Grandpa Takes Me to the Moon

A child whose grandfather was an astronaut always asks Grandpa for a bedtime story in which the two of them blast off for the moon together

Kindergarten-Grade 2?This book was written as a tribute to Apollo astronaut James Irwin. In the story, Grandpa was an astronaut who walked on the moon. During the evening bedtime story, he and his grandson imagine going there together. The text is perfect, reflecting no doubt the most frequently asked questions of those who have experienced space travel, and moonwalking in particular: Where does the capsule sit on the rocket? How long does it take to get to the moon? What does the surface of the moon look like? Root's watercolor and gouache paintings focus on the factual information and yet the art has the feeling of an imaginary experience and captures the wishful thinking of a curious child. Emerging readers can make this experience their own because the visual clues and the vocabulary are so carefully scripted. The premise of fondly recalling the public's total attention to the first manned space flights and reliving it through the intergenerational episode may not work for all audiences since the child is so easily transported to the historic event?leaving behind the uniqueness, the training, and the risk involved. Nonetheless, the appealing story and breathtaking pictures make an attractive addition that should spark many flights of fancy.?Kathy East, Wood County District Public Library, OH
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.