Annie Jump Cannon, Astronomer by Carole Gerber, illustrated by Christina Wald. Pub date: fall 2011, by Pelican Publishing.  (Reviews will be posted after publication.)

This picture book biography tells the story of an amazing woman born in 1863 who developed a system for classifying stars that is still used today. Annie Jump Cannon set a record that has yet to be matched: she classified the “spectra” (light) of 350,000 stars.

I grew to love and admire Annie Jump Cannon during the course of researching and writing this book. Annie was smart, hard-working, funny and friendly. Despite her hearing impairment, she had many friends. Annie never married but enjoyed children and often hosted parties for them and their parents at Star Cottage.

Annie believed women were the equals of men and worked to help women get the right to vote in 1920. In 1934, Annie used her own money to establish the Annie J. Cannon Prize in Astronomy through the American Astronomical Society, which invested her contribution. Each year, the Society uses the proceeds earned from Annie’s original investment to award $5,000 to an outstanding female astronomer. Annie’s light shines on!