What Miss Mitchell Saw

On an October evening in 1847, Maria Mitchell identified a comet in the heavens. Two days later, a Vatican astronomer saw it, too, but the world’s scientific community rightfully agreed to credit Maria with the discovery, naming the object Miss Mitchell’s Comet. Barrett begins with Maria’s Nantucket childhood, where Sudyka’s gorgeous gouache-and-watercolor starscapes already bleed through the fabric of her reality, shimmering in the ocean waters and along the hems of her dresses. The art often utilizes visual metaphor; dialogue flows across the page in swirling ribbons of text as Maria’s father teaches her how to “sweep the sky.” The language is simple and lyrical, preferring to evoke the wonder of the subject rather than get bogged down in scientific detail, and yet it manages to infuse a healthy dose of education, describing instruments and methods, as well as celestial objects. Back matter further details Mitchell’s distinguished career, and an author’s note gives an inspiring call to action. A beautiful biography about one watchful woman being seen by the world. -- Booklist * June 1, 2019 *