The Moon
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. This month, we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of that event with a host of new books about the Moon, and the Moon landing.
As for a few facts about the Moon. Its orbit keeps the Moon an average of 238,900 miles from Earth. It is 2,160 miles in diameter and unlike the Earth has no atmosphere. The dusty surface is covered with deep craters and this dust has been unmoved for millennia. It takes the same time for the Moon to rotate on its axis as it does to orbit Earth (27 days, 7 hours, 43 minutes). This is why one side of the moon is always facing Earth and has led to much speculation abut what may be on the other side—we now know due to landing and lunar missions. The Moon has no light of its own, but reflects light from the Sun. The fraction of the lighted part of the moon that we see is called a phase. It takes the Moon about 29 1/2 days to go through all its phases.
Reviews
Armstrong's Moon Rock
Gerry Bailey and Karen Foster
Illustrated by Leighton Noyes and Karen Radford
Every Saturday morning Knicknack Market comes to life. Street vendors are out early to set up their stalls and sell their wares. Mr. Rummage’s stall is different from the others--he has a stall piled high with a disorderly jumble of things that no one would ever want. No one, that is except Digby Platt, a ten-year old collector of antiques who visits Mr. Rummage’s stall every Saturday morning with his allowance to spend his money on something rare and interesting. His sister Hannah always goes along to make sure that Digby doesn’t waste his money on useless junk. Each of the books in this series relates a Saturday morning visit by Digby and Hannah to Mr. Rummage’s stall and the interesting objects they find there. With the discovery of an object, Mr. Rummage and some of the other vendors are ready with a story for the children about the significance of the object and the person who is supposed to have owned it. Presented in a wonderful blend of fact and fiction each book is a biography within a biography - Mr. Rummage and his friends tell the story in a narrative format to the children while additional information is intertwined in a scrapbook style on coloured pages with text, historical photographs, illustrations and maps. Lots of historical information is presented in a style which is quite easy to understand and appealing to the younger audience for which these books are intended. The pages of dialogue between the children and the vendors are also illustrated in cartoon-style illustrations which show Digby and Hannah dressed in historical costumes portraying many of the scenes of the story being told. Each book also contains a glossary and an index. These books will be of great interest to readers in the elementary grades and would be a great addition to social studies programs. The format is a great way to present biographical and historical information and could certainly be used by students in assignments that might include that kind of information. I would recommend this series for purchase by school and public libraries. (Stories of Great People Series). Category: Non-Fiction Grades K-6. Thematic Links: Biography; History. Resource Links Rating: E (Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!), Gr. 4-6. 2008, Crabtree Publishing, 37p. Illus., Hdbk. $21.56 ea. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Victoria Pennell (Resource Links, June 2008 (Vol. 13, No. 5))
ISBN: 978-0-7787-3684-4
ISBN: 0-7787-3684-9
ISBN: 978-0778-73706-3
ISBN: 0-7787-3706-3
Blast Off to the Moon
Paul Nicholls
Numerous books have been written to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the moon landing (July 20, 1969) and this one is designed for very young children. The sturdy cover has a pull tab and when extended both sides show a rocket launching into space. There are some simple facts presented such as a definition of the term astronaut, as well as mention of weightlessness and that astronauts eat special foods. The first food to be eaten them in space by an American astronaut was applesauce. In the early days of the space program, foods were more limited and some were squeezed out of tubes. Today's space explorers enjoy more normal foods. Young readers also learn that Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon and that he put an American flag there. The closing spread shows a young boy in a spacesuit and mentions that only 12 astronauts have walked on the moon but perhaps you might be one of the future ones to do the same. 2009, Price Stern Sloan/Penguin, Ages 3 to 5, $6.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8431-3474-2
Faces of the Moon
Bob Crelin
Illustrated by Leslie Evans
