Destination Moon

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Richard Maurer takes us through the true story of Apollo 11’s voyage to the moon in his new book Destination Moon.   It has been 60 years since Apollo 11 took that flight.  This is the story of how an impossible dream took flight.  I am delighted to review this book.

What I am Reviewing

Destination Moon: The remarkable and improbably voyage of Apollo 11.
Richard Maurer.
Roaring Brook Press.
Moon, Apollo 11, voyage, space travel, middle school, aeronautics, exploration, space,
400 pages, ages 10-14
Received: Softcover ARC copy
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

The history of NASA’s Apollo program from Earth orbital missions to lunar landings in a propulsive nonfiction narrative.
Only now, it is becoming clear how exceptional and unrepeatable Apollo was. At its height, it employed almost half a million people, many working seven days a week and each determined that it will not fail because of me.”
Beginning with fighter pilots in World War II, Maurer traces the origins of the Apollo program to a few exceptional soldiers, a Nazi engineer, and a young eager man who would become president.
Packed with adventure, new stories about familiar people, and undeniable danger, Destination Moon takes an unflinching look at a tumultuous time in American history, told expertly by nonfiction author Richard Maurer.

The Details

400 pages, six sections, 35 chapters, more images than I bothered to count along with numerous diagrams.   This paperback is jam-packed with solid information. 

Each new part is prefaced it’s title and quote that fits from a person during that time period. 

Images can be found on almost every page/two page spread.  These images are just random, but further the story being told. Images of the moon when talking about the moon, astronauts when talking about spacemen etc.  We get to see history unfold, not only in words, but in picture.

When images didn’t suffice, diagrams were provided.  All were well done and provided good information. 

Maurer does a great job of bringing to life the stories and people of that time.   He helps us understand the dangers and struggles as all these people worked together to get to the moon. Not an easy task, but the important tasks seldom are easy are they?  🙂

My Thoughts

I do love a well-written informative, non-fiction book that is also easy to read. Destination Moon is such an easy book to read without giving you meaningless tripe.   There is a good material to be found here.   I urge you, if you are looking for a book that will delve deeply into the space race and how the improbably became probably… Destination Moon will suit your needs.