Go for the Moon: A Rocket, a Boy, and the First Moon Landing

In the hours leading up to the Apollo 11 mission, a child imaginatively follows the astronauts’ movements: “The astronauts are ready for the mission, and so am I.” As the boy (dressed in a NASA shirt) is pictured pulling the small rocket he built in a red wagon, the Saturn V is transported to its launch pad. Gall provides technical details relating to the stages of the voyage, with cutaways offering a view into command and service modules; readers next see the events through the boy’s eyes (he replicates the Eagle from cardboard). Finally, the family gathers around the television for the landing: “Everyone is so nervous that no one speaks.” Gall uses approachable analogies to illuminate STEAM concepts, and an author’s note recalls Gall’s experience watching the moon landing as a child, further personalizing this edifying and heartfelt story. Ages 5–8.[em] (June) [/em]