Heather E. Schwartz

In this biography, we learn about Lonnie Johnson who is an inventor and engineer of products we still use today. Lonnie was interested in making things, even at an early age. When Lonnie was young, the law of segregation was still in effect in Alabama, where he lived. He wanted to become an engineer, but was discouraged by anyone he told because he wouldn't be able to have those opportunities being a black male. This all changed when Lonnie entered a science fair, where he built a robot show more called "Linex". Though many people who participated in this fair were discriminatory towards African Americans, the judges were not and Lonnie won first place for his robot. Lonnie went onto college in Alabama, and he worked for NASA and the Air Force. What many people don't know is that Lonnie Johnson invented the super soaker water gun, the nerf gun, and the solar panels on houses that create electricity.

I absolutely loved this book. Throughout the book we are not only given great facts about Lonnie Johnson, but we are also given quotes from him on different pages. The quotes are motivational, and give a genuine feel to the book. Whenever I think of biographies, I think of people who are not with us anymore, but that isn't the case at all. Lonnie Johnson is still alive today, and I think his accomplishments should be talked about more after reading about him. Lonnie went through many hardships to accomplish what he did, and I think this book shows that, even if the odds are against you, you can still accomplish your goals. We aren't shown enough African American engineers, and scientists, in classrooms today. We must incorporate more diverse figures within the classroom in order to have bountiful libraries for our little readers. I would love to find more biographies about Lonnie Johnson because I think he is very interesting. show less

This does a great job introducing a really wide range of women from history to present, with decent photos and succinct summaries. It's a great resource for younger kids, I think, because it works so well as an introduction. It definitely left me wanting more information about the women I was unfamiliar with, so it's a bit light on details. But I think that's purposeful, and it would work wonderfully to read with a kid and ask them which women they'd like to know more about. The other great show more thing about reading this is that you finish feeling pretty fantastic about women in general. It's a wonderful read for a day when you feel down about things like sexism; it will put in you in a great mood! show less

This informational text about the civil rights movement of 1963 captures the inhumane treatment of African American girls who were prisoners in the Leesburg Stockade. The stories of these brave girls will inspire social responsibility. Includes Author’s Note, Timeline, Source Notes, Glossary, Bibliography, Further Information, Index.

A simple but fact filled biography of the amazing story of one lady who helped put men into space. Easy to read for the reluctant reader but interesting content that will keep them reading. Websites and other titles for the student who wants to know more.