Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
Several publishers are issuing children's books this season in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Here are some that shine.
Floca's rendition of Apollo 11 's journey to the moon is as poetic as it is historically resonant. The first page offers a quiet meditation: “High above/ there is the Moon,/ cold and quiet,/ no air, no life,/ but glowing in the sky,” followed by the astronauts preparing for the voyage and then a dramatic liftoff (“The rocket is released!”). Once in space, the lunar module, Eagle —“a stranger ship, more bug than bird,/ a black and gold and folded spider”—locks onto the Columbia . The subdued illustrations hold an undercurrent of emotion (as a family hears the report that the Eagle has landed safely, the father wipes his eyes with awe and relief). A stirring depiction of a momentous event. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)
Release date: 04/01/2009