Classified

By Traci Sorell, Natasha Donovan (illustrator),

Book cover of Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

Book description

Discover the story of how a math-loving girl blazed a trail for herself and others in this American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award Honor Picture Book, Classified: Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, a biography for children ages 7 – 11

Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Classified as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

What do you think of when you picture an aerospace engineer? It’s probably some white guy in a white shirt. A native woman certainly doesn’t fit that stereotype, but that didn’t matter to Mary Gold Ross. It’s so rare to see books biographies about people who are Native working in STEM, yet representation matters.

From Laurie's list on biographies of women in STEM.

I love that this book starts with an introduction to Cherokee values so the reader is able to fully understand their importance and impact on the life of Mary Golda Ross. As a young girl, and the only female in her college math class, she was motivated to excel, and excel she did. In 1950 she became the first female engineer at Lockheed Aircraft Company and was assigned to top-secret projects related to space and weapons programs. This is an inspiring women-in-STEM book with the additional benefit of indigenous values education.

From Kim's list on women breaking barriers.

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