To the Moon and Back - a review

To the Moon and Back: My Apollo 11 Adventure

By Buzz Aldrin and Marianne Dyson

Illustrated by Bruce Foster

National Geographic, 2018

In this gift-worthy, sturdy, pop-up book, middle-grade space enthusiasts will find a wealth of little-known details, personal remembrances, and photos from the quest to land men on the surface of the moon. In addition, the science and engineering is explained clearly and simply.

Buzz Aldrin begins with the start of his NASA career as an astronaut in the year 1963.  He then chronicles the successes and failures of the many Gemini, Soyuz, and Apollo missions that preceded the famous voyage of Apollo 11.

Tucked within the pages and pop-ups, are pull-out sections titled Space Race and Aldrin Family Reflections.  The pop-ups, created by paper engineer, Bruce Foster, include (among others) the Saturn V rocket which pops out to a height of over one foot, a lunar module, and the deploying parachutes of the lunar capsule's splash landing.

One section titled, "Saved by the Pen," includes this recollection:

     "After 21 hours on the moon, it was time to go. But the ascent engine's arming circuit breaker was broken off!  If we didn't find something to replace the pin, the engine wouldn't start.  We'd be stuck on the moon.

     Armstrong and I looked around.  We found a felt-tipped pen that fit into the slot. Problem solved!"

After reading To the Moon and Back, you will have a greater appreciation of what is often described as one of humanity's greatest feats of engineering.  The beautiful photos, pop-ups and a build-your-own lunar module are just icing on the cake.

Buzz Aldrin finishes his account with a query,

"Will we celebrate Apollo 11's 100th anniversary under the pink skies of Mars?"

He hopes so.  And perhaps it will be a woman who first steps on the red planet. I hope so.

Note:

In 2013, I was lucky enough to meet Buzz Aldrin.  He was very friendly, and let me touch him—the closest that I will ever come to outer space. 

© L Taylor

   My copy of To the Moon and Back was provided by the book's publicist.

A Big Mooncake for Little Star - a review

A Big Mooncake for Little Star

by Grace Lin

Little Brown, 2018

Here is an excerpt from my starred review of A Big Mooncake for Little Star.  You can read my entire review in the August, 2018 issue of School Library Journal.

Little Star’s mother admonishes her not to eat the giant mooncake, but Little Star has her own ideas. “Yum!”

The relationship between Little Star and her mother offers a message of empowerment and reassurance. Lin’s loving homage to the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is sure to become a bedtime favorite.

Activities for A Big Mooncake for Little Star 

Source: School Library Journal. Jul2018, Vol. 64 Issue 7, p45-45.

Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon - a review

Countdown : 2979 Days to the Moon
By Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez
Peachtree Publishers

2,979 days after President Kennedy announced,

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth,"

this nation did just that. Not only did we achieve the goal, we did it all in the days before personal computers, cell phones, ATMs, and video games were invented. If you visit the historic Mission Control room in Johnson Space Center, you will be amazed at what was accomplished with the technology of the time.

In free verse poetry, Suzanne Slade recounts the extraordinary journey, both daring and dangerous, that culminated in the first humans to walk on the lunar surface.

"The men steal a last glance at their beautiful home,
then Borman begins the TLI countdown: "9,8,7,..."
With each passing second,
excitement builds at Mission Control.
No astronaut—American or Soviet—
has ridden a rocket beyond Earth orbit.
"3,2, light On. Ignition," Borman announces.
"Ignition," Lovell confirms.
The third-stage engine reignites,
sending the craft on its long trek to the Moon.

As Apollo 8 screams into space,
Borman, Lovell, and Anders
become the first humans
to fly above Earth orbit."

The text is presented against a backdrop of illustrations in pastel, colored pencil, and airbrush.  Gonzalez has created a delicate balance of realism and magic. The artwork is recognizable as images seen in news media of the era, and yet, it is elevated with a patina of enchantment. The resulting combination is stunning.

Between chapters, there are two pages detailing each Apollo mission, which include photos,  astronaut bios, and mission statistics, e.g., dates, duration.

Extensive back matter includes more information on Apollo 11, and Author's Note, Illustrator's Note, Selected Bibliography, Sources for Quotations, and Photo Credits.

As the nation contemplates manned missions to Mars, it is fitting to look back on the sacrifices and triumphs of an earlier space-traveling generation.