Many people have gazed up at the moon in the sky and watched it go through its phases over twenty-nine days as it waxes and wanes. Read and enjoy the verses about the moon as Earth’s shadow reveals or covers the moon’s face. The tabs on the pages show the moon’s different phases and mark the page with the description for the phase. From the new moon, the reader moves to the crescent and continues waxing to the full moon. Then, moon is gradually covered by Earth’s shadow to the last quarter and the final crescent as it completes its orbit around Earth, marking a lunar month. There are die-cuts in the pages to show the sunlit portion of moon to support the rhyming verse. There is a subtle, subplot of the two moon gazers that are in the illustrations. At the back of the book, there is a prose description and diagram of the moon’s phases, along with some moon facts. The linoleum block print illustrations are beautiful; the colors look very rich with the black outlines. This book makes a great addition to a unit of study. 2009, Charlesbridge, Ages 5 to 8, $16.95. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-57091-785-1
The First Moon Landing
Steve Kortenkamp
Need high interest science books for low-level reluctant readers? This book is one of six in a series that fills that niche. The topic of space fascinates early elementary students. Each book in the series is designed with a controlled vocabulary and short sentence structure. The reading level is for students in grades 1 to 2, but the interest level would be suitable for K to 4. Each two-page chapter has either a photo or diagram explaining the accompanying text. The photos support comprehension, and there is a short glossary at the back of each book. Also included is a great section called "Thinking Big," which asks questions to send the children on a quest for more information. The "Facthound" internet site is featured as well as "read more resources." The First Moon Landing provides fascinating details of that event. The crew of Apollo 11 trained for five years for the landing, leaving behind their lander and an instrument to measure laser beams aimed from the Earth. "Amazing But True" fun facts will catch the reader's interest. For example, with the lunar laser we can tell that the Moon is moving about one inch further from Earth each year. This will be a high-interest book for even the most reluctant reader and is highly recommended. Grades 1-3. 2008, Capstone Press, 24p, $21.26. Ages 6 to 9. Jacqueline Pfeiffer (National Science Teachers Association (NSTA))
ISBN: 978-1-4296-0060-6
ISBN: 1-4296-0060-8
Footprints on the Moon
Mark Haddon
Illustrations by Christian Birmingham
A young boy of the 1960s, smitten with the solar system and especially the moon, hopes that one day a way is found “to land and walk across the tiny world where he had dreamed of walking.” When that day comes, he watches the iconic images on television and then walks with the astronauts in his dreams. Did the boy grow up to become an astronaut or perhaps a scientist? The anticlimatic closing pages reveal that he is in fact an author who now “sometimes” gazes out his bedroom window at the stark moon and visualizes the astronauts’ footprints still there, never changing. This reminiscence might appeal more to the author’s contemporaries than to their children. Yet, the prose is consistently lyrical and captivating. For example, Mars is a “tiny space-tomato,” and the moon “a small and bald and ordinary globe of rock.” The realistic illustrations, with muted colors and softened edges, complement the text and evoke the boy’s sense of wonder. The moon’s mystical landscape is shown to be dreamily dotted with courageous men—and a boy—in “pumped-up suits and fishbowl helmets.” The boy’s passionate earth-bound exploration of the moon might inspire modern children to engage in similar forays into science and books. 2009 (orig. 1996), Candlewick Press, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99. Reviewer: Paula K. Zeller
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4440-6
Look to the Stars
Buzz Aldrin
Paintings by Wendell Minor
Buzz Aldrin was part of the first Moon landing and the second man to set foot on the Moon His story is one of single-minded achievement from a family that had a history of interest in aviation. His father was a pilot, and he owned signed pictures of the Wright brothers and Amelia Earhart. With the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing mission coming up, Buzz takes readers back into the past, to his own momentous mission, and then speculates on what the future holds. He starts his story with Copernicus and moves quickly through other great scientists like Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. Readers learn about the Wright brothers, Charles Lindberg, and most startling of all, the fact that only sixty-six years elapsed from the Wright brothers first successful flight to the landing on the Moon. Did you know that the astronauts took a piece of fabric from that first plane