Comet Chaser: The True Cinderella Story of Caroline Herschel, the First Professional Woman Astronomer

Ages 5 to 8, Grades K to 3

The real-life Cinderella story of the very first professional woman astronomer—Caroline Herschel!

Comet Chaser is the thrilling and beautifully illustrated biography of a woman who made a lifetime of incredible contributions to science. She was the first woman to discover a comet, the first officially recognized in a scientific role, and the first to be given a Gold Medal by the Royal Astronomical Society.

In a day when girls were barely educated at all, Caroline Herschel's father taught her math and music . . . until, suddenly, he died. Her mother saw her as little more than a household servant. Caroline might have been doomed to a life of drudgery and dimness if not for her brother, who took her from Germany to England. There they started looking for comets, and building telescopes in their free time, gradually making them larger and larger. Their many discoveries brought the great astronomers of the day to their doorstep, where they found that the Herschels had made the best telescopes of their time.

From household drudge to belle of the scientific ball, Caroline Herschel won international prizes never before awarded to a woman and earned a professional wage from the king. She and her discoveries remain as stunning today as they were then. In this delightfully imaginative retelling of Caroline's career, her fairy godmother is none other than her own bright intelligence, hard work, and passion for science.

WOMEN IN STEM: Passion and persistence save the day and offer a wonderful model for girls seeking their way into science, technology, engineering, and math in this starry biography.

AN EMPOWERING, TRUE CINDERELLA STORY: What a brilliant way of telling the story of an inspirational woman in science—as a true Cinderella story! Caroline must escape a humble life of drudgery, and with the magic of real science, she makes her own fairy-tale ending.

BIOGRAPHY BOOK FOR KIDS: A great addition to classrooms and libraries, with fascinating examples of hands-on engineering, mathematics, and scientific study.

INSPIRATIONAL GIFT: Inspire budding scientists of all kinds with this magical true story!

Perfect for: Kids interested in science, space, or astronomy Teachers and librarians looking for excellent picture book biographies and nonfiction books about science Gift givers hoping to inspire a love of STEM topics Fans of Hidden Figures, The Fire of Stars, and Ada Twist, Scientist

About the Author

Pamela S. Turner is the author of award-winning books for children and young adults, including How to Build a Human: In Seven Evolutionary Steps (an ALA Notable Book), Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune (a YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction finalist); as well as Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the World's Brightest Bird and The Frog Scientist, both winners of the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books. She lives in Oakland, California.

Vivien Mildenberger is a part of the Warren, an artists' studio where she works on illustrations, pottery, and other general magic-making. She loves illustrating for children most of all and has worked on many award-winning books, including the Robert F. Sibert Honor winner All In a Drop. She lives on a lovely farm just outside Nashville, Tennessee.