Joyce Lapin

With a touch of creative story atmosphere, these pages shoot into space facts and present the details surrounding the flight of New Horizons.

New Horizons was launched in 2006 with the mission to learn more about the planet Pluto. Starting with the launch and basics surrounding how New Horizons was propelled into space, the important stages of the flight are presented and explained. While New Horizons flies toward Pluto, all sorts of tidbits and facts are presented. The discoveries it makes about Pluto are summed up before the flight continues on to Arrokoth...and even further.

After reading another picture book from this author and enjoying it, I was looking forward to seeing what this book would bring. It is intriguing to learn about the New Horizon flight as well as the many other details surrounding Pluto, our solar system, and other discoveries New Horizons made. There is quite a bit of interesting information, and not only for younger readers.

One of the fun aspects of this book is the playful manner in which New Horizons is introduced. The author gives the spacecraft personality and introduces it much like a character in an adventure. However, the facts surrounding space and the mission are the main focus. There are bubbles of added information on every page, offering extra tidbits, too. So while New Horizons is given a character-like personality at times, there are many pages where this isn't the case. It makes for a creative mix.

While this books is well done, it's not necessarily for the youngest of readers and edges more in the direction of an elementary school-aged audience. Some of the presented information is simple, but other aspects are a little more difficult. Even the text ranges in difficulty from basic to a little more in-depth. There is a glossary at the end to assist with some terms as well as a list of other books, which can offer more information. Most of the presented details in these pages are explained well. Young readers might have a few questions about some topics, though. So, guardian/reader/caretaker should be ready to give a little extra help, if needed. This book is ideal for homeschooling or classroom situations. Of course, space fans will enjoy this one quite a bit, too.

I received a complimentary copy, learned a few things, and enjoyed it.… (mer)

If you had your birthday party on the moon, all your friends would ride a rocket to get there and, since a day on the moon is almost a month long in earth time, everyone would have lots of time to do all sorts of amazing things, like bouncing over the lunar surface and making moon angels. Or, how about playing scavenger, searching for the things the Apollo astronauts left behind? Will you still be able to see the boot prints astronauts left in the dusty lunar soil? Could you find an American flag? How about space boots? Or a moon buggy? Can you find a four-leaf clover and a falcon feather?

In this informative, yet delightful, picture book, young readers who blast off for this exciting extraterrestrial celebration will learn many moon and space facts as they take rocket rides and collect space rocks for party favors. Colorful illustrations, sidebars, a glossary, selected bibliography, and suggestions for further reading all extend the science learning. The information boxes extend the STEM-supporting information and, just to complete the adventure, there are links to watch the astronauts moonwalk and one to join NASA’s Kids’ Club.

A perfect book for all readers, young and old, interested in space exploration, the moon, and/or science.

Highly recommended.… (mer)

A party on the moon becomes that much better when mixed with loads of information and fun moon facts.

While this book appears to be a cute story about a birthday party on the moon, it's so much more. The author takes listeners to a trip on the moon, speaking to them as if they are having a party there with their favorite guests. While the usually party things such as balloons, cake and games are present, none of these function quite the way they do on Earth. It starts with the rocket ride, the real surprises such a trip entails (such as distance, speed and lack of gravity) before settling on the moon.

The excitement of a party keeps a light, delightful atmosphere while facts and information are dribbled in about everything from the moon's surface to its rotation to items other astronauts have left behind. While many of these facts glide right in with the story, there are extra tidbits here and there through-out the illustrations.

The illustrations are bright, fun and dance on the edge of reality. The kids are fun to watch as they party and explore, which invites young listeners to dream of bouncing around on the moon themselves. Still, the illustrations hold a touch of more realistic details to give young listeners an idea of what the moon looks like.

This is a fun book not only for moon and space fans, but a great way to introduce kids in general to some outer space information.

I received a complimentary copy and we enjoyed reading this tale as well as learning about the moon so much that I'm leaving my honest thoughts.… (mer)