with them? Other scientists who worked on rocketry also made space flight possible. Sputnik was the gauntlet thrown down by the Soviet Union, and the United States raced to keep up and surpass what the Russians had done. The commitment was extensive and involved hundreds of thousands of people and the dedication of enormous resources as well as the establishment of NASA. Manned flight is traced from the Mercury missions to Gemini and the Apollo program—with the missions laid out on a spread that also includes a picture of the lunar module. Aldrin notes that the current focus is on living in space for longer periods of time, now that the space race has finally come to an end with the agreement to cooperate on building the International Space Station (ISS). The primary objective for the immediate future will be unmanned probes which will provide information for the eventual landing on the Moon and the establishing of a base there. Could a trip to Mars be next? Those seeking adventure can dream about being participants in these programs. Along the bottom of each of the pages are quotes from individuals who have had a powerful influence on the space program. Do not miss the Afterword or the timeline that recaps the history of man’s interest in space from Copernicus forward. The closing page contains selected resources and a host of websites for curious minds. 2009, Putnam Penguin, Ages 8 up, $17.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-399-24721-7
Mission Control, This is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon
Andrew Chaikin
This unique portrait of the Apollo voyages is a remarkable combination of intimate details of the space flights by one of the astronauts, historical and scientific details about the mission, and paintings by one of the astronauts. The extended introduction presents the mindset of America after Sputnik that set the stage for America's space program. Students will delight in details such as toilet procedures, meals, and clothing for moon walking. Alan Bean’s paintings, which comprise a major part of the book, are accompanied by reflections from the artist/astronaut. He painted what he saw from his astronaut-artist’s eye as Claude Monet might have done, rather than from his astronaut-geologist's eye. Each portrayal of an Apollo voyage provides personal details of the astronauts and paintings inspired by that voyage, as well as the expected details. Illustrations also include photographs from the voyages, such as earthrise from the moon's orbit, and photos of preparations. This book is truly a labor of love. It has places in art instruction and American history as well as science. It is identified as appropriate for ages eight to twelve, but the group that will most appreciate the book are those seniors who lived through these exciting days. It is indeed an important book for libraries serving all ages of readers. VOYA CODES: 5Q 3P M J S (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2009, Viking, 128p.; Index. Illus. Photos. Maps. Chats. Biblio. Further Reading. Chronology., $23.99. Ages 11 to 18. Reviewer: Marilyn Brien (VOYA, June 2009 (Vol. 32, No. 2))
ISBN: 978-0-67001156-8
Mission to the Moon
Alan Dyer
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of man’s first landing on the Moon, Dyer has compiled a book chock full of information including a poster and a DVD that contains footage from the Moon landing as well as highlights from later Apollo missions. His account opens with some facts about the Moon, which include how people imagined the Moon over the centuries. The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union started with the launch of Sputnick I, and the Soviets took the lead with animals and men in space. Little was known about the Moon, so unmanned probes were sent to gather information. Some thought that the Moon dust might be so deep that a person might sink into it. Creating a two stage vehicle that would land on the Moon and return to Earth seemed to be the only feasible approach. The astronauts trained hard, and pictures that are somewhat amusing show them learning survival techniques in the desert, jungle, and other places where their spacecraft might land them on their return. There is a chronology of the Apollo missions—the gap between Apollo 1 and 7 represent the test launches after the Apollo 1 tragedy. The big day finally arrives, and the crew prepares to launch. The journey to the Moon is detailed with pictures, drawings, and photographs. A close up of Armstrong’s glove cuff shows a checklist of what he had to perform during his moonwalk (a very clever idea). Space suits are examined in great detail, including the “urine collection and transfer assembly.” The lunar rover is not overlooked. Moon rocks are examined, and experiments are left on the Moon to collect data. The future, if all goes as planned, will have astronauts returning to the Moon in 2020–Project Constellation, followed by plans to eventually go to Mars. The future is envisioned with a permanent settlement established on the Moon, which is described in great detail in the closing chapters of the book. There is so much to absorb here that one reading will never be enough. There is an extensive glossary and index to help researchers find specific facts. 2009 (orig. 2008), Simon & Schuster, Ages 10 up, $19.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-7935-7
