Maria Mitchell: The Soul of an Astronomer

"Maria Mitchell: The Soul of an Astronomer" is a must read biography for all Middle Schoolers. Maria Mitchell herself is probably one of the least known, of all the important people of the 19th century. Hopefully, that's going to change with several biographies (including this one) recently released, and a documentary film in the works. Taught by her father, she was more than just the first professional woman astronomer in the United States. She was the first woman AND American to be awarded the gold medal, for discovering a telescopic comet, from the King of Denmark; the first woman allowed into the Vatican Observatory, and the first woman AND person to be a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. "Maria Mitchell: The Soul of an Astronomer" takes you through her life beginning as a young girl growing up on Nantucket, assisting her father with the computations of ship chronometers for the local sailers, to her worldwide fame after her comet discovery in 1847, to her leadership as the first woman Professor of Astronomy (at Vassar College). This biography is targeted at 6th through 8th graders but is a great read for adults as well. Thoroughly researched, the book includes many photos of all the key people and places involved in her life and includes all the sources used.