Out of the Cradle

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Section: Youth

“Paper Astronaut: The Paper Spacecraft Mission Manual”

Cezzar, Juliette & Éditions Aéro-Dynamiques
“Paper Astronaut: The Paper Spacecraft Mission Manual”
Universe Publishing
2009
ISBN13: 978-0-789-31881-7
Publisher’s Web Site

Librarian’s Note: Go into any hobby shop, and you’ll find plenty of models of airplanes and cars and ships, but rockets? You can have any rocket you want as long as it’s a Space Shuttle. Space interested model builders have adapted to this by promulgating a large number of paper models. The best round-up of links to paper models is over at Hobbyspace, but this book is a terrific introduction to the hobby with an international line-up of spacecraft.

“Moon: Science, History and Mystery”

Ross, Stewart
“Moon: Science, History and Mystery”
Oxford University Press/Scholastic Inc.
2009
ISBN: 0-545-12732-7
Publisher’s Web Site

“Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?” (graphic novel)

Fies, Brian
“Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow?”
Abrams ComicArts
2009
ISBN13: 978-0-810-99636-6
Publisher’s Web Site
Author’s Blog
On-Line Preview
Blast Magazine Interview
Comic Book Resources Review
Broken Frontier Review
Sci-Fi Talk Podcast

Librarian’s Note: I am beyond impressed with this one. The graphic style makes it appealing to younger audiences, but the story is subtle enough for adults to enjoy. Spanning the years from the 1939 World’s Fair in NYC to beyond the world of tomorrow, this one is clearly a labor of love, but also of genius. It serves as touching testimony to the fact that while yesterday may be forever lost to us, tomorrow never is. There’s no question this one gets a Full Moon at perigee rating. You owe it to yourself to check this one out.

“One Giant Leap”

Burleigh, Robert. Illus. by Mike Wimmer
“One Giant Leap”
Philomel Books
2009
ISBN13: 978-0-399-23883-3
Publisher’s Web Site

“Mission Control, This is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon”

Chaikin, Andrew & Alan Bean
“Mission Control, This is Apollo: The Story of the First Voyages to the Moon”
Viking
2009
ISBN13: 978-0-670-01156-8
Publisher’s Web Site
Author’s Web Site
NSS Reading Space Review

“Werewolves on the Moon: versus Vampires #1″ (comic)

werewolvesonthemoonvsvampires.JPG

Land, Dave. Illus. by Matt & Shawn Fillbach
“Werewolves on the Moon: versus Vampires #1″
Dark Horse Comics
06/2009
Publisher’s Web Site

Librarian’s Note: Not the first werewolves on our Moon story (q.v. Full Moon Fever), but certainly the goofiest of the lot.

“T-Minus: The Race to the Moon”

Ottaviani, Jim. Illus. by Zander & Kevin Cannon
“T-Minus: The Race to the Moon”
Aladdin
2009
ISBN13: 978-1-416-94960-2
Publisher’s Web Site
Author’s Web Site
Illustrators’ Web Site
Out of the Cradle Review
boingboing Review
Newsarama Interview
The Comics Reporter Interview

“Icy Moon Shadows” (video)

SpaceRip
“Icy Moon Shadows”
YouTube.com
21/05/2009
Author’s Page

Librarian’s Note: A nice introduction to the hydrogen deposits at the South Lunar Pole, and why they are there.


“Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11″

Floca, Brian
“Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11″
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
2009
ISBN: 1-416-95046-X
Publisher’s Web Site
Author’s Web Site
The Miss Rumphius Effect Review
Good Reads Reviews
Dinosaurs & Robots Review

READ MORE…

“Mission to the Moon” (w/DVD)

Dyer, Alan
“Mission to the Moon”
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
2009
ISBN13: 978-1-416-97935-7
Publisher’s Web Site

“One Small Step: Celebrating the First Men on the Moon”

Stone, Jerry. Design by Andy Mansfield
“One Small Step: Celebrating the First Men on the Moon”
Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press
2009
ISBN: 1-596-43491-0
Publisher’s Web Site

Librarian’s Note: This one is styled as a scrapbook, with removable elements.

LPI Moon Posters

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Shipp, Stephanie & Christine Shupla
-How Our Moon Formed
-Our Moon in a New Light
-To the Moon and Beyond
Lunar & Planetary Institute
2008
ISSN: 0161-5297
Publisher’s Web Site

Librarian’s Note: One of the many cool handouts available at the LPSC.

“Neil Armstrong: One Giant Leap for Mankind”

Dixon-Engel, Tara & Mike Jackson
“Neil Armstrong: One Giant Leap for Mankind”
Sterling Publishing
2008
ISBN: 978-1-402-76061-7

Launch Magazine Vol 4 # 6

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Launch Magazine Vol 4 # 6
MM Publishing
12/2008
ISSN 1933-4087
Publisher’s Web Site

Librarian’s Note: This is a good sign. I’m looking forward to Launch coming off of hiatus. This issue features some of the folks of the Dallas Area Rocket Society and a Saturn 1B project they did for a local Apollo event (pdf) also featured in this issue. A lot of folks at ConDFW this weekend were asking about Spaceport America, and I was able to show them the illustrations in the article (pdf) by Jim Oberg.

