Look Up!: Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer

by Robert Burleigh, RaÃÂÂl ColÃÂÂn (Illustrator)

Overview

Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the scientific importance of a star’s brightness—so why has no one heard of her? Learn all about a female pioneer of astronomy in this picture book biography.

Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born on July 4, 1868, and she changed the course of astronomy when she was just twenty-five years old. Henrietta spent years measuring star positions and sizes from photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard College Observatory, where she worked. After Henrietta observed that certain stars had a fixed pattern to their changes, her discovery made it possible for astronomers to measure greater and greater distances—leading to our present understanding of the vast size of the universe.

An astronomer of her time called Henrietta Leavitt “one of the most important women ever to touch astronomy,” and another close associate said she had the “best mind at the Harvard Observatory.” Henrietta Leaveitt's story will inspire young women and aspiring scientists of all kinds and includes additional information about the solar system and astronomy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416958192
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Publication date:	02/19/2013
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	163,295
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD600L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Robert Burleigh is the award-winning author of many books for children, including The Adventures of Mark Twain by Huckleberry Finn, illustrated by Barry Blitt; Night Flight, illustrated by Wendell Minor; Black Whiteness, illustrated by Walter Lyon Krudop; and Sylvia’s Bookshop, illustrated by Katy Wu. His many other books include Hoops; Stealing Home; and Clang! Clang! Beep! Beep! He lives in Michigan.

Raúl Colón has illustrated several highly acclaimed picture books, including Draw!; the New York Times bestselling Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt; Susanna Reich’s José! Born to Dance; and Jill Biden’s Don’t Forget, God Bless Our Troops. Mr. Colón lived in Puerto Rico as a young boy and now resides in New City, New York, with his family.

Editorial Reviews

Good picture books about women and science are as welcome as women who work in the sciences: what better way to motivate observant little girls with scientific leanings?…Colón's artwork is dreamily atmospheric, full of wide-open spaces that evoke the vastness of the universe and intimate portraits that suggest the inner workings of the scientific mind.

The New York Times - Pamela Paul

Burleigh (George Bellows: Painter with a Punch!) investigates a woman astronomer who made a significant discovery in the 1900s when most women in her field “were human ‘computers.’ Their job was to record. And measure. And calculate. The women were expected to ‘work, not think.’” Henrietta Leavitt didn’t comply. Working at the Harvard College Observatory, she closely observed photographs of stars and uncovered a way to measure their true brightness, paving the way for others to measure even greater distances to the stars. Burleigh’s narrative is simultaneously succinct, descriptive, and appealing: “When she closed her eyes, she could still see the star dots, dancing across the inside of her eyelids.” Working in his familiar warm, glowing style, Colón (Annie and Helen) uses colored pencils and watercolors to create feathery-textured illustrations. Some images of Leavitt at work are rendered in muted beiges and greens, which make the night sky scenes shine all the brighter with their vivid royal blues and brilliant points of white light. An afterword about Leavitt and her discovery, glossary, bibliography, and other resources round out this attractive picture-book biography. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Burleigh (George Bellows: Painter with a Punch!) investigates a woman astronomer who made a significant discovery in the 1900s when most women in her field “were human ‘computers.’ Their job was to record. And measure. And calculate. The women were expected to ‘work, not think.’ ” Henrietta Leavitt didn’t comply. Working at the Harvard College Observatory, she closely observed photographs of stars and uncovered a way to measure their true brightness, paving the way for others to measure even greater distances to the stars. Burleigh’s narrative is simultaneously succinct, descriptive, and appealing: “When she closed her eyes, she could still see the star dots, dancing across the inside of her eyelids.” Working in his familiar warm, glowing style, Colón (Annie and Helen) uses colored pencils and watercolors to create feathery-textured illustrations. Some images of Leavitt at work are rendered in muted beiges and greens, which make the night sky scenes shine all the brighter with their vivid royal blues and brilliant points of white light. An afterword about Leavitt and her discovery, glossary, bibliography, and other resources round out this attractive picture-book biography. Ages 4–8.

