Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon

K-Gr 4--Concise text and stunning watercolor illustrations present information about the Apollo missions that carried twelve American men to the surface of the moon. From Apollo 11 in 1969 to the Apollo 17 mission ending in 1972, each journey is briefly described focusing on its particular astronauts and goals. The artwork effectively reflects the history of space travel laid out in the text, but also adds grace and wonder to the stories of these men who had a rare and significant experience. Thirteen pages of back matter include a note from Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon, plus a timeline and detailed information about each of the space vehicles. Every mission has its own extra page of additional information with personnel, photos, specific dates, total time on the moon, and surface EVA time (extravehicular activity). VERDICT The information about U.S. space travel, coupled with vivid illustrations, will appeal to readers interested in astronauts and the moon. The ample facts and data following the illustrated story make the book effective for a wide range of ages.--Elaine Fultz, Madison Jr. Sr. High School, Middletown, OH

In gentle vignettes, Slade describes each Apollo moon mission in order. "Year after year the moon circles Earth./ All alone," until one day, the Apollo 11 spacecraft appears and "finally it touches the ground." For each mission, Marks's watercolor art captures the majesty of space, with dramatic depictions of the spacecraft being maneuvered and astronauts walking the moon's surface. The Apollo 13 astronauts peer anxiously through the window of their injured ship; the Apollo 17 astronauts collect soil; and on the Apollo 14 mission, Alan Shepard plays a round of golf on the moon's surface. A final illustration shows two children gazing at the "steadfast moon" through a telescope. Substantial back matter, with a timeline and an afterword from astronaut Alan Bean, concludes this reflective and informative portrait of the U.S. moon missions. Ages 5-9. (Mar.)