ALA Booklist

This fine biography details the life of America's first female astronomer, who was born in 1818 on Nantucket. Gormley explores Mitchell's early years, her struggles with the Quaker doctrines with which she grew up, her discovery of the comet that was named after her, and her careers as a librarian and astronomy instructor. Known for her honesty as well as her nonconformity, Mitchell comes across here as a great seeker who truly loved God and sang his praises. She did not regard the Christian faith as an unwavering walk to a glorious home in heaven but as a sometimes painful journey to personal authenticity. Her story is an important contribution to women's history and offers encouragement to young women considering astronomy as a career. (Reviewed Sept. 1, 1995)

Horn Book (Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1995)

This book about the first American astronomer to discover a comet also provides rich descriptions of nineteenth-century American intellectual society. In order to portray the person as well as the scientist, Gormley uses letters and journal entries to show the importance Mitchell placed on her family and faith but is overly traditional in her discussion of the consequences of being a woman in science.

Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

One of those important pieces of history that somehow never made it into textbooks: the story of Maria Mitchell, a self-taught astronomer who discovered Comet Mitchell, served as an inspiring teacher, and was the first woman inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Mitchell grew up in the 1800s, a time when the President of Harvard believed that the minds of women are as different from men as are their bodies. . .They cannot bear the stress of hard study.'' She was brought up a Quaker and kept her own counsel, whether on education, science, religion, or the role of women in society. She took her gifts to Vassar College, and as the first professor of astronomy, taught generations of women tothrow off this reverence for authority'' and ``come to truth through their investigations.'' For Mitchell, a spiritual person, studying the truth of science was a way of getting in touch with the Creator. Gormley (Ellie's Birthstone Ring, 1992, etc.) successfully paints a picture of a world that failed to mold Mitchell to its standards, focusing on the telling details that bring the story to life. Inspiring and incisive. (b&w photos, index, not seen) (Biography. 10-14)"

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9--With a smoothly flowing and lively style, this biography introduces readers to the 19th-century astronomer. Well-chosen, primary-source quotations and quality black-and-white photos add authenticity to the text, and contribute greatly to the author's objective and comprehensive description of Mitchell's accomplishments. This is not a straightforward chronological biography. The first chapter sets the stage, describing Mitchell's native Nantucket; comments about her as a adult; and fills in facts about her childhood. Gormley then goes on to describe her subject's later life and career. A 16-page centerfold features black-and-white photos of Mitchell, her friends, family, and colleagues. Students who are researching women scientists, 19th-century astronomers, or the education and enlightenment of women will find this biography helpful.--Phyllis Graves, Creekwood Middle School, Kingwood, TX