ISBN: 1-4169-7935-2
The Moon
Robin Birch
Originally published in Australia, this “New Solar System” series delivers the latest astronomical news through 2008, illustrations on every page, and lots of statistics. In five or six brief chapters, young scientists will learn about bodies in our solar system and exploration that provided the information. In The Moon, readers discover that our satellite (called Luna by the Romans and Selene by the ancient Greeks) has a lower density than Earth and a weaker gravity. Budding astronomers can find a wealth of information here about the airless, lifeless Moon and its crust, core, highlands, plains, and craters. Another chapter discusses the Moon as we see it, including its phases, solar and lunar eclipses, and tides caused by lunar gravity. Readers may not know that in 1609, Galileo observed the Moon’s surface through a telescope, which showed the flat plains he named maria (six of Galileo’s first Moon drawings are pictured). For those intrigued by space exploration, the author explains that space probe Luna 2 landed on the Moon in 1959; since then, six Apollo missions have sent astronauts there, three using electric-powered lunar rovers, while the latest space probe, Lunar Prospector (1998), found evidence of water ice in Moon craters. Clear, no-nonsense text moves along briskly, while illustrations (mostly in saturated colors on dark backgrounds) are eye-catching. Further help includes a “Moon Fact Summary,” a glossary, and a list of websites. 2008 (orig. 2004), Chelsea Clubhouse/Chelsea House, Ages 8 to 11, $23.00. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children’s Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-60413-207-6
The Moon: Earth's Neighbor
David Jefferis
Colored captions and overlapping graphics help provide a layered context for this look at lunar exploration. The book is organized into three distinct sections that introduce and reinforce its main ideas and vocabulary. The first describes basic facts about the age and phases of the satellite. The second takes a “Closer Look” at mapping and topography, and the third is directed to the “Young Astronomer.” Humans feature more prominently in this than in other books of this series, with several pictures of astronauts and the U.S. Apollo program included. Each short chapter poses a question, which is followed by two or three queries that aim to further explore the issue in a style that demonstrates the scientific method. The “discussions” are presented in detailed, two-page spreads that can easily stand alone. A “Moon Database” of statistics concludes the text, which is followed by a glossary, an index, and a list of Internet-based resources. One of four absorbing titles in the “Exploring Our Solar System” series, this is a fresh presentation of a familiar topic. 2008, Buzz Books/Crabtree, $8.95. Ages 9 to 11. Reviewer: Tina Dybvik (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7787-3731-5
ISBN: 0-7787-3731-4
ISBN: 978-0-7787-3747-6
ISBN: 0-7787-3747-0
Moon Landing: A Pop-Up Celebration of Apollo 11
Richard Platt
This superb movable book designed and made active by David Hawcock and endorsed by astronaut Buzz Aldrin celebrates the 40th Anniversary (on July 20, 2009) of the landing of Apollo 11 on the surface of the moon. Steps toward this goal included the Mercury project to send men into orbit around Earth, followed by Gemini that put men into a spaceship they could control and culminating with an American man standing on the moon. The book includes the lengthy development of rockets powerful enough to get men and carriers into space and the designing and building of a capsule they could live in. The pop-ups are impressive, the illustrations are informative and the writing is clear and inspiring. An intricate double-hemisphere pop-up of the moon shows the location of each of the unmanned module landings that probed the moon’s surface for a safe place to land an astronaut. There are diagrams of the insides of both the command module and the service module for the manned landing. There is a 32-inch-long illustration of the Saturn 5 rocket that carried Apollo missions into space. A small booklet introduces the early rocket scientists and another one has photographs of all the crews for Apollo missions 1 through 17. Because the book is full of information, illustrations and fold-outs, such as the towering rocket picture, it should be examined for the first time on a large flat surface such as the floor, or a dining room table. The book ends, fittingly, with these two brief but inspiring sentences, “Tranquiity Base here. The Eagle has landed.” A highly recommended book for all ages. 2008, Candlewick Press, $29.99. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Eleanor Heldrich (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4046-0
