I Want to Be an Astronaut

Blast-off! Up into the shy goes the space shuttle. Into orbit, the astronauts get a taste of ready-to-eat food, experience zero gravity, go for space walks, and even fix a satellite. It's fun to fly aboard the shuttle...and then come back to earth.

'A young girl declares her longing to 'fly on the shuttle into outer space.' The familiar acts of eating, sleeping, and working become intense and special as she and the rest of the crew go about their business. The illustrations positively glow in this simple, lyrical picture book that will have nearly everyone off and flying.' —SLJ.

Notable Children's Book of 1988 (ALA)
1988 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1988 (NYT)
Oustanding Science Trade Books for Children 1988 (NSTA/CBC)

A young child thinks about what it would be like to be an astronaut and go out on a mission into space.

Blast-off! Up into the shy goes the space shuttle. Into orbit, the astronauts get a taste of ready-to-eat food, experience zero gravity, go for space walks, and even fix a satellite. It's fun to fly aboard the shuttle...and then come back to earth.

‘A young girl declares her longing to ‘fly on the shuttle into outer space.’ The familiar acts of eating, sleeping, and working become intense and special as she and the rest of the crew go about their business. The illustrations positively glow in this simple, lyrical picture book that will have nearly everyone off and flying.’ —SLJ.

Notable Children's Book of 1988 (ALA)
1988 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1988 (NYT)
Oustanding Science Trade Books for Children 1988 (NSTA/CBC)

Children's Literature

Mr. Barton's five sentences, brilliant colors, and bold strokes tell it like it is for today's toddlers, tomorrow's space walkers.

Byron Barton is the author and illustrator of many books for children, including Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs; The Three Bears; The Little Red Hen; Machines at Work; I Want to Be an Astronaut; and a series of board books: Big Machines, Dinosaurs, Tools, and Zoo Animals. He also illustrated The Little Factory, written by Sarah Weeks.