Notes:

•  Countdown will be on a shelf near you in September.  You can pre-order now.
• Thomas Gonzalez is also the illustrator of the stunning and moving book, 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy.
• My copy of Countdown was supplied by the publisher.
• Johnson Space Center is currently seeking donations to support the restoration of the Historic Mission Control room. 
•  Teacher's Guide for Countdown 2979 Days to the Moon
• A collection of posts on nonfiction books for kids and teens can be found on the STEM Friday blog. 

Eight Days Gone - a review

McReynolds, Linda. 2012. Eight Days Gone. Illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

In simple, four-line rhymes, Linda McReynolds has captured for a new generation the eight breathtaking, breath-holding days of the Apollo 11 mission.  Eight Days Gone recounts the July 1969, launch, orbit, landing and return of the spaceship Columbia and the lunar module Eagle.

It begins on a cheerful, sunny, colorful day in Florida,

Hundreds gather.
Hot July.
Spaceship ready -
set to fly.

McReynolds skillfully distills this immense project, this watershed accomplishment into its most basic elements, yet she disregards no aspect of the mission, giving recognition to Aldrin and Armstrong,  the nation, the command center, Collins (who stayed aboard the Columbia), even the Navy - remember the days of "splashdowns?"

The words are not always simple, but O'Rourke's stunning oil paintings fill in the necessary details. The font is either black or white and appears in a corner, never obscuring the double-spread, full-bleed illustrations.  Because of the subject matter, much of the artwork is in the creamy colors of the lunar surface, the spacecraft, and the astronauts' clothing.  Against the black of the universe, the colors of the American flag, the striped parachutes, the faces of the astronauts, and the dazzling blue and green of the earth, demand the reader's attention. 


Most striking is the painting of the "earthrise" on the black lunar horizon, a small astronaut placed in the lower left corner,

Desolation.
Silent. Dark.
Tranquil sea.
Barren. Stark.

Our tiny place within the cosmos is illustrated, but is boldly followed by the illustration on the following page where the astronaut fills a third of the page, confidently setting forth across the lunar landscape,

Haul equipment.
Careful test.
Exploration.
Lunar quest.

May we always be reminded of both our infinetesimal status and our immense capacity to overcome it.  A stunning book. Highly recommended.

See more illustrations from Eight Days Gone

at Ryan O'Rourke's site.

A photo, bilbiography, author's note and websites are included.

This is Linda McReynolds' first children's book.

Other Eight Days Gone reviews @

• NC Teacher Stuff
• Kirkus

NASA offers a K-4 student website as well as a NASA Kids' Club.

Did you know that China has its own space station and in June, they sent a manned (or should I say "wo"manned) mission to live aboard the station for two weeks?  Details available from NASA or The New York Times. China plans a moon landing for 2016.

Today's Nonfiction Monday roundup is at Pierogies & Gyoza.  Please stop by.

Why nonfiction? (or, heard on a moonlit night)

Thoughts for Nonfiction Monday ...

On a recent summer evening, my husband and I headed up to the beach to watch the full moon rise. Moonrise was scheduled for 9:05pm, and we were a few minutes late. As a beautiful strawberry moon emerged from the clouds in the darkening horizon over the Atlantic Ocean, we stood gazing from the boardwalk.  The moon had not yet fully appeared, and the sky around it was tinged with red.

A young adult man and his female companion were walking by and stopped to see the reason for our eastward attention. With a puzzled, slightly worried expression,  he asked, "Excuse me, but you can you please tell me what all that red stuff in the sky is?" 

Several minutes later, at about 9:20pm, the moon had risen in all it's rosy glory, and three young men on bicycles rode by, and I overheard: "Hey, dude!  Check out the sun!"  "So what. That's no big deal.  I see that all the time." "C'mon, let's go."

Photo by David Saddler
Creative Commons license 2.0

I understand that not everyone lives near the ocean and has seen the moon rise up over the horizon, and I don't mention these conversations to ridicule people enjoying the beach at night.  Many people do not get to see the moon until it rises high and white in the sky.  However, it is my wish that all children (and adults!) know that the sun sets in the west, that it is the moon that rises at night, and that a full moon rising in any location is a beautiful thing.  Thankfully, commonplace, awesome, and terrible things that we are not fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to experience for ourselves, may be experienced through books.

"Common knowledge" exists only between people with common experiences. In working with children, we cannot assume that anything is "common" knowledge.


If we share nonfiction books and make the natural world a source of interest and wonder, then we will have done a great deal in educating children and making the world a better place.


Today's Nonfiction Monday is at Lori Calebrese Writes!  Please, visit and share!