The Girl Who Dreamed of Space
Colonel Eileen Collins made history as the first woman to pilot a space shuttle and command a NASA mission. But long before that, she was just a regular kid, shy and unsure of herself.
Still, as she grew, one quiet dream stayed with her: to travel to space, even at a time when women weren't allowed to become astronauts. She didn't know if it would be possible, but she decided to try.
As Eileen faced obstacles and rejection, she never gave up. This incredible true story proves that big dreams don't require a perfect beginning—and the path to success looks different for all of us.
Watch this 2 minute trailer of Eileen Collins’ documentary, Spacewoman, to get a glimpse of this amazing astronaut’s life!
Book Information
Title: The Girl Who Dreamed of Space: The Story of Eileen Collins, NASA’s First Female Pilot and Commander
Creators: Words by Melissa Trempe & Art by Daniel Egneus
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Publish Date: February 2, 2027
ISBN: 9781464239984
Genre/Age Range: Nonfiction, ages 4-10
Pages: 48
Ladybug Launch: Inpired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space
Natalia is a chica, an ambitious girl with dreams of becoming a scientist. Luna is a chinita, an adventurous ladybug that dreams of visiting the stars. But neither dream is easy to reach. Ladybugs are meant to munch on garden pests. And no one from Natalia’s family has ever been to college. Still, both Natalia and Luna want más.
Then Natalia’s all-girl class designs an experiment. If astronauts want to live in outer space, they’ll need to grow food. Could chinitas go along to keep the pests away? The girls are eager to find out, and Luna is hungry to help. If their theory is correct, it’s a project worthy of NASA itself—and the stuff all dreams are made of.
This inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space!
Words by Melissa Trempe & Natalia Ojeda, Art by Manuela Montoya
Links to Purchase
Please consider writing a review on Amazon or adding it to your “Want to Read” list on Good Reads!
Book Information
Title: Ladybug Launch: Inspired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space
Creators: Words by Melissa Trempe & Natalia Ojeda, Art by Manuela Montoya
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry, imprint of Simon & Schuster
Publish Date: April 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781665930406
Genre/Age Range: Informational, ages 4-8
Pages: 48
Coming out in 2028!
Saving Squirrel: A Manatee Rescue Story
A baby manatee swims alone in search of her mama. When she spots something large and grey in the warm shallows of Florida, she wonders—could it be Mama? It’s only a boulder, yet she refuses to leave her rock until…
Rescue! She is the smallest orphaned manatee the people have found. They name her Squirrel. Everyone can plainly see what this little baby needs. Squirrel needs a mama. And there might just be the perfect foster mom waiting for her a thousand miles away in Ohio.
Saving Squirrel: A Manatee Rescue Story is a true tale of survival, found family, love, and the profound journey we all take as we grow up. We start out barely understanding the world around us. But with the help from those we love, we gain confidence, strength, and the innate desire to leave home. Why?
We have our own adventure to begin!
Watch this 3 minute video from The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium to learn about the rescued orphan, named Squirrel, and her foster mama, Stubby.
Book Information
Title: Saving Squirrel: A Manatee Rescue Story
Creators: Words by Melissa Trempe & Art by Ramona Kaulitzki
Publisher: Beach Lane, imprint of Simon & Schuster
Publish Date: May 2, 2028
ISBN: 9798347119158
Genre/Age Range: Nonfiction, ages 4-8
Pages: 40
The story behind the story...
The story behind the story...
The story behind Ladybug Launch…
LADYBUG LAUNCH was inspired by true events, and here’s how I came to tell the story with Dr. Natalia Ojeda.
In 2020, I was turning 40 and decided to celebrate by going to a cabin in the woods to write at The Highlights Foundation. (Yes, that’s how a writer celebrates her 40th!) While I was there, I stumbled upon the fact that NASA sent ladybugs to space. I thought, “Hmm, a ladybug aspiring to be an astronaut… What a fun picture book idea!” But I was busy working on a different insect book, and I tucked the idea away.
Over the next few weeks, I randomly found ladybugs here and there in my house, and then one landed on me! Maybe the universe was telling me to get going. So I jumped into my fictional story about a ladybug astronaut, but as I wrote, I thought it might be helpful to know more about the actual NASA experiment.
I learned that NASA had wanted to see if ladybugs could control a swarm of pests, such as aphids, in zero gravity. If they were successful, ladybugs could be a safe and natural pest control for farming food in space. Stay with me here; this is where it gets REALLY interesting…
The scientists behind the experiment were an all-girls class from a modest school in Santiago, Chile. That’s right. You heard me. Children! And the more I read, the more inspired I became.
To learn what happened next, book an author visit!
