Ilan Ramon : Israel's First Astronaut [Paperback]

Tanya Stone (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-A brief introduction to the life and career of the Israeli astronaut who died in the February, 2003, Columbia disaster. Ramon's early years and family, his career as a pilot in the Israeli Air Force, and his selection as an astronaut are covered in a readable, but sometimes cursory style. There is information on his duties on board the space shuttle, but the text does not dwell on the details of Columbia's breakup. Two-page inserts add supporting details on the shuttle, astronauts' jobs, and food in space. The excellent-quality color photos show Ramon at work and in his private life, and the author's research is impeccably documented. Overall, an appealing and informative book that conveys sincere admiration for the man and his accomplishments.
Jeffrey A. French, Euclid Public Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Stone recounts the life of Israel's first astronaut, born Ilan Wolferman, who died in February 2003 aboard the space shuttle Columbia. The son of an Israeli freedom fighter and a Holocaust survivor, Ramon became a top fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force before obtaining degrees in electronics and computer engineering and being chosen as Israel's first astronaut. Stone emphasizes that although Ramon was not religious, he chose to take several Jewish mementos aboard the shuttle because he realized others would note the symbolism. Nearly half the text deals with Ramon's journey into space, and the descriptions of the wide variety of scientific experiments performed will be welcomed as that information was not generally reported in the aftermath of the Columbia tragedy. Appended with a chronology, a bibliography, and list of Web sites, this will be a solid addition to biography collections. Kay Weisman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761323767
• ISBN-13: 978-0761323761
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,187,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #78 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Other

More About the Author

Tanya Lee Stone is an award-winning author of books for kids and teens. Stone went to performing arts high school in New Haven, CT and went on to major in English at Oberlin College (and study Voice at Oberlin Conservatory). After graduation she moved to New York and became an editor. Stone was an editor for more than a dozen years and has a Masters Degree in Science Education. She teaches Writing for Children at Champlain College.

After moving to Vermont, Stone became a full-time writer and has published more than 90 books for young readers. She writes picture books, nonfiction, and Young Adult fiction. Her newest nonfiction books have garnered some major awards. Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream (Candlewick 09), received a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, Jane Addams Honor, YALSA Nonfiction Finalist, Orbis Pictus Honor, and was awarded ALA's Sibert Medal for the best nonfiction book for young readers of 2010. The Good the Bad, and the Barbie won SCBWI's Golden Kite Award for the best nonfiction book of the year for 2011.

Her Young Adult novel, A Bad Boy Can Be Good for a Girl (Wendy Lamb/Random House) was an IRA Young Adult Choice, an ALA Quick Picks, an NYPL Book for the Teen Age, and SLJ Book of the Month. Her newest nonfiction picture books, Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote and Sandy's Circus: A Story About Alexander Calder received starred reviews and were put on several state award lists. Elizabeth Leads the Way is also an ALA Notable, an Amelia Bloomer Award title, and a CBC Notable Social Studies Book.

Forthcoming titles include picture books about Elizabeth Blackwell and Jane Addams, as well as a YA nonfiction book about the first black paratroopers in WWII called Courage Has No Color.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book!, November 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Ilan Ramon : Israel's First Astronaut (Paperback)

This well-written biography is perfect for both children and adults who want to learn more about Ilan Ramon, a space-age hero whose life ended tragically in the recent shuttle disaster. A good choice for kids, parents, and teachers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great tribute to a hero!, October 20, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Ilan Ramon : Israel's First Astronaut (Library Binding)

This well-written biography of Ilan Ramon is really accessible to kids. It manages to be heartwarming and pay tribute to an extraordinary guy while being accurate like all good nonfiction should. My kids loved it!

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine tribute to a fallen hero, January 10, 2005

By 

Rabbi Yonassan Gershom (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ilan Ramon : Israel's First Astronaut (Paperback)

This brief intro to the life of Ilan Ramon is well written, has beautiful, high-quality photos, and is very accessible to kids. Adults will probably learn something, too. (I did not know, for example, that Ramon's last name was originally Wolferman. After he graduated from flight school in Israel, he decided to take a Hebrew last name.)

The book opens with the blast-off of the space shuttle Columbia and the tragic explosion 16 days later. Then it goes back to "In the Beginning" with the story of Ilan Ramon's life, his career as a fighter pilot, how he was chose to be an astronaut, and his training at NASA. There's an explanation of what a space shuttle is and how it works, the jobs the astronauts do, etc. Also included are some of the experiments that kids had designed for the STARS program. As payload specialist, Ramon was in charge of monitoring these science experiments and reporting back to Earth about their progress.

Ilan was not a religious Jew, but he realized that, as the first Israeli astronaut ever, he was representing all kinds of Jews everywhere. He took several Jewish items aboard the shuttle Columbia, including a mezuzzah, a Torah scroll, and a drawing of a moonscape drawn by a 14-year-old boy who died in a Nazi concentration camp. Ramon also ate kosher food aboard the shuttle.

The last chapter, "Fallen Heroes," handles his death very well. The author explains that "Astronauts know the risk they are taking when they journey into space. But that doesn't make losing them any easier when tragedy strikes." (p. 37) The book closes with warm memories of Ilan from family, colleagues and friends, along with photos of his funeral. Altogether, this book presents a very human, personal picture of a hero that children of all backgrounds can look up to.

[Reviewer's P.S. Ramon was the first Israeli astronaut, but he was not the first Jew in space. That honor goes to American astronaut Judith Resnick, who perished aboard the Challenger shuttle in 1986. May they both rest in peace among the righteous souls in the heavenly Garden of Eden.]