Journey to the Moon: A Pop-Up Lunar Adventure

Mansfield traces a rocket’s journey to the moon over six vertically oriented spreads—all the better to convey the force needed to achieve liftoff. The pop-up elements in each spread aren’t complicated or ornate, yet they are strikingly effective in their simplicity. Wavy ribbons of smoke and flame pour from the rocket’s base during blast-off, while zigzagging flames and the rocket’s segmented body give later pages something of an Art Deco influence. Mansfield keeps the identity of the rocket’s pilot (mostly) hidden until the final spread, when readers discover that this stylish and playful journey into space is more about homecoming than exploration. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)