One Step Further : My Story of Math, the Moon, and a Lifelong Mission

A 2021 Publishers Weekly Black History Month pick!

This inspirational picture book reveals what is was like for a young black mother of three to navigate the difficult world of the 1950s and 60s and to succeed in an unwelcoming industry to become one of the now legendary "hidden figures" of NASA computing and space research.

Johnson's own empowering narrative is complemented by the recollections of her two daughters about their mother's work and insights about how she illuminated their paths, including one daughter's fight for civil rights and another's journey to become a NASA mathematician herself. The narrative gracefully weaves together Johnson's personal story, her influence on her daughters' formative years, her and her daughters' fight for civil rights, and her lasting impact on NASA and space exploration. Filled with personal reflections, exclusive family archival photos, and striking illustrations, readers will be immersed in this deeply personal portrayal of female empowerment, women in STEM, and the breaking down of race barriers across generations. Historical notes, photo/illustration notes, and a time line put the story into historical and modern-day context.


The inspirational tale of Johnson's perseverance is both intimate and global, showcasing the drive of each generation to push one step further than the last. With its evocative family album-style format and novel approach to storytelling, One Step Further is sure to inspire the next generation of rising stars.

KATHERINE JOHNSON, world-renowned NASA mathematician and one of the famed "Hidden Figures," was best known for her work that helped send John Glenn into orbit and Apollo 11 to the moon and back. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and has two separate NASA facilities named in her honor.
JOYLETTE HYLICK followed in her mother's footsteps, working at NASA as a mathematician before taking a job with Lockheed Martin. She lives in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
KATHERINE MOORE spent 33 years working in public education as an educator and guidance counselor. She resides in Greensboro, North Carolina.

CHARNELLE PINKNEY BARLOW, granddaughter of Caldecott-winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney, was surrounded by art as a child. Her passion for illustration grew after being introduced to the world of watercolors. She received her BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and her MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.