Love this series so much and this was no different! Love the way it tells the story, the illustrations and the clear, reflective tone. Perfect for little history nerds or to learn more about important women!

Katherine Johnson is a short, inspiring bedtime read. The book is highly-illustrated, with just a sentence or two of text per page. My daughter was glued to the story, and clearly impressed by Johnson’s resilience, ambition, and passion - and her ability to push through the gender and racial barriers of her day. I see why this series is such a success.

I love the line at the end: “...when you find what you love to do, you must give it your all.” Johnson’s life completely embodies this message, and it’s an inspiring one to share with young readers.

I just love reading these little book by Little People, BIG DREAMS, These book are a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. So when Katherine Johnson by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara came available I had to read this book with my nephew who also loves reading these colourful books.

Katherine Johnson loved learning and her favourite subject was math. In class, she worked so hard that she was able to move up to high school four years early! Due to the racist laws of the time, Katherine's family had to move town for her to go to a school where Black students were admitted. After high school and college, she was accepted to one of West Virginia's top universities, and was the first Black woman to attend.

In 1953, she joined the U.S. space agency, which later became NASA. Alongside other talented African American women, Katherine's mathematical skills were essential to the early successes of the space programme. She was part of the team that planned the Apollo 11 mission which landed the first people on the moon! Katherine’s tenacity and expertise led to the dawn of a new era for humankind, making her an inspiration to all of us.

This powerful book is the perfect gift for STEM and space enthusiasts. It features quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Katherine's life.

A wonderful read and great books for children to learn about famous people who may not be with us now, they should never be forgotten and for famous people who are still alive to learn about why they became famous etc.

As a teacher, this book would be so useful for my class. We look at Katherine Johnson and this book is both visually appealing for readers, whilst still being incredibly informative. The vocabulary isn't too much, as it's child appropriate and the illustrations are brilliant.

These books are great. I had heard of Katherine Johnson, however I didn't know much about her, and I found despite its book being written for children, I was still able to learn something.

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara has written four children’s biographies that will be released in early 2025: Katherine Johnson, David Beckham, Patrick Mahones, and Yayoi Kusama. These books are part of the bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS biography series for kids. Each book is 32 pages and beautifully illustrated. They are perfect for reading to small children during “quiet time”.
Katherine Johnson’s calculations changed the future of space exploration. Young Katherine loved learning and math was her favorite subject in school. She was so advanced that she was able to go to high school four years early. Her family had to move to a different town in order for her to go to a school where Black students were admitted. She was the first Black woman to attend her West Virginia university.
In 1953, she joined the U.S. space agency, which later became NASA. Katherine was part of a team of talented African American women whose mathematical skills were essential to the Apollo 11 mission, which landed the first people on the moon

This powerful book is the perfect gift for STEM and space enthusiasts. It features quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of Katherine's life.

I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I loved this book about Katherine Johnson, I was already aware of her before reading this but not so much of her early life. This gave the details leading up to her time with NASA, giving enough factual detail without overloading. One that should be added to any young person's library

Katherine Johnson is one of the finest additions to the Little People, BIG DREAMS series.

Following Johnson's life from a small girl in segregated West Virginia, we see Johnson's extraordinary academic progress through her early years, where her family did everything they could to make sure she received the education that she deserved.

It continues into her career at NASA and her being honored the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The book doesn't shy way from the racist and sexist world in which Katherine Johnson found her success, but it does it in a way that is easily consumable for small children. It's an excellent way to spark a discussion about racism, civil rights, and sexism with small children who are discovering the world for the first time.

The illustrations are beautiful, and Katherine stands out in every image of her, from the first page to the last.

Giant thank you to he author, Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, the illustrator, Jemma Skidmore, the publisher, Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

A very informative, quick biography on Katherine Johnson. This series is a great one for highlighting many influential people. The illustrations are excellent as well.

