One Small Step

Jack Shafer

The book's scrapbook format invites readers to explore the concepts, technologies and personal stories behind manned space flight.
—The New York Times

Publishers Weekly

Packed with interactive components, this tribute to the Apollo 11 mission is a mock scrapbook penned by a 12-year-old space enthusiast. Moon memorabilia include images from vintage sci-fi magazines, postcards, newspaper clippings and numerous photos and diagrams. Throughout, the boy's notes serve as image captions: "The astronauts set up an American flag on the moon. This was not an attempt to claim the Moon, but was a tribute to the people whose efforts had led to the landing," he explains in the photo of Buzz Aldrin. Fans of the Ologies series and other interactive titles who have an affinity for all things space-related will appreciate the featured relics. Ages 6-10. (Apr.)

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Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Set up like a scrapbook, Stone provides lots of interesting details of the Apollo 11 mission. Like many other books celebrating the 40th anniversary of man's first step on the Moon, Stone's account begins with some background information about the Moon and the fascination it has held for ancient and modern men. The space race is recapped with a picture of President Kennedy appearing before Congress and stating the goal to have a man on the Moon by the end of the 60s. The details of the rocket that would launch the command and service modules cover one spread, and another shows the space suit and practice for the mission as well as the Apollo 11 patch. Each of the astronauts is profiled, and then readers finally reach the big day. The blast off from the Cape was witnessed by many, including former president Johnson. Like many scrapbooks, there are items to open or flip, and one that kids may find amusing is the Apollo 11 menu. Finally Neil and Buzz land on the moon. Pictures show them and their footprints, and there is a replica of the plaque that they left behind and some details about the experiments that they performed. The return home was tumultuous, with a ticker tape parade in New York City, followed by goodwill visits to twenty-four countries. From Apollo, the story moves on to the space shuttle and ultimately to what the future holds—a Moon base and a possible mission to Mars. It is an enjoyable book to peruse, and, while doing so, readers will absorb plenty of information about the U.S. space program. However, I was surprised to note that the quote on the back cover does not match the quote shown on the spread entitled "Man on the Moon!" Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Gr 4-8

This replica of a scrapbook claimed to have been assembled by 12-year-old "Mike," son of a NASA scientist (even though CIP includes the statement, "written by Jerry Stone"), reproduces a wealth of mementos related to travel to the Moon and the Apollo project. The text is done in a font resembling hand printing, and it's essentially all captions to the contents, which include photos, note cards, a replica of the mission patch, press passes, a facsimile New York Times front page, and diagrams of space equipment. A tremendous amount of information is enthusiastically presented; topics include fictional accounts of space travel, the space race, the Apollo/Saturn V, the Apollo 11 astronauts, the mission launch, landing and exploration of the Moon, the return to Earth, subsequent space missions, and future possibilities. There is even a booklet rebutting the rumors that the Moon landing was a hoax. In many ways a younger companion volume to David West Reynolds's adult book, Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon (Harcourt, 2002), this "scrapbook" is a compelling collection of items. Some are made to look as if they are held in place by tape, staples, or paper clips; and many flip up to reveal more information beneath. The fragility of those items may make some libraries cautious about putting the book in circulation, but it will be an outstanding resource for programs, presentations, or prizes related to the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 .-Jeffrey A. French, formerly at Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH

Designed to resemble a big, glossy scrapbook, this eye-catching addition to the flurry of titles commemorating the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing features spreads crammed with period photos, transcripts, ephemera, NASA documents and publications, timelines and artist's renditions-plus a sticker, detachable pictures, numerous flaps to lift and, inset into the silver front cover, a riveting, five-facet lenticular painting of an Apollo 11 astronaut on the lunar surface. Every square centimeter between the visuals is filled with excited descriptions, technical notes and commentary by Mike, the album's fictive 12-year-old creator and, like his astrophysicist mother and retired NASA-worker grandfather, a dyed-in-the-wool space enthusiast. Designed as a browsing item, it invites readers to dip, leave and return. Kids will be drawn into the drama of the historic event and may be enticed into starry dreams of their own by closing glimpses of planned near-future expeditions to the Moon and to Mars. (Nonfiction. 7-12)