Black History Heroes: Mae Jemison - by Chris Singleton (Paperback)

About the Book

Featuring the life of former NASA astronaut, engineer, and physician Mae Jemison, the second title in the new Black History Heroes children's book series from former pro-baseball player, inspirational speaker, and author Chris Singleton.

Book Synopsis

Black History Heroes shares the lives and inspirations of black men and women who changed the world, yesterday, today, and for tomorrow.

★ "This empowering and engaging middle grade biography series about Black changemakers gets off to a strong start.....Strongly recommended for juvenile nonfiction collections."--School Library Journal, starred review

A 2025 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book

From Stanford and Cornell to the Peace Corps and from a trip on the space shuttle to an appearance on Start Trek, Mae Jemison's life continues to feature the hard work and dedication to science, healthcare, and care for others that brought her to the highest levels of a career in science.

An inspiration to millions, the life of Mae Jemison is indeed proof that Black history matters.

Written by former pro-baseball player, inspirational speaker, and author Chris Singleton.

★ "The book beautifully chronicles Boseman's struggles and triumphs....Readers will be enraptured with this magnificent tribute to the life of Chadwick Boseman, who was a true hero that anyone could look up to."--Booklist, starred review of Black History Heroes: Chadwick Boseman

Review Quotes

*Gr 3-7-This empowering and engaging middle grade biography series about Black changemakers gets off to a strong start. The first releases center Black Panther actor and activist Chadwick Boseman (see ISBN 9781638191773) and Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black female astronaut to go to space. Boseman and Jemison excelled in so many areas--sports, the arts, and STEM to name a few--that children are bound to be interested in and inspired by their stories. The authors expertly weave quotes from the subjects with biographical information, creating an engaging and conversational narrative. Short chapters move the text along quickly. Resources follow each chapter, which include a glossary of terms and concepts, reflection questions, and world events happening at various points in the person's history. These sometimes seem extraneous, but the other elements will help readers process and make connections to the text. End notes include a master glossary, time line, and selected bibliography. Black-and-white, comic-style illustrations infuse the dynamic text with even more life.

VERDICT Strongly recommended for juvenile nonfiction collections.--Maria Bohan, School Library Journal

FEATURE: Top 10 New Series Nonfiction: 2025
Whether shining a light on noteworthy figures or events in history or helping young readers navigate the wider world, these new series tackle their topics in a particularly effective manner. All were reviewed in Booklist between April 1, 2024, and March 2025.

Black History Heroes (Bushel Peck; 2 titles)

Gr. 3-5. Though this series currently only boasts two titles (one on Chadwick Boseman, the other on Mae Jemison), these biographies provide nicely in-depth coverage of their subjects. Simple but thoughtful writing, inspiring quotes, and grayscale illustrations help bring these inspiring, multifaceted individuals to life.--Julia Smith, Booklist

About the Author

Chris Singleton is an inspirational speaker and former professional baseball player. He travels the country sharing a message of unity and love to more than 50,000 students annually. Chris's speech on overcoming hate with love has been seen or shared millions of times and has led to him being featured on Lifetime, ESPN E:60, USA Today, CNN, and Fox News. Chris is a proud father to his three children, CJ, Caden, and Carter, and a proud husband to his high school sweetheart, Mariana. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina.

Ryan G. Van Cleave is the author of more than 100 books for children and adults, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. He earned a PhD in American literature and has taught writing for more than twenty years. As The Picture Book Doctor(TM), he helps creators bring kidlit projects to life on the page, stage, and screen. He believes good stories begin with curiosity. Root beer helps, too.

Adriana Pérez Perales is a freelance illustrator from Mexico. Her clients include Oxford University Press, Scholastic, Get Ready Comics, and many others.