Reaching for the Moon

by Buzz Aldrin, Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Overview

Perfect for the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing in summer 2019!

It’s been fifty years since Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon. But the journey didn’t begin when he stepped on board Apollo 11 that fateful day in July 1969. It began the day he was born.

This picture book is Buzz Aldrin's story, in his words. Wendell Minor's gorgeous paintings evoke the wonder of space exploration for young readers.

Becoming an astronaut took more than education, discipline, and physical strength. It took years of determination and believing that any goal was possible—from riding a bike alone across the George Washington Bridge at age ten to making a footprint on the moon.

We all have our own dreams. This is the story of how Buzz’s came true.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060554477
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/20/2008
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	317,658
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.20(d)
Lexile:	860L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

On July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo 11 moon walk and became the first two humans to set foot on another world. This unprecedented heroic endeavor was witnessed by the largest worldwide television audience in history. Upon returning from the moon, Dr. Aldrin embarked on an international goodwill tour and was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among more than fifty distinguished awards and medals from numerous countries. Since retiring from NASA, the Air Force, and his position as commander of the test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base, Dr. Aldrin has remained at the forefront of efforts to ensure a continued leading role for America in manned space exploration and has advanced his lifelong commitment to humans venturing outward in space. Recently he founded a rocket design company, Starcraft Boosters, Inc., and the ShareSpace Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to pursuing space tourism. In addition to writing books that describe his unique perspective on America's space program, Dr. Aldrin also lectures and travels throughout the world to discuss his and others’ ideas for exploring the universe.

For more information about the Apollo 11 moon landing please visit www.nasa.gov or The Johnson Space Center at www.jsc.nasa.gov and for more information about the illustrations in this book please visit www.minorart.com.

Wendell Minor is nationally known for the artwork he has created for over sixty award-winning children’s books. His many collaborators include Jean Craighead George, Robert Burleigh, Buzz Aldrin, Tony Johnston, Nikki Grimes, Mary Higgins Clark, and, last but not least, his wife, Florence. He is also the author and illustrator of My Farm Friends.

Editorial Reviews

A Buzz-worthy book!

Time for Kids

Precisely rendered illustrations help this effort really take off. A brief chronology rounds out this solid title.

ALA Booklist

Calling all dreamers and wannabe space travellers!

Child Magazine

Aldrin and illustrator Minor (one of six American artists selected to cover the launch of the space shuttle Discovery in 1988) bring the astronaut's early life and commendable career into stunningly sharp focus. Aldrin shapes nearly each page into a kind of brief chapter, instantly pulling readers into his easygoing, articulate narrative. For instance, he recalls how, on summer nights during his childhood, "the Moon hung low in the sky, so close to our house that I thought I could reach out and touch the soft white light. I never imagined that one day I would walk on its surface. But maybe it was meant to be. You see, before she was married, my mother's last name was Moon." In another neat coincidence, Aldrin's pilot father took the two-year-old on his first flight in a plane painted to look like an eagle; and, in a craft named Eagle, Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed on the moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission. After recapping earlier events in his life, the author recaptures the thrill of the Eagle's landing and his and Armstrong's exploration of the moon. Aldrin closes with a stirring afterword encouraging readers to reach for their own moons: "If you set your sights high, you may accomplish more than you ever dreamed was possible." Minor's light-infused art balances lifelike, affecting portraiture and images of various spacecraft in motion, rendered with an almost dizzying clarity. Author and artist clearly aimed high here and easily hit their mark. Ages 6-9. (June) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 5-Astronaut Buzz Aldrin narrates this fascinating autobiography (HarperCollins, 2005) that provides information about his childhood, his education, and his first steps on the moon. He also includes an account of how he got the name Buzz, his time at West Point, and his perseverance in becoming an astronaut. He provides details about his unique preparation for going into space, his first spaceflight on Gemini 12, and the moon landing with Neil Armstong. Beautiful realistic illustrations by Wendell Minor give listeners the feeling that they are right there flying a plane or floating in space. Aldrin's pacing and inflection draws listeners in, adding to the immediacy of Minor's illustrations. Occasional, subtle sound effects and background instrumentation add to the richness of the story. This read-along set will work well in a classroom setting for units on space or biographies. A necessary addition to all collections serving elementary grade students.-Veronica Schwartz, Des Plaines Public Library, IL Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

In first-person voice, Aldrin highlights points from his childhood that led to his dream of being an astronaut and making the historic moon landing. Coincidental details like his mother's maiden name, "Moon," and his favorite movie hero, the "Lone Ranger," suggest clues to his destiny. After West Point, he joined the Air Force because "he wanted to fly more than anything." Minor's usual beautiful and realistic illustrations effectively convey spatial perspectives and movement, adding depth to the narrative. However, the cover design and type layout are confusing, indicative of a biography instead of an autobiography-a brief intro could have clarified it. Aldrin's message in an author's note avows, "If you set your sights high, you may accomplish more than you ever dreamed." Pair this with Don Brown's One Giant Step for a child's-eye view on space exploration. (Flight/space exploration chronology) (Picture book/biography. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews

★ “Entertaining and informative. Excellent, realistic paintings.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“A Buzz-worthy book!” — Time for Kids

“Precisely rendered illustrations help this effort really take off. A brief chronology rounds out this solid title.” — ALA Booklist

“Calling all dreamers and wannabe space travellers!” — Child Magazine

“Beautiful and realistic illustrations...in first-person voice. A child’s-eye view on space exploration.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

Who would guess that the 2-year-old who rode in his father’s airplane painted like an eagle would some day be on board the moon lander Eagle? Or that the boy who delighted in his rock collection would one day collect rock samples from the moon’s surface? Coincidences are poignant as Buzz Aldrin shares his autobiography with young listeners. His resiliency and determination as a childhood adventurer and athlete carry on to his later years as a young cadet at West Point and then an aspiring astronaut. Aldrin’s narration is firm, yet modest. His pacing leaves time to appreciate accomplishments and to savor Wendell Minor’s majestic paintings. The musical score complements and completes this recording. A.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

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