Racing the Moon
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
An adventurous new work from Newbery Honor-Winning author, Alan Armstrong.
In the spring of 1947, outer space was an unexplored realm. But eleven year-old Alexis (Alex) Heart and her impulsive brother, Chuck, believe that the stars are within reach. In the midst of building their own rocket, Alex befriends Captain Ebbs, and an army scientist who is working to create food for future space travelers, and who is also a descendent of Captain John Smith. Alex soon introduces Chuck to her new friend, and the trio's shared interest in space travel sets off a series of adventures that the three will never forget. From meeting pioneering German rocket scientist Dr. Wenher von Braun, and a thrilling sailing trip down the Potomac to an island on the Chesapeake where a top secret rocket launch is about to take place, Alex and Chuck are about to have their lives forever changed.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In 1947, 11-year-old Alexis and her unpredictable 17-year-old brother, Chuck, have a big dream: to go to Mars. Self-described "student of space," they've built a "moon station" tree house, researched radar, and are planning to build their own rocket using real gunpowder. When they meet Captain Ebbs, a (real-life) army scientist who develops food for pilots, she, unlike other adults, takes them seriously and encourages them to plan their scientific career. At Ebbs's invitation, the siblings join the scientist on a sailing trip down the Potomac River to watch a secret rocket launch, following in the footsteps of Ebbs's distant relative Capt. John Smith. Middle-grade friendly versions of Smith's journals are woven throughout the latter half of the book, revealing the similarities of their adventures. Newbery Honor author Armstrong (Whittington) works a good deal of scientific and historical information into his story without affecting its pace, energy, or style. It's a lively historical adventure with ready appeal to space enthusiasts and those with an appetite for adventure. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8 12.