ISBN: 0-7636-4046-8
Moon Over Star
Dianna Hutts Aston
Pictures by Jerry Pinkney
Aston takes us back to the summer of 1969, to share the excitement and wonder of eight-year-old Mae as she reports on the anticipated landing of the astronauts on the moon. Although her grandfather feels it is a waste of money, she and her cousins are hoping for success. They assemble a “spaceship” to imagine the blast-off. Everyone gathers around the TV to hear that, “The Eagle has landed.” Mae asks her grandfather to watch the moon walk with her. As she does, she thinks about the hard farmer’s life he has had, perhaps along with the extra burden of being an African American. Watching the live TV picture from the moon thrills all the family, “And maybe even President Kennedy too…” Later her grandpa encourages Mae to “Keep on dreaming.” On the front of the cover we meet a contemplative Mae under a half-circle moon. On the back, we see more of Pinkney’s deft naturalism in a view of the moon approached by the space ship, displaying his esthetic sensitivity as he designs his scenes to provoke our sense of wonder, along with the emotions involved in the vicarious space adventure. His family portraits tell the tale of the millions who watched the event. Particularly potent is the textless double page watercolor image of the blasting off with the mingling of yellowish cloudy vapors against the deep blue of the distant sea. The human quality of his graphite, ink, and watercolor illustrations is more compelling than any photograph. 2008, Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers Group, $17.99. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3107-3
ISBN: 0-8037-3107-8
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
Brian Floca
Forty years after NASA’s Apollo 11 mission first landed astronauts on the moon, this striking nonfiction picture book takes young readers along for the ride. The moon shines down on Earth, where three men don spacesuits, climb into Columbia, and wait for liftoff. On a nearby beach, people gather to watch the rocket blast the astronauts into space. The astronauts fly to the moon, circle it, land on it, walk on its surface, and see “the good and lonely Earth, glowing in the sky.” After flying back to the orbiter, they return to Earth and splash down, “home at last.” An appended note discusses the mission in greater detail. Written with quiet dignity and a minimum of fuss, the main text is beautifully illustrated with line-and-wash artwork that provides human interest, technological details, and some visually stunning scenes. The book’s large format offers plenty of scope for double-page illustrations, and Floca makes the most of it, using the sequential nature of picture books to set up the more dramatic scenes and give them human context. The moving image of Earth seen from the moon, for instance, is preceded by a picture of a lone astronaut looking up. A handsome, intelligent book with a jacket that’s well-nigh irresistible. 2009, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Ages 4 to 7, $17.99. Grades K-3. Carolyn Phelan (Booklist, Feb. 15, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 12)) Starred Review*
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5046-2
ISBN: 1-4169-5046-X
Neil Armstrong: One Giant Leap For Mankind
Tara Dixon-Engel and Mike Jackson
Several biographies have been written about the courageous astronaut Neil Armstrong. What makes this one unique is that it is engaging and will be enjoyed by young adult readers. In this biography, readers will learn much more about the boy that became the first man to walk on the moon. Neil Armstrong had a passion for flying at a very young age. He grew up during the Great Depression, fell in love with flying, and worked several odd jobs to buy model planes and to take flying lessons. He also worked hard to become an Eagle Scout. Neil was not like the other boys his age, at 16 instead of getting his driver’s license, he earned his pilot license. He not only wanted to know how to fly a plane, but how to design one as well, so he built his own wind tunnel and later in life attended college to earn a degree in engineering. Neil’s knowledge and passion for flying helped him and countless others during the Korean War, where he served as a pilot, and also led him to NASA, where he trained to become an astronaut. Readers may be surprised to learn that the first man to walk on the moon did not initially want to be an astronaut. Readers will enjoy this book and see that Neil Armstrong is not just a person in history, but a real person that has had to deal with real life issues just like they do, but he did not allow the difficulties in life to stop him from reaching his goals. The book includes many text features such as bold font for vocabulary words that are found in the glossary, a time line of Neil’s life, and an extensive index. This book is excellent for research or recreational reading. 2008, Sterling, $12.95. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Laura J. Brown (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4027-4496-9