“NASA Quest Challenge: Charting a Course to the Moon”

nasaquestchallenge.jpg

Coe, Liza, Linda Conrad et al (eds)
“NASA Quest Challenge: Charting a Course to the Moon”
Exploration through Navigation Challenge Educator’s Guide
NASA Ames
2009
Publisher’s Web Site
On-Line Text

Librarian’s Note: You know, I was just talking orbital mechanics at an NSS-NT outreach display at UTA with youngsters who were being encouraged by their parents to do well in math. One of the displays we have is a map of cislunar space, and I’ve created a tool to help illustrate the Lagrange points associated with the warps created by the interaction of the Earth and Moon’s gravity. This Educator Guide pointed to an absolutely brilliant video which illustrates the point quite well.

READ MORE…

“DK Eyewitness Books: Moon” (w/CD)

Mitton, Jacqueline
“DK Eyewitness Books: Moon”
DK Publishing
2009
ISBN: 978-0-756-64542-7
Publisher’s Web Site

“The Moon over Star”

Aston, Diana Hutts. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney
“The Moon over Star”
Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers Group
2008
ISBN: 978-0-803-73107-3
Publisher’s Web Site
CNN Story
NASAWatch Post

Librarian’s Note: This is the story that President Obama read to some lucky schoolkids at Capital City Public Charter School on the 3rd of February, 2009. [Uh, shouldn’t that be Capitol?]

“Space Buddies” (DVD)

Keystone Entertainment
“Space Buddies”
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
02/03/2009
Publisher’s Web Site
Grasping for the Wind Review
The Critical Critics Review
About.com Review
Mom’s Marbles Review (w/ coloring sheets)
BlogCritics Review

Librarian’s Note: The Moon! And Puppies! Has there ever been a cuter combination? It is 100% Disney formulaic, character archetype caricatures, enough violations of physics to send purists into conniptions, and C-level acting. But…it’s Fun! I mean - puppies! Scrabbling around in a space ship and walking on the Moon! Kiddie level thrills and suspense. This one is G-rated Full Moon family fun!

READ MORE…

“The Moon: Updated”

Chrismer, Melanie
“The Moon: Updated”
Children’s Press/Scholastic
2005 (2008)
ISBN: 0-531-14764-9
Publisher’s Web Site

3-D Moon Globe

3dmoon.jpg

Moore, John
3-D Moon Globe
Moonposter.ie
2009
Publisher’s Web Site

Librarian’s Note: Continuing his efforts to provide Moon-related educational materials, John has added a craft Moon globe to supplement his previous Moonposter. What kid doesn’t enjoy a craft project? And they end up with their own personal Moon globe to study while learning about the Moon. This is a great addition to the Lunar Library.

“Moon Landing” (pop-up)

Platt, Richard & David Hawcock
“Moon Landing”
Candlewick Press
2008
ISBN13: 978-0-763-64046-0
Publisher’s Web Site
NSTA Recommends

Librarian’s Note: I am definitely not looking forward to yet another round of Apollo anniversary books, which seems to peak at each of the ‘decadal’ anniversaries. However, I am not going to complain about this particular title. There are some really, really cool pop-ups in here, including a rather clever Moon. Definitely a nice addition to the Lunar Library.

“Exploring Our Solar System: The Moon - Earth’s Neighbor”

Jefferis, David
“Exploring Our Solar System: The Moon - Earth’s Neighbor”
Crabtree Publishing
2008
ISBN: 0-778-73747-0
Publisher’s Web Site

“Fly Me to the Moon” (DVD)

Wave Pictures
“Fly Me to the Moon”
Summit Entertainment
12/2008
Universe Today Review
The Space Review Review
CinemaBlend.com Review

Librarian’s Note: I’m a bit ambivalent about this one. It’s probably just dandy for its intended audience of 3-5 year olds, but beyond that it lacks heft, as can be noted in the reviews. I was a bit put off by the fact that the characters’ teeth and tongues didn’t seem to be anchored to anything in the head, and in some shots the heads could be seen to be empty wireframes.

“Astronaut Dad” (graphic novel)

astronautdad.jpg

Hopkins, David & Brent Schoonover
“Astronaut Dad”
Silent Devil
2007
ISBN13: 978-0-979-69022-8
Publisher’s Web Site
Pop Syndicate Review
Comixology Podcast
NEWSarama Review

Librarian’s Note: The authors informed me that Vol. II should be out Summer 2009.

“Lunar Pioneers”

Black, Robert A.
“Lunar Pioneers”
Blue Works
2008
ISBN13: 978-1-590-92397-9
Publisher’s Web Site
Author’s Web Site [Authographed copies available]
The Space Show Interview
Out of the Cradle Review

Best of the Moon 2008 - Youth Moon Fiction

Librarian’s Note: The author just sent me a copy for review, and I’m quite looking forward to this one. Young Blair is being dragged by her parents off to the Moon (a situation not unfamiliar to us military brats, who lose all of our friends again and again…), but a tragedy soon tests her fealty to her new home.

[Update: I recently got my copy from the publisher, and it looks like Amazon has them in stock as well. Just in time for the holidays!]

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