Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 6 to 8
Simon and Schuster, 2009 ISBN: 978-1416950462
It is a warm summer's day in Florida and something very special is happening. Three men are putting on strange suits with "large round helmets," and they are climbing on board a spaceship called the Columbia. The Columbia sits on top of a lunar module, which has been named the Eagle. These two small vessels sit on top of the Saturn V rocket ship. The Saturn V is packet with fuel to blast the two small spaceships into space and it weighs a whopping six million pounds.
After years of preparation, the rocket finally blasts off with a roar of flame and a "mighty ROAR." Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins sit in shaking seats as Saturn V releases Columbia and Eagle. Then Collins, the pilot, locks the Columbi and the Eagle together. The astronauts are now ready to fly to the moon.
The journey is not easy because anything that is not locked up or tied down floats. Food isn't easy to eat and going to the bathroom "takes some skill." It is hard to sleep, and of course, the three men are always thinking about their destination. Will they be able to make it to the moon? Will they be able to get home?
Written as if everything in the narrative is happening right now, this marvelous picture book beautifully captures the wonder and excitement that people living all over the world felt as they watched man landing on the moon for the first time. Written in a style that will soon have readers sitting on the edge of their seats, the book is richly illustrated throughout. Readers will find additional information about his historic event on the inside covers of the book.
