At the heart of Hilliard's debut children's book is NASA's historic Apollo 11
mission, involving Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins; during that flight, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. The opening picture of young Neil playing with a wooden airplane gives a nod to the men's childhood dreams; on the next spread, readers learn that all three went on to become pilots in the U.S. military and members of the Astronaut Corps. The author's focus then shifts to the NASA projects (Mercury, Gemini, the early stages of Apollo) and the training programs that paved the way for the moon-landing mission. Sidebar panels offer concise details of the NASA programs, spacecraft and astronauts. Kids will surely feel a rush of excitement as the Saturn V
rocket blasts off from Cape Kennedy, a triumphant moment vividly portrayed at close range in an energy-filled painting. The author quotes Armstrong's familiar pronouncement when the Lunar Module reaches the moon's surface ("The Eagle
has landed"), yet curiously omits the dramatic words the astronaut made as he took his first step on the moon. Overall, Hilliard provides a diverting journey for armchair astronauts. Ages 8-up. (Apr.)