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6061-7
ISBN: 1-4027-4496-X
ISBN: 1-4027-6061-2
One Giant Leap
Robert Burleigh
Illustrated by Mike Wimmer
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the American landing on the moon, Burleigh vividly recreates the exciting story of the astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin as they ride the Eagle landing craft down to the moon. As Collins orbits in the Columbia above, they don their spacesuits and go out onto the moon’s surface. They use their two hours to explore, collect rocks, and plant an American flag. Their awe is evident. They then must launch the Eagle for a successful return to dock with the Columbia. Anxiety gives way to relief as they are then on their way back to their “fragile, beautiful home,” Earth. From the image of the pockmarked lunar surface on the end pages contrasting with the space-suited astronauts on the jacket we are led to anticipate high adventure. Wimmer uses oil paints to portray detailed interior and exterior naturalistic views. We see Armstrong watching the many dials on the controls. The Eagle sits in a vast, empty landscape with the Earth a distant sphere. The striped parachutes carry the space capsule to a safe landing in the ocean, bringing the thrilling ride to an end. Burleigh adds a note on the space program and its possible future. 2009, Philomel Books/Penguin Young Readers Group, $16.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-399-23883-3
ISBN: 0-399-23883-2
One Small Step: Celebrating the First Men on the Moon
Jerry Stone
Set up like a scrapbook, Stone provides lots of interesting details of the Apollo 11 mission. Like many other books celebrating the 40th anniversary of man’s first step on the Moon, Stone’s account begins with some background information about the Moon and the fascination it has held for ancient and modern men. The space race is recapped with a picture of President Kennedy appearing before Congress and stating the goal to have a man on the Moon by the end of the 60s. The details of the rocket that would launch the command and service modules cover one spread, and another shows the space suit and practice for the mission as well as the Apollo 11 patch. Each of the astronauts is profiled, and then readers finally reach the big day. The blast off from the Cape was witnessed by many, including former president Johnson. Like many scrapbooks, there are items to open or flip, and one that kids may find amusing is the Apollo 11 menu. Finally Neil and Buzz land on the moon. Pictures show them and their footprints, and there is a replica of the plaque that they left behind and some details about the experiments that they performed. The return home was tumultuous, with a ticker tape parade in New York City, followed by goodwill visits to twenty-four countries. From Apollo, the story moves on to the space shuttle and ultimately to what the future holds—a Moon base and a possible mission to Mars. It is an enjoyable book to peruse, and, while doing so, readers will absorb plenty of information about the U.S. space program. However, I was surprised to note that the quote on the back cover does not match the quote shown on the spread entitled “Man on the Moon!” 2009, Roaring Brook, Ages 10 up, $24.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59643-491-2
ISBN: 1-59643-491-0
The Moon
Ralph Winrich
Part of the “First Facts” series for young readers, this Solar System set has been updated for 2008. Each slim, square book presents the basics in six to eight chapters with bright color photos and drawings, adding extra interest with “Fun Facts” and “Amazing but True!” pages. While the text is brief and written in short sentences, the vocabulary and some concepts may be difficult for early readers unless they are already fans of outer space. This title highlights moon landings, the Moon’s place in the solar system as Earth’s satellite, and its lack of atmosphere. The Moon’s composition (rock, dust, and iron) is noted, as is its movement around the Earth on its axis, keeping the same face always to the Earth. The author describes the Moon’s bowl-shaped craters and large dark areas called “maria;” and that some scientists study the Moon’s surface with lasers. The last pages make some comparisons between the Moon and the Earth (the much smaller Moon has greater contrasts of heat and cold but no air to breathe), while a chart shows eight waxing and waning phases of the Moon. “Amazing but True!” informs young astronomers that the Moon may have been formed when a “planet-sized object slammed into the Earth billions of years ago.” Though this publisher likes to recommend FactHound as a source for Internet sites, there is nothing about the Moon on the web sites listed. Each book has the usual glossary, bibliography, and index. 2008, Capstone, $21.26. Ages 6 to 8. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4296-0725-4
