ALA Booklist (Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 CST 1997)

Retelling the story of the Apollo 11 space mission, this picture book makes a brief, readable introduction to Neil Armstrong's small step for man and giant leap for mankind. A few pictures appear on single pages, but most are broad, horizontal scenes, filling double-page spreads with simplified images that will work well for sharing with groups of children. Soft-edged forms of men, rockets, space capsules, and the moon appear with a variety of backgrounds and lighting effects. With a few simple lines of text on each page, Suen attempts to explain a rather complicated voyage. Although children will understand the main thrust of what is happening, they may have some questions that are not answered in the text, such as what were a Saturn 5, Colombia and Houston? Still, teachers and parents who want to introduce the historic event to children will find this attractive book a good starting place. (Reviewed November 1, 1997)

Horn Book (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1997)

A narrator tells of the 'Apollo 11' space mission and the first moonwalk. The illustrations use dramatic angles in an attempt to re-create the excitement of the historic event. In an effort to be poetic, the choppy text leaves out substantive facts so the result is more of a mood piece than an informational book.

Kirkus Reviews

A look at the 1969 moon landing in a consummate picture book that also introduces space exploration, recounts historical events, portrays real people, relates facts, tells a story, and leaves readers with the happiest of endings: One small step for man . . .'' Suen's first book accomplishes all this clearly and in a way that will interest even young children:Moon, do you remember your first visitors?'' The astronauts are succinctly introduced in well-turned sentences: Each had flown in space, but no one had ever touched the moon. No one.'' The suspense of the journey, the marvel of space travel, and Armstrong's historic statement are described in a practical, seasoned fashion. As for the art, expert compositions convey the awesome proportions of space and spacecraft. A variety of perspectives provide drama: the landing as seen from the moon's surface, a close-up of two astronauts circling each other in weightlessness inside the capsule. An author's note and a footnote on perhaps the most famous verbal gaffe in recorded history (Armstrong'sman'' instead of ``a man'') round out this perfect introduction to space, the space program, and exploration. Thrilling. (Picture book. 3-8)"

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4--A poetic telling of the flight and lunar landing of Apollo 11 in July 1969. The text is very brief and may confuse children with no knowledge of the subject. The full-color illustrations help clarify the text, and many of the paintings are appropriately dramatic: the first glimpse of the moon from the spacecraft, the shadow of the Eagle as it nears its destination, and a double-page spread of Neil Armstrong's foot making its mark. This book could complement Judy Donnelly's Moonwalk (Random, 1989) and Susan Gold's Countdown to the Moon (Crestwood, 1992), both of which contain photographs and more detailed information.--Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME