Women's History Month- Skybound!

The lovely people at Calkins Creek sent me a box of picture book biographies to celebrate Women's History Month. What a great way to introduce young readers to all of the possibilities! 

Ganz-Schmitt, Sue and Bruno, Iacopo (illus.)
Skybound!: Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta, Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist
April 16, 2024 by Calkins Creek

Copy provided by the Publisher

Not many girls born in 1850 were able to become scientists, but Mary Breed Hawley was fortunate enough meet and marry Carl Meyer, who shared her passion for engineering, science, and invention. He had an extensive library, and Mary studied aeronautics and meteoraolgy through his books. She even invented a better fabric for balloons, and helped make them. The couple hired an aeronaut to fly their newfangled vehicle, but when they needed someone to take scientific measurements as well as fly the balloon, Mary stepped in and volunteered. Choosing the stage name Carlotta, she traveled up in the balloon at various exhibitions and brought back data on the weather components of her journey. There were some close calls, but she continued her flights for a number of years. When she retired, she and Carl started a balloon manufacturing business, the Balloon Farm, in Frankfort, New York. 

Encouraging STEM studies in young girls is so important, and Mary's devotion to studying despite the strictures of her time are an inspiration. I loved that she wasn't just a daredevil, but wanted to make scientific contributions as well. She even managed to get a patent for her invention that helped her steer the balloon at a time when few women were listed as inventors. 

Bruno's illustrations capture the feel of the late 1800s well, with ornate fonts included in the text and great detail in the clothing and settings. The palette is heavy on brown and blue with touches of red, perhaps drawing from the one vintage postcard of the Balloon Farm. The outfits in particular are well researched, but there is plenty of scientific detail in the balloons as well as some of the instruments used in collecting data. 

In addition to Mary's story, there is an informative section at the end with more details about the Myers' foray into balloons, complete with a timeline and bibliography. This would make a great additions to  alouds that show that the sky wasn't a limit for women at all like Borden and Kroeger's Fly High!: The Story of Bessie Coleman, Bass and Williams' Me and the Sky: Captain Beverley Bass, Pioneering Pilot, Engle and Palacios' The Flying Girl: How Aida de Acosta Learned to Soar, Lang and Colón's Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine, and Smith and Tavares' Lighter than Air: Sophie Blanchard, the First Woman Pilot.