Little People, BIG DREAMS series is a staple in my household. My children have loved and have continued to love these books! Truly, they have grown up reading these books more than they have seen Dr. Seuss. I personally enjoy that these books make it very easy and enjoyable for children as young as 4 and older to enjoy and learn about the person who it is written about. I like that there is enough information and illustration that it isn't overwhelming for a child. Sure, you can say that there could be much more information, but I think that it is truly more than enough for a child as young as 4 could comprehend.

My children and I just read through this book after downloading it and it was nicely written. I am glad that Katherine Johnson was added to the list of people for young people to learn about. Her journey and work for NASA is incredible to say the least. This book is inspiring and educational especially for young girls to see that anything is possible to achieve.

Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara did it again! I have yet to read a Little People Big Dreams book that I didn’t love. I think that this book is super informative and good for little ones, (and big ones!) to learn about Katherine Johnson in a concise and easy to understand way. I also love the illustrations! I will definitely add this book to my future kids’ collection.

Huge fan of Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara's series <i>Little People, BIG DREAMS</i> and I'm an even bigger fan when the new biography is about one of my favourite humans: Katherine Johnson, who loved math and the space!

It is a great read, very accessible to the little ones, very inspiring and educational - and it's fun to read as an adult too. Great book for inspiring the little ones, bus especially little girls. A great one for STEM education!

We love the Little People Big Dreams books in our house! I knocked off a star for the line “she quickly proved she belonged” after a comment about them not wanting a black woman to check their work. I know the reality of the situation was that she did have to prove she was capable to these white men, however, it made it seem like (and maybe I’m just reading into it) there was no issue with her having to prove herself. She shouldn’t have had to do that, and it’s great that she was able to prove her capabilities but also it had to be so insulting to her.

I have to admit, a little sheepishly, that I didn’t know much about Katherine Johnson before reading this book. I’d heard of NASA and space travel, and I knew about discrimination, but Katherine’s story opened a door to a whole new world for me. It was fascinating and so inspiring!

The book is a wonderful introduction to Katherine’s life, told in a way that’s easy to understand and perfect for young readers. It shows how she grew up loving math and solving puzzles, eventually becoming one of the smartest and bravest women at NASA. She worked hard, even when things were unfair, and proved that anyone can achieve their dreams if they believe in themselves and never give up.

I especially loved how the book explains the challenges Katherine faced and how kind, supportive people helped her along the way. It’s an inspiring reminder that we can all make a difference by helping others shine.

This is such a sweet and uplifting story, and it’s perfect for children who love learning about space, history, or amazing real-life heroes. After reading it, I can’t wait to learn more about Katherine Johnson and other incredible women like her. I highly recommend it—kids and parents alike will enjoy it! 😊

The story of the great Katherine Johnson told in simple words for kids to understand and admire! Loved it as I love the whole series.

Little People, Big Dreams did a wonderful job teaching young readers about Katherine Johnson. They discuss the hardship that her and her family endured in kid friendly language and showed the power of perseverance even when women were not respected as intellectual equals. This book should be in all classroom libraries for readers to enjoy.

Little People, Big Dreams books are a staple in my home and classroom as a teacher. These books tell the stories of big people in a way that little people can understand them. This version of Katherine Johnson is no different. Katherine Johnson was an incredible human who did great things for women in the science field as well as for space exploration. This is all covered in this beautifully illustrated book that I know will inspire little girls and boys alike. This book proves that mathematics can be fun and you should be proud of your love for it.

Katherine Johnson is a trailblazer in the history of space exploration. Her insurmountable contributions in NASA, especially during their manned missions and space exploration/navigation eras is exceptional. Starting from a young age, her determination to study mathematics, a subject rarely encouraged in young women during her youth, to study in one of the top university's and then being approached to form and work in NASA, she is truly a generational talent.
Her tenacity and smarts, her dedication to her craft have all been captured beautifully in prose by Vegara. Matching the inspirational text are the illustrations by Jemma Skidmore — a match in weaving an inspiring and aspiring story for young girls interested or fascinated by STEM.

The amazing story of Katherine Johnson with beautiful illustrations and a brief historical recap at the end for parents.

Lovely picture book that depicts Katherine Johnson as an intellect and good role model, especially for girls and kids of color.