ISBN: 1-4296-0725-4
Moon: Science, History and Mystery
Stewart Ross
There is no question that there is a wealth of information in this book. The did you know stars are a bit hard to read, but filled with little tidbits that kids love to drop on friends and family. Background information about the Cold War and the race into space between the U.S.A. and the USSR led to the establishment of NASA and the pledge that John F. Kennedy made to put a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. Turning the page brings up some history about Moon studies by Greek, Islamic and other scholars while the next set of pages relates myths about the Moon and Moon worship. The book moves back and forth among these sections—fact and fiction. The next major factual section addresses the Apollo program, then jumps back in history to discuss Galileo and then off to a fanciful discussion of nursery rhymes, religion and once again returning to the actual science of the space program with the development of the Saturn rocket. The Moon landing is achieved and subsequent landings are described. I personally found the interspersing myths, legends, horror films and factual accounts a bit distracting. Kids who are not good readers may have trouble jumping between real and surreal topics, ancient history and a program that achieved real scientific breakthroughs in the last century. The closing pages offer Moon facts, recap the lunar exploration, provide a glossary, index, list of web sites and places to visit where kids can learn even more. 2009, Oxford University Press/Scholastic, Ages 9 up, $18.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 978-0-545-12732-5
ISBN: 0-545-12732-7
Up, Up, and Away
Margaret Hillert
Illustrated by Robert Masheris
Two young children are wandering near the launching pad of a space shuttle. In the course of their natural exploration, they decide to climb the scaffolding and enter the cockpit. Soon, they are suited up and counting down to blast off to the moon. They rocket about space until they discover the moon. Upon landing, the children bounce on the surface, then ride in moon buggies. Missing their parents, they blast off for Earth. Once they enter the atmosphere, they parachute into the ocean and are picked up by a Navy helicopter. This is a very simple story, yet it outlines the events that occur when astronauts travel to the moon. This story may be familiar to adult readers, since it is a classic story. The text is comprised of basic sight words, which will provide practice for beginning readers. The pictures show the story and engage the reader. The final two pages contain extensive directions for working on phonics with a child. 2009 (orig. 1982), Norwood House Press, $19.93. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Charles E. Kreinbucher (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-5995-3151-9
ISBN: 1-5995-3151-8
What is the Moon?
Carmen Bredeson
Part of the “I Like Space Series!” this title will appeal to the young scientists and space explorers in your elementary school or library. It answers all those questions kids would love to ask someone from NASA about the moon, such as: How much would a person weigh on the moon? What makes the moon shine? Where did the moon come from? Why is there no air on the moon? Who studies the moon? And much, much more! The author provides answers in simple, age-appropriate text. The book’s double-page spreads are made up of starry, full color photos of the moon--many taken by NASA from space--interspersed with cartoon astronauts and starburst-shaped “fun fact” boxes. Also included is a glossary page of space-related “words to know” at the front of the book, as well as book and website resource listings and a complete subject index at the back. Boys and girls will have a blast cruising through this hardcover book with sturdy library binding. It is a perfect choice for your nonfiction shelves. 2008, Enslow Publishers, $22.60. Ages 7 to 9. Reviewer: Dianne Ochiltree (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7660-2946-0
ISBN: 0-7660-2946-8
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Updated 06/26/09
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