses a scientific question, and then learns how to answer it with the help of four female scientists, who teach her four key skills. I loved that each of the women she meets is a real person who works in tech!
Ara has a problem she needs to solve. She visits with four scientists who teach her skills and help her learn how to find her answer. This book is like a non-fiction book in disguise, because it teaches the reader about different STEM processes and vocabulary along the way.
Admittedly, I only skimmed this one, as it is quite wordy with a lot of technical jargon, and I was at work. But the illustrations and the concept are so great, and I love that all of the scientists Ara talks to are women of various ethnicities-- and they're all real-life scientists! The back of the book has little bios for each of them.
Admittedly, I only skimmed this one, as it is quite wordy with a lot of technical jargon, and I was at work. But the illustrations and the concept are so great, and I love that all of the scientists Ara talks to are women of various ethnicities-- and they're all real-life scientists! The back of the book has little bios for each of them.
"...courage, creativity, code and collaboration!" A cute story about Ara and her "assistant" DeeDee. Ara wants to count all of the stars. She has DeeDee and some friends at the InnovationPlex to help! There are lots of extras in this book.
I have to laugh because this book in part feels like a total Google promotional ad, BUT if it is, it's a pretty awesome ad. I love that this book was written by female engineers at Google, most women of color. And I am a thousand percent on board with more representation of girls and women in STEM! There was really cool diversity in this book and I thought it was a clever and understandable intro to several coding concepts.
New Heroines For Smart Girls
Love the opening of doorways for smart girls and I love the diversity represented. My granddaughter’s favorite part wasn’t actually the story, but seeing that the characters are real life women. Highly recommended bedtime reading.
Love the opening of doorways for smart girls and I love the diversity represented. My granddaughter’s favorite part wasn’t actually the story, but seeing that the characters are real life women. Highly recommended bedtime reading.
Ara The Star Engineer by Komal Singh – This was a freebie! Lots of great new words for little vocab builders, and it’s cool seeing so many ladies in a STEM picture book! Happy Reading!