Sally Ride: A Space Biography cover

Sally Ride: A Space Biography

Author: Kramer, Barbara

Reading Metrics

Grade Level Middle Grades (MG 4-8)
Book Level 5.6
Points 1.0
Fiction/Nonfiction Nonfiction
Word Count 5222
Points per Word 0.000191
Page Count 48
Points per Page 0.020833

Description

This biography follows Sally Ride from her childhood through her career as the first American woman in space. The book details her astronaut training and her work as a mission specialist, including research on pharmaceuticals and the shuttle's robot arm. It also covers her later career as a teacher and researcher after retiring from NASA.

Quick Summary

Sally Ride shattered ceilings by becoming the first American woman in space, and this biography shows how a science-loving kid from Los Angeles trained to ride a rocket into the stars. Readers get the inside scoop on astronaut training, including swimming in giant pools to practice spacewalks, eating freeze-dried ice cream, and the intense fitness routine that prepared her body for zero gravity. Kids who devour books about groundbreaking Americans like "Who Was Rosa Parks?" will root for Sally's determination to prove that girls belong in space just as much as boys. This quick read hits the sweet spot for curious readers in grades 4-8, around ages 9-12, who dream of adventure and breaking their own records.