cover image Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code

Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code

Laurie Wallmark, illus. by Katy Wu. Sterling, $16.95 (48p) ISBN 978-1-4549-2000-7

In an upbeat biography, Wallmark (Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine) introduces readers to self-assured tech pioneer Grace Hopper. From the time Hopper was a girl, she “wanted to understand how things worked so she could make them better.” After becoming an engineer for the Navy and being assigned to work as a computer programmer, Hopper developed a new (and time-saving) method of writing code. Newcomer Wu’s digital illustrations are rendered in a vivid and appealing cartoon style that harmonizes with Wallmark’s enthusiastic writing, which emphasizes how Hopper’s accomplishments arose as much from her intuition as her number sense. Quotes from Hopper, scattered throughout, further amplify the personality and drive of a trailblazing programmer. Ages 5–up. Author’s agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary. (May)