by Laurie Wallmark
Illustrated by Katy Wu
4 stars
A wonderful picture book biography. This one is a bit lengthy, so best suited for older children (8+). Generally features a few paragraphs per page, with colorful and engaging illustrations to break up the text. The story goes through some of Hopper’s experimentation as a child, her dedication to her education, and her technological innovations while working for the Navy.
Includes inspiring stories such as Hopper working hard to pass Latin so she could attend college, humorous stories such as the discovery of the first computer bug, and tales of thinking outside the box to advance technology.
Loved the dynamic of STEM and creativity. Hopper’s interest in math and science along with her creative thinking allowed her to think in different ways and help make computers easier to use.
The illustrations are lovely. Nice representations of Hopper throughout her life, including her working through her 70s. Nice background details as well, especially in showing how computers used to take up whole rooms. The pages with reimaginings of Hopper’s doodles were especially fun. Interspersed throughout the illustrations are various quotes from Hopper.
There is a color-coded timeline at the end, which includes what was going on in Hopper’s life at the time as well as the wider world in terms of technological advances and historical events. There is also a short section on Hopper’s honors, a selected bibliography, and further resources about women in STEM.
Great themes of working hard, thinking outside the box, and being open to new ways of thinking. I loved the emphasis on science, math, and art and how they intersect. Opens up conversations about early computers, coding, and how people talk to computers.