Years before astronauts were launched into space, a group of dedicated women was working behind the scenes to do the calculations that made space flight possible. Known as “human computers,” these women calculated the orbital mechanics needed to get NASA off the ground. Katherine Johnson was among the best of them. A brilliant African-American woman, who had gone to college at 15 and worked at NASA during the 1950s and 1960s, her brilliant brain and dedication defied the limitations of her day and helped John Glenn become the first American to orbit the Earth. Your young readers will be inspired by this picture book biography of a woman who defied prejudice both as a woman and an African American, and went on to inspire millions of young people with her story.