Hello, friends! To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, our book today is Go For The Moon: A Rocket, A Boy, and the First Moon Landing by Chris Gall.

Based on the author’s childhood memories, our story begins with a young bespectacled boy preparing for the event of the century: the launch of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. He has his astronaut outfit, and has built models in every scale of the remarkable equipment that will be used in the real mission: a water rocket like the Saturn V, a cardboard command module clubhouse, miniatures of the astronauts and even of the LEM. Following along on his fuzzy tv, he re-enacts the mission as he watches it unfold – but when Neil Armstrong takes his historic first steps, silence falls and all eyes are glued to the television in wonder. Once the astronauts return safely to earth, the boy begins planning his next launch, a lifelong love of astronautics ignited.

A wonderful balance of education and nostalgia. As outlined in the afterward, Gall draws on his own memories of a childhood inspired by the Apollo missions and what they achieved, and this personal connection shows on every page. The mechanics of the moon launch are explained in a detailed yet accessible manner that shows a passion for the science, and the little boy’s perspective that weaves the story together captures both the excitement and awe of experiencing the landing live. Detailed drawings capture the spirit of both perfectly – a spread of the astronauts floating in their module, Buzz Aldrin breaking the fourth wall as he smirks at the reader is especially joyful. The length is best for older bookworms, but some of the technical jargon can be skimmed over for younger readers; JJ still appreciated the lovely illustrations, even if the tech was a little advanced for her right now. Overall, a lovely historical account of a seminal moment in human history, and Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)