When We Walked on the Moon: Discover the Dangers, Disasters, and Triumphs of Every Moon Mission

Gr 3-6–In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first moonwalk, Long and Kalda have created a beautiful, engaging narrative that compiles accessible information about the Apollo moon missions, which Long aptly squeezes into 10 short chapters. Additionally, readers will find an epilogue of short astronaut biographies, a glossary, and a time line. Kalda’s entrancing illustrations are the star of the show. Each picture captures the period using simple colors and shapes and incorporates tiny details to complete the picture, such as rivets on the window or creases in a spacesuit. The text and illustrations work together flawlessly, making the complex subject matter easier to digest. One detail that missed the mark is the block quotes, which are already included word for word in the main text. Related mini-facts could replace these as a strong finishing touch. Brian Floca’s Moonshot is a comparable title, but whereas Floca relied on poetic storytelling, Long details the Apollo missions in a prosaic fashion.