One Giant Leap [Hardcover]

Robert Burleigh (Author), Mike Wimmer (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2009 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

The words are instantly recognizable: ?That?s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.? Spoken by Neil Armstrong moments after he became the fi rst human being to set foot on the moon, they have come to represent all that is possible when man?s determination to achieve the seemingly impossible results in success.

To commemorate the 40th anniversary of this extraordinary moment in human history, Robert Burleigh and Mike Wimmer have created a breathtakingly beautiful tribute that transports readers to the stars, where they will experience the moon landing just as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

For young readers fascinated with the real history of space travel, this simple, clear, and attractively illustrated book is a great place to begin. Using two-page spreads that are half text, half image, the story of July 20, 1969, and the moon landing of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin is related in short sentences that tread the line between informational (details of the Eagle include “Its outer walls thinner than human skin”) and poetic (the moon’s surface is described as “like a battlefield from some ancient war”). The landing is tense, the frolicking on the moon amusing, but most welcome is the realistic portrayal of the exhaustion and trepidation that occur after the moon walk is finished. The feathery, impressionistic paintings alternate between hues of blue (the moon) and green (the cockpit) and utilize unusual high or low perspectives to accentuate the drama. The only thing missing is historical context, and Burleigh’s author’s note takes care of that quite nicely. Grades 1-3. --Daniel Kraus

Review

Distinguished language and compelling imagery...The sense of immediacy is irresistible and will cause children...to feel as if they too had left footprints on that distant, dusty surface. ---School Library Journal

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (April 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399238832
• ISBN-13: 978-0399238833
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 10.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #314,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The surreal quality of this book brings the moon landing back to life!, April 17, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: One Giant Leap (Hardcover)

The lunar module, Eagle, separated from the Columbia and began its descent to the moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin looked down at the moon with amazement. "Its billion-year-old landscape [was] cracked and scarred. Its surface gouged and cratered and pitted with many holes." It was an adventure the world's eyes were riveted on, one they would never forget. It was July 20, 1969 and they were about to touch down on the surface of the moon. It was touch and go, but they made it!

Buzz and Neil got into their "moon cocoons" and prepared to go outside, while Michael Collins, who, was still orbiting the moon, listened closely. Neil stepped onto the surface of the moon and spoke to the millions watching and listening, "that's one small step for man-one giant leap for mankind." It was an amazing technological feat that got them there. They collected rocks to take back to the scientists and later said, when they were inside the module, the moon smell was "like spent cap pistols." It would be a risky venture, one of no return if they could not dock back up with the Columbia. How were they going to do this when they were going more than 3,000 miles an hour?

This was a wonderful tribute to the astronauts and their part in one of the most momentous events in history. The paintings are stunning and their slightly surreal quality meshes perfectly with the event. With advanced technology practically at the fingertips of the young today, it is often difficult to impart the excitement of a moon landing, but there is just the right amount of tension in this story to do just that!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Children choose this book again and again!, June 17, 2009

By 

Anna (carson city, MI, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: One Giant Leap (Hardcover)

I know a good book when it is chosen repeatedly by the same children over and over. That is what makes it a wise purchase too! The illustrations are fabulous and the faces and expressions of the astronauts give the children a personal introduction to the first men on the moon. They are friends to know and remember in this book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well done!, January 29, 2010

By 

Susan Fisher "ClubFisher" (Lake Poinsett, SD) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: One Giant Leap (Hardcover)

This is an engaging, lovely illustrated book ...especially if you're needing a story geared for both genders. Some of the best stories are more engaging for the girls, this seems to be great for boys. It is geared for the older child. The text portions, accurate and historic are a little dry to entertain the pre-K crowd....and that IS afterall how it's written. But it is a super book for the story of the magnificent Armstrong/Aldrin feat! A wonderful segway: "you CAN do anything" if you really, really, really work hard at it!