TEAM MOON

“For me, that was the time in history and the event to participate in above all others.” That comment, from one of the 400,000 involved in the team effort to put men on the moon in 1969, sums up the essence of this dramatic account of the work of people behind the scenes in the Apollo program. Illustrated with striking black-and-white photos, the white text on a black background of each page underscores the risk of this venture into the unknown. Beginning with Nixon’s just-in-case prepared announcement of the astronaut’s “sacrifice,” the author presents the expedition as a series of challenges, including surprising details. Not all the challenges were directly related to the voyage: a windstorm in Australia threatened television transmission; photographs had to be perfect and the film disinfected (of nonexistent bacteria) before it was developed. The authors emphasizes the paper-and-pencil calculations, the endless testing and checking, and elaborate recordkeeping that supported this work, and the sense of personal responsibility each participant felt. This beautiful and well-documented tribute will introduce a new generation to that triumphant time. (author’s note, resources, bibliography, glossary) (Nonfiction. 10+)