Forty-three years ago, July 20, 1969, man first walked on the moon. Author/poet Linda McReynolds pays homage to this amazing achievement with a book in verse. The lines scan in words and phrases which at times could be a problem with understanding the reference being made. For example, the stanza: “Desolation./Silent. Dark./Tranquil sea./Barren. Stark.” could confuse children by the reference to a sea on the moon, not realizing the reference to the landing site as the area known as The Sea of Tranquility. Would a young child understand the word tranquil; what about barren, quarantine?
The illustrations by Ryan O’Rourke are pleasing and appropriate to a younger audience. So this seems to be a book searching for an audience – the illustrations suitable for a younger audience, the text written for an older child. Perhaps the best situation is for an adult to share not only the book but also the historical context and vocabulary support needed during the reading.
48 pages
ISBN: 9781580893640
Recommended by Katherine Stehman, Elementary Librarian, Pennsylvania, USA
