Neil Armstrong (Rookie Biographies)

An introduction to the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong, who was the first man on the moon.

For cogent and straightforward early introductions to famous people, you’d be hard-pressed to top the humble yet hardworking Rookie Biographies series. In 32 pages, the books use layers of info—large declarative sentences, smaller fast facts, and even smaller captions—to ease a reader’s path into an ever-deeper understanding. Every spread includes a well-chosen one-page photo that brings the text to life. Neil Armstrong always knew where he was headed. He had his pilot’s license at 16, led military missions in Korea, test-flew experimental aircraft, and, of course, did a nifty little moonwalk. There’s no real getting into the minds of the subjects, but that’s okay—the facts, the pictures, and the back matter (a poem, life tips, a time line, and more) speak for themselves. Grades K-3. --Daniel Kraus