Gale Force

Women In Space	Women in Space Carol S. Briggs This volume features short biographies of American and Russian women space pioneers, pilots, and explorers, including Svetlana Savitskaya, Mae Jemison, and Eileen Collins. In addition, Briggs provides a brief overview of the space program, the barriers women have faced, and the training required to become an astronaut. The rather dryly written text is illustrated with standard black-and-white and color photographs. Bib., glos., ind. Copyright � 1999 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved. Review needed.
	Mae Jemison: First Black Woman Astronaut by Sonia W. Black Review needed
Mae C. Jemison: 1st Black Female Astronaut	Mae C. Jemison : 1st Black Female Astronaut by Ebraska D. Ceasor Review needed
	Shannon Lucid : Space Ambassador (Gateway Biographies) by Carmen Bredeson Gr. 4^-6. What American spent 188 days on a Russian space station 250 miles above Earth, flying at a speed of 17,300 miles per hour? Who conducted experiments studying plants and animals in space? Who stashed M&Ms and Twinkies aboard Mir and joked that she hadn't showered or washed her clothes for six months? Shannon Lucid, America's most experienced astronaut. When Atlantis returned from Mir to the Kennedy Space Center on September 26, 1996, Lucid walked out unaided, a feat in itself. According to her husband, gravity has never stopped her. In this informative biography, which is part of the Gateway Biography series, Bredeson depicts both Lucid's accomplishments and her delightful personality, demonstrating that the astronaut clearly knows no boundaries. Her early life in Oklahoma, her marriage, the birth of her children, her acceptance and training in the space program, and her five missions, which totaled 223 days in space, present an inspiring model for women and for humankind. Full-color photographs are a bonus, as are fun facts about life in space. A chronology and a bibliography are also included. Shelley Townsend-Hudson. Review needed.
	Teacher in Space : Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger Legacy Colin Burgess The author, Colin Burgess , May 26, 2000: It has now been more than 14 years since the loss of space shuttle "Challenger" and her crew of seven. That explosion created lingering shock waves of sadness throughout the world, and demonstrated in the worst possible way that we are still far from the time when humans will routinely fly into space. In this book I look back at the life of one of the crew, a teacher from New Hampshire named Christa McAuliffe. The second part of the book looks at the legacy of "Challenger" - the numerous institutions and awards that are still being created in the name of Christa and the crew. Despite Christa's absence, her vision of educating young people about the wonders of this planet lives on through such legacies as learning centres and planetariums. The book also follows the post-tragedy career of Christa's backup Teacher in Space Barbara Morgan and her determination to fulfill Christa's dream of educating from space. Barbara is now in training for that mission, and speaks about what it means to her. Christa's mother Grace Corrigan supplied much of the information for this book, and her active participation ensured complete accuracy in the telling of Christa's life. Barbara Morgan also read the manuscript and assisted as one who became friends with Christa, and underwent astronaut training with her fellow teacher. The book also contains a large number of photos of Christa which follow her life from infancy through to that fateful day in January 1986. It was written for older school children, but the very format of the book ensures it will be read and enjoyed by people of all ages. All proceeds from this book will go to the Challenger Learning Center in Christa's hometown of Framingham, Massachusetts, in memory of her and the crew of shuttle "Challenger." Review needed
	A Journal for Christa : Christa McAuliffe, Teacher in Space by Grace George Corrigan Well-intentioned but bland biography of the high-school social-studies teacher who died in the Challenger space shuttle explosion, written by her mother. The only electricity here flows at the outset, as Corrigan remembers her preflight fears (``We could see icicles hanging from the shuttle. How could they lift off like this?'') and her husband's postdisaster fury (she quotes him as writing that McAuliffe died ``because of NASA and its egos, marginal decisions, ignorance, and irresponsibility''). Otherwise, this is an affectionate but artless memoir in which Corrigan recalls her daughter as ``the girl next door'' who ``never sat back and just existed'' but instead became a national hero through pluck and hard work. Christa's story is pure Americana: apple-pie family; solid religious upbringing; Girl Scouts; marriage to her high-school sweetheart; teaching career. She loved plants, pets, and kids, and led an ordinary life--until she beat out 11,500 other applicants to become the