Burleigh introduces Henrietta Leavitt, a nineteenth-century woman determined to study astronomy at a time when “almost all astronomy teachers and students were men.” Although she graduated from college and secured a job in an observatory, Leavitt was confined to working with a group of other women doing calculations of star positions in photographs taken by male colleagues. Careful observations, however, led Leavitt to discover minute changes in the apparent brightness of certain stars over time, which in turn led to methods of determining how far a star is from Earth. This is a useful overview of a lesser-known scientific contributor, and Burleigh as usual writes with smooth clarity. ... A collection of end matter includes quotes about the stars, brief notes about Leavitt’s life and discoveries and about other early female astronomers, a glossary, and a compact list of websites and titles for more exploration.

When Henrietta Leavitt graduated from Radcliffe College in 1892, women were not seen as potential

scientists. Still, she accepted a rather tedious job measuring the positions and sizes of stars in images

photographed using the Harvard College Observatory telescope. Besides measuring and note-taking, she

analyzed the records on certain stars that appeared to blink on and off. Her discovery that the time between

blinks indicated both the star’s brightness and its distance from Earth led to the realization that the

universe was much larger than previously thought. Focusing on the life of the mind, the text is

contemplative and the illustrations are understated. In childhood, Leavitt is shown gazing at the night sky;

as an adult, her most active endeavor is a sedate walk. Still, the writing celebrates her achievement, and the

lovely artwork, set outdoors at night or indoors by day, includes yellow, tan, and white elements that are

luminous within the dimly lit scenes. A worthy picture book with informative back matter that will help

children understand Leavitt’s challenging times as well as her achievement.

From the Publisher

When Henrietta Leavitt graduated from Radcliffe College in 1892, women were not seen as potential
scientists. Still, she accepted a rather tedious job measuring the positions and sizes of stars in images
photographed using the Harvard College Observatory telescope. Besides measuring and note-taking, she
analyzed the records on certain stars that appeared to blink on and off. Her discovery that the time between
blinks indicated both the star’s brightness and its distance from Earth led to the realization that the
universe was much larger than previously thought. Focusing on the life of the mind, the text is
contemplative and the illustrations are understated. In childhood, Leavitt is shown gazing at the night sky;
as an adult, her most active endeavor is a sedate walk. Still, the writing celebrates her achievement, and the
lovely artwork, set outdoors at night or indoors by day, includes yellow, tan, and white elements that are
luminous within the dimly lit scenes. A worthy picture book with informative back matter that will help
children understand Leavitt’s challenging times as well as her achievement.

Booklist

Burleigh introduces Henrietta Leavitt, a nineteenth-century woman determined to study astronomy at a time when “almost all astronomy teachers and students were men.” Although she graduated from college and secured a job in an observatory, Leavitt was confined to working with a group of other women doing calculations of star positions in photographs taken by male colleagues. Careful observations, however, led Leavitt to discover minute changes in the apparent brightness of certain stars over time, which in turn led to methods of determining how far a star is from Earth. This is a useful overview of a lesser-known scientific contributor, and Burleigh as usual writes with smooth clarity. ... A collection of end matter includes quotes about the stars, brief notes about Leavitt’s life and discoveries and about other early female astronomers, a glossary, and a compact list of websites and titles for more exploration.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Burleigh weaves imagination and information to sketch the life of a female scientist and illuminate her achievements. Henrietta Swan Leavitt, born in 1868, was a graduate of Oberlin and of the school that would become Radcliffe. Her interest in astronomy led her to work for many years in the Harvard Observatory. Although women were prevented from taking part in many facets of academic exploration, Leavitt made a major discovery within the parameters of her assigned work. Though little is known of his subject's life, Burleigh posits an early interest in the stars that may help to engage young listeners. The conversational text moves quickly, taking readers from dreamy child to dedicated researcher. Sophisticated vocabulary and complex concepts, as well as the variety of supplementary information Burleigh provides, from quotations about the stars to brief information about other female astronomers, suggest that this would be most useful as supplemental material in a science curriculum. Colón's watercolor, pen and pencil illustrations extend the text as, for example, when the sideways glances of Leavitt's college peers effectively convey just how unusual her interests and accomplishments were for the time. They also capture the fascination and beauty of starlight, seeming almost to twinkle at times. The current educational emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (aka STEM) will likely increase interest in biographies about women's achievements in these fields. An artful and inspiring effort. (quotations, afterword, author's note, glossary, Internet resources, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews