Author & Illustrators
This picture book was inspired by Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Foraker, a talented seamstress who created the spacesuit worn during the memorable Apollo 11 1969 Moon Landing. There is a lovely dedication to her on the very first page, and as you read through, it is clear to see what an inspirational woman Ellie Foraker really was.
From a young girl, Ellie enjoyed sewing and creating items with neatness and detail. As an adult, a passing engineer who noticed Ellie’s talents encouraged her to go up against military designers in a Space Competition with the opportunity to create a spacesuit worthy for a moon expedition. With the help of other seamstresses, Ellie and her group of women would help to change the world of exploration forever.
This book not only has beautiful, bright illustrations created by Ariel Landy, which really bring the story to life, but it also contains interesting facts about space and the moon landing that will hook younger and older readers and guarantee lots of discussions around the subject. It also has a glossary of key terminology and a QR code if any reader – or teacher – wanted to access more facts. What a great touch!
A Super Sticky Mistake brilliantly retells the story of Harry Coover. He was a scientist who worked in the USA during World War Two. He was tasked with developing a plastic that needed to be strong, solid and transparent. His team created a new substance that did not meet the brief; instead creating a super sticky substance called ‘Cyanoacrylate’. Rather than giving up, Harry continued to work on his scientific research and returned to try his new sticky compound when he needed a new material that would be strong enough to stick aircraft windshields.
The material was found to be particularly strong and useful in so many ways; from mending broken bones to repairing spacecraft.
At the age of 92, Harry was presented with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation for his work; one of the highest scientific accolades in the field.
The story is a brilliant way to introduce themes of perseverance, determination and creativity. It is full of humour and the illustrations show some of the frustrations of the rest of his team alongside Harry’s optimism; which could lead to some fantastic discussions.
It is perfect for use in Key Stage One and Lower Key Stage Two or as a text to read with the whole school in assembly….
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Curriculum links (if relevant)
Any other comments
Any other comments