Teacher in Space, and proved to be an outstanding spokeswoman for education, equally at ease with Johnny Carson and Ronald Reagan. Rigorous training ensued--and then the debacle. Corrigan winds up with postexplosion events: memorial services; tributes; establishment of the Christa McAuliffe Institute for Educational Pioneering (to promote better teaching) and the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium. Largely inconsequential (typical McAuliffe letter, quoted by Corrigan: ``Steven painted the kitchen cabinets bright yellow and I made orange and yellow flowered curtains''); noteworthy mostly as a mother's farewell. (Thirty-two b&w photographs--not seen) -- Copyright �1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Review needed
Ellen Ochoa: First Hispanic Woman Astronaut	Ellen Ochoa : The First Hispanic Woman Astronaut (Great Hispanics of Our Time) by Maritza Romero Review needed
Ellen Ochoa	Ellen Ochoa (Real People) by Pamela Walker Review needed
	Sally Ride : A Space Biography (Countdown to Space) by Barbara Kramer Gr 4-8--Brief, well-written accounts of individuals who have participated in the NASA space program. Focusing primarily on astronaut training, career experience, and space flights, these easy-to-read texts are well documented and include quotes from the subjects. Black-and-white and full-color photos appear throughout. These are excellent introductory biographies that could easily be used for reports or recreational reading. While there are numerous titles available about the early U.S. space missions, there are few biographies for this audience on the original seven Mercury astronauts. Gus Grissom's achievements and tragic death make for compelling reading. Kramer's book is similar in coverage to June Behrens's Sally Ride (Children's Press, 1984; o.p.) and Carolyn Blacknall's Sally Ride (Dillon Press, 1984; o.p.). However, it has a more skillful balance of high-interest material with a scholarly objectivity consistent with its carefully cited text and list of sources. Review needed
	Sally Ride : First American Woman in Space (People to Know) by Carole Ann Camp Gr 5-7--A book that describe the life of two modern-day, risk-taking adventurers. These astronauts planned, studied, and applied themselves, working hard to achieve their goals. The book opens with the moment of glory and then proceeds with a chronological presentation that details family, schooling, training, married life, and life after the astronaut program. The text is clear and readable. One or two black-and-white photos of fair quality accompany each chapter. Review needed
	Sally Ride : Shooting for the Stars (Great Lives Series) by Jane Hurwitz, Sue Hurwitz (Contributor) Astronaut Dr. Sally Ride took a deep breath and nervously waited as the powerful engines of the Space Shuttle Challenger roared to life. This was the most frightening, yet exciting moment of Sally's life! She was determined to prove that an American woman could perform in space as well as a man. Sally Ride: Shooting for the Stars profiles the life of America's first woman astronaut to fly in space. Jain Sally's astronaut training as she learns to fly jets, practices sea rescue missions, and floats weightlessly in a special "zero gravity" aircraft. Witness her breathtaking view of Earth from 184 miles out in space while traveling aver 17,400 miles per hour! Then dare to share her dream of joining NASA's astronaut program. Review needed.
	Sally Ride: Space Pioneer by Lorraine Jean Hopping Astronaut Dr. Sally Ride took a deep breath and nervously waited as the powerful engines of the Space Shuttle Challenger roared to life on the morning of June 18, 1983. This was the most frightening, yet exciting moment of Sally's life! She was determined to prove that an American woman could perform in space as well as a man. Sally Ride never dreamed she would be the first American woman to fly in space. Her career as an astronaut began in 1977, when she answered a newspaper ad placed by NASA, which was soliciting applications from young scientists to serve as "mission specialists" on future space flights. After a long sprocess of evaluation, Ride was accepted into the space program, which had previously focused recruiting on male military test pilots. Ride was not the firstr woman in space, however. Two Russian women cosmonauts had preceded her. But when Ride's mission was succesfully accomplished, she became one of the most respected women in the world and a symbol of hope and progress for American women. Since her historic flight in 1983, a number of other women have proven themselves on U.S. space shuttle missions. Sally Ride: First Woman Astronaut follows his trailblazer from her early days as a young athlete and scholar to her triumphant missions with NASA. Review needed
	Scientist and Astronaut, Sally Ride (American Women in Science Biographies Series) by Mary E. Verheyden-Hilliard, Marian Menzel (Illustrator) Review needed

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