Changing the Equation by Coretta Scott King Honoree Tonya Bolden (Crossing Ebenezer Creek) is a lively collection of profiles about Black women who have "pushed back against stereotype" and pursued careers in STEM industries. She organizes the profiles into three sections that align with important historical moments: "In the Vanguard" (post-Civil War); "Riding the Wave" (the first feminist movement); and "Onward" (the civil rights and Black power movements). Subjects include pioneers such as Ida Gray Nelson Rollins, who became the first U.S. Black woman doctor of dental surgery in 1890, and modern-day rising stars like Lisette Titre-Montgomery, a video game developer. Informative sidebars and images of primary sources bolster the well-researched, accessible text.
This collection of inspiring women's stories is an ideal gift to celebrate young Black girls' interests in science or math and encourage readers to "get busy changing the equations." --Lana Barnes, freelance reviewer and proofreader