The Museum on the Moon: The Curious Objects on the Lunar Surface

by Irene Latham (Author) Myriam Wares (Illustrator)

The Museum on the Moon: The Curious Objects on the Lunar Surface
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

The most curious museum on Earth isn't on the earth at all; it's on the moon.

"The poetry and facts complement each other and make for a nice flow of information and fun, resulting in sometimes goofy poetry....A lovely picture book that mixes poetry and history about the moon."--School Library Journal

Footprints forever etched in time. A commemorative patch from a tragic flight. Two golf balls, still lodged in frozen dust 238,900 miles away. From the amusing to the poignant, The Museum on the Moon introduces readers to the mysterious objects left on the lunar surface since humans arrived in 1969. Part history, part poetry, heartwarming and haunting, and illustrated with breathtaking graphite drawings, The Museum on the Moon is a moving exhibit of humankind's most famous quest for knowledge and our place in the universe.

From the book:

The primary goals of the United States' NASA Apollo program (1961-1972) were to establish space technology, carry out scientific exploration of the moon, and to develop ways for humans to work in the lunar environment. Six missions--Apollos 11, 12, 14, 15, and 17--landed American astronauts on the moon. The astronauts carried with them a variety of items that are now artifacts--some personal mementos, some tools and equipment for the purpose of moon transport and experimentation, and other things, like human waste products, unavoidable. Because the moon has virtually no atmosphere, these things remain on the moon, just as they were, and will presumably continue to be there for years to come. The moon truly is a museum!

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Hardcover
$19.99

Kirkus

A provocative tally of treasures and trash.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6--Readers explore the moon as a museum of memories, equipment, and more through different types of poems that examine the many ways humankind has left its mark on the moon. Each spread features a poem and showcases a moon fact. Different types of poems include a ghazal, an acrostic, and an ABAB rhyme scheme. Facts shared range from the start of missions to the moon to the one book that has been left behind. The poetry and facts complement each other and make for a nice flow of information and fun, resulting in sometimes goofy poetry. For instance, the poem about astronauts going to the bathroom will especially entertain younger readers. Illustrations in a muted palette mostly feature astronauts and other people. Back matter includes a list of humans who walked on the surface of the moon so far, a moon milestones time line, and additional notes on each of the poems, including websites to learn more about the moon facts. VERDICT A lovely picture book that mixes poetry and history about the moon.--Molly Dettmann

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 

Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781638192039
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Moonshower
Publication date
September 19, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF042000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Poetry | General
JNF051190 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | History of Science
JNF051040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Science & Nature | Astronomy
Library of Congress categories
Moon
American poetry
Children's poetry, American
Poetry

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