Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe by Amy S. Hansen, Wanda Díaz Merced and Rocio Arreola Mendoza - ADVISABLE

Wanda Hears the Stars A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe by Amy S. Hansen and Wanda Díaz Merced, illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza. BIOGRAPHY, NON-FICTION, PICTURE BOOK Charlesbridge/Imagine, 2025. $19. 9781623544874 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

When Wanda Diaz Merced was a little girl, she loved to be in the outdoors with her family - she and her father looked at the stars when they went on a fishing trip. She felt a special connection and had lots of questions. She studied Physics in college with her dream being to study the stars, but her diabetes took her vision while at college so she needed to find another route. One day, while she was experiencing a special radio her friend had engineered, Wanda was able to hear sounds coming from space and the stars. The door to her studies re-opened as she had found another path. She is a scientist and an advocate for those with disabilities. 

What an inspirational story! And how brave she must have been to apply to NASA, which required her to move from Puerto Rico, learn English and find her way around a new campus without sight. I can see my star lovers and my biography readers really liking this introduction to Wanda Merced. Includes a lot of backmatter: Glossary (both of science terms and Spanish words), a note from Wanda and the author, notes about the radio, as well as a timeline and bibliography. Wanda is from Puerto Rico 

Lisa Librarian 

When Science Stood Still by Shruthi Rao and Srindhi Srinivasan - ADVISABLE

When Science Stood Still by Shruthi Rao, illustrated by Srindhi Srinivasan. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. McElderry (Simon), 2025. $20. 9781665949965

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Subramanyan Chandrasekhar was only 19 in the 1930’s when he did the math and wrote the paper that proved the existence of black holes.  It took more than 30 years for the rest of the science community to take him seriously - and 50 years after that first paper, Chandra was awarded a Nobel prize. 

Rao does an excellent job of succinctly giving us Chadra’s story in a way that captures our attention and keeps us reading. I am excited to show this to my middle school science teachers to support their curriculum. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS