Perfect for the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing in summer 2019! It’s been fifty years since Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon. But the journey didn’t begin when he stepped on board Apollo 11 that fateful day in July 1969. It began the day he was born. This picture book is Buzz Aldrin's story, in his words. Wendell Minor's gorgeous paintings evoke the wonder of space exploration for young readers. Becoming an astronaut took more than education, discipline, and physical strength. It took years of determination and believing that any goal was possible—from riding a bike alone across the George Washington Bridge at age ten to making a footprint on the moon. We all have our own dreams. This is the story of how Buzz’s came true. Starred Review. Grade 1-4–A readable autobiography by the Apollo 11 astronaut who was the second man to walk on the Moon. Aldrin recounts episodes in his life that influenced his choice to become part of the space program. He briefly describes how he got his nickname and incidents from his childhood; his first airplane ride; his time at West Point and as an Air Force pilot; joining NASA; and his missions in the Gemini and Apollo programs, including the lunar landing. Although he strains at times to make a connection between his experiences and his character (e.g., riding his bike alone across the George Washington Bridge as evidence of his ability to do things himself), overall, the telling is entertaining and informative. A chronology of milestones in the history of flight is appended. Excellent, realistic paintings help describe the events mentioned in the text. Those depicting the space flights are particularly dramatic. Similar in style to Ann Turner's Abe Lincoln Remembers (HarperCollins, 2001), also illustrated by Minor, this book should be considered a first purchase. –Jeffrey A. French, Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Gr. 2-4. In this picture book, Aldrin, the second man to step foot on the moon, relates the life events that led him to the space program and his assignment on Apollo 11. In straightforward language, he recounts his boyhood, college at West Point, early flight training, and admission to the space program. Periodically, the facts of Aldrin's life are supplemented by some unexpected details that give a sense of what space travel feels like. He says, for example, that the liftoff of the powerful Saturn V rockets was so gentle "that if I had not been looking at the instruments, I would never have known we were on our way." He ends by connecting his boyhood interest in rock collecting with his primary activity while on the moon: picking up rocks. Minor's colorful and precisely rendered illustrations help this effort really take off, especially in the images of Aldrin's space journeys. A brief chronology, which blends events in the history of flight and space exploration with a few events of Aldrin's life, rounds out this solid title. Todd Morning Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Beautiful and realistic illustrations...in first-person voice. A child’s-eye view on space exploration.” - Kirkus Reviews ★ “Entertaining and informative. Excellent, realistic paintings.” - School Library Journal (starred review) “Precisely rendered illustrations help this effort really take off. A brief chronology rounds out this solid title.” - ALA Booklist “Calling all dreamers and wannabe space travellers!” - Child Magazine “A Buzz-worthy book!” - Time for Kids I walked on the moon. This is my journey. But it didn't begin when I stepped on board Apollo 11 on July 1, 1969. It began the day I was born. Becoming an astronaut took more than education, discipline, and physical strength. It took years of determination and believing that any goal is possible—from riding a bike alone across the George Washington Bridge at age ten to making a footprint on the Moon. I always knew the Moon was within my reach—and that I was ready to be on the team that would achieve the first landing. But it was still hard to believe when I took my first step onto the Moon's surface. We all have our own dreams. This is the story of how mine came true. On July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo 11 moon walk and became the first two humans to set foot on another world. This unprecedented heroic endeavor was witnessed by the largest worldwide television audience in history. Upon returning from the moon, Dr. Aldrin embarked on an international goodwill tour and was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among more than fifty distinguished awards and medals from numerous countries. Since retiring from NASA, the Air Force, and his position as commander of the test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base, Dr. Aldrin has remained at the forefront of efforts to ensure a continued leading role for America in manned spa