Unleashing Readers

From an Idea series by Lowey Bundy Sichol

November 9, 2019August 2, 2019 by Kellee

From an Idea to… is a new nonfiction biography series that takes young readers into the world of entrepreneurship through the stories of how our favorite companies came to be. Each book begins with the founder as a child and brings kids through the journey of starting a company from an IDEA to one of the biggest brands in the world. From an Idea to… reveals fun facts about the brands we love, introduces new business terms in easy-to-understand definitions, and includes humor on every page with graphic novel-like black & white illustrations from C. S. Jennings.

Author: Lowey Bundy Sichol
Illustrator: C.S. Jennings
From an Idea to Disney and From an Idea to Nike Published February 12, 2019
From an Idea to Lego and From an Idea to Google Published July 9, 2019

From an Idea to Disney: How Branding Made Disney a Household Name Summary: From an Idea to Disney is a behind-the-movie-screen look into the history, business, and brand of the world’s largest entertainment empire. With humorous black & white illustrations throughout, learn about the company behind the world’s favorite mouse, Mickey!

“I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse.” —Walt Disney

Today, the Walt Disney Company is the biggest entertainment company in the world with theme parks, TV shows, movie studios, merchandise, the most recognizable cartoon character in the world, Mickey Mouse. But a long time ago, brothers Walt and Roy Disney started out with just an idea. Find out more about Disney’s history, the business, and the brand in this illustrated nonfiction book!

Find out what Walt first intended to name his famous mouse. (Hint: It wasn’t Mickey!)Discover behind-the-scenes magic of how Walt Disney World is run.Explore the ways the Disney expanded its brand from a little mouse into media, merchandise, and more!

From an Idea to Nike: How Marketing Made Nike a Global Success Summary: From an Idea to Nike is a fully-illustrated look into how Nike stepped up its sneaker game to become the most popular athletic brand in the world. Humorous black & white illustrations throughout.

Ever wonder how Nike became the athletics empire it is today? From an Idea to Nike digs into the marketing campaigns and strategy that turned this running-shoe company into the outfitter for many athletes as well as the iconic American brand. With infographics and engaging visuals throughout, this behind-the-scenes look into the historical and business side of Nike will be an invaluable resource for kids interested in what makes this business run.

Find out where the name Nike came from and how the famous swoosh became the signature logo.Learn about the company’s first marketing campaign with a star athlete. (Hint: It wasn’t Michael Jordan!) Explore the ways Nike expanded marketing from running to basketball, soccer, golf, and beyond!

From an Idea to Lego: The Building Bricks Behind the World’s Largest Toy Company Summary: For fans of the successful Who Was series, From an Idea to Lego is a behind-the-bricks look into the world’s famous toy company, with humorous black & white illustrations throughout.

Today, LEGO is one of the biggest toy companies in the world, but a long time ago, a Danish carpenter, Ole Kirk Christiansen, started with just an idea. Find out more about LEGO’s origins, those famous bricks, and their other inventive toys and movie ventures in this illustrated nonfiction book!

Find out the origin the name “LEGO.” (Hint: it combines two Danish words) See how LEGO grew from a carpentry shop to a multi-platform toy company.Discover how LEGO bricks are made and how they came up with their design.

From an Idea to Google: How Innovation at Google Changed the World Summary: From an Idea to Google is a behind-the-computer-screen look into the history, business, and brand of the world’s largest search engine. With humorous black & white illustrations throughout, learn about the company that even earned its own catchphrase: Google it!

Today, Google is the number one internet search engine and the most visited website in the world. But a long time ago, two college friends, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, started out with just an idea. Find out more about Google’s history, the business, and the brand in this illustrated nonfiction book!

Find out where the name “Google” came from. (Hint: It involves a LOT of zeros!)

Discover how Google became the fastest and most popular internet search engine of all time.

Explore how Google transformed from a tiny startup (in someone’s garage!) into one of the most powerful companies in the world.

About the Author: Lowey Bundy Sichol is the author and creator of From an Idea to…, the world’s first business biographies for kids. She is also the founder and principal of Case Marketing, a specialized writing firm that composes MBA case studies for business schools. Her MBA case studies have been published by Pearson and are read by business school students all over the world.

With over 20 years combined experience in marketing, brand management, and writing, Lowey is the force behind the From an Idea to…, a movement that introduces business and entrepreneurship to children. Lowey received her MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and her BA from Hamilton College where she played varsity softball and women’s rugby. When she’s not writing, you can find her throwing a ball, shooting hoops, or along the shores of Lake Michigan with her husband, three children, and two big goofy dogs who like to climb trees. Look for her online at loweysichol.com.

Praise:

“Inspirational Fare.” – Kirkus Reviews

“This enjoyable informational text is a great purchase for schools.” – School Library Journal

“Inspiring, honest and interesting. From an Idea to… books are the kind of books that create young entrepreneurs and inventors. It clearly illustrates the road to success, the good and the bad. Kids will be inspired to believe that anything is truly possible. They will also learn that things will not just be handed to them. Rather things they really want will take work, will be earned and that in the end all that hard work and perseverance will pay off! I love this series SO much!” – Mrs. Mommy Book Nerd Book Reviews

“There was much to love about this book! While there are books that are in the “Who was/ What was” series, this series is a wonderful concept in bringing biographies and business thinking together. … With simple language, a manner of story telling approach almost, the author introduces concepts of grass-root marketing , patents, market research and innovation.” – StackingBooks.com

“Young readers, especially those who have an entrepreneur spirit, will enjoy reading.” – Kristi’s Book Nook

“This is a fun, informative series that introduces young readers to the world of business, entrepreneurship, and marketing through easily understood and nicely presented concepts and the exciting histories of some of the biggest companies in the world.” – Word Spelunking Blog

”If you have nonfiction readers that have an interest in how business or brands work, stick a toe into the water and put a few of these into your collection.” – Mom Read It blog

“A fast and informative read, From an Idea to Nike would be a great fit for middle-graders who are interested in Nike, biographies, business, and pop culture. Even kids marginally interested in any of these topics will likely find the book to be accessible and engaging.” – Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk blog

“Nonfiction can be so fascinating. I really enjoyed this one (From an Idea to LEGO) and would recommend it to just about anyone and everyone…. This book goes beyond that simple story of how it came to be. It also includes plenty of informational text that focuses on business and economics.” – Becky’s Book Blog

“I learned a lot about businesses and marketing from these books but it was in a FUN way! I love books where you can learn in a fun way.” – Studio B on YouTube

“With From an Idea to… Lowey Bundy Sichol has brought all her years of experience writing case studies and text material for the world’s biggest selling MBA marketing textbook, Marketing Management, to bring to life business for an entirely different audience – kids! Lowey knows what makes companies tick and how they became successful and she shares those lessons in a fun and engaging way to little budding entrepreneurs and our next generation of business leaders. Lowey makes learning about the potentially complex world business informative easy and enjoyable for kids.” – Kevin Lane Keller, E.B. Osborn Professor of Marketing, Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College

“Lowey’s research is impressive and her clear, engaging style perfectly explains to young readers the stories of these companies. She describes the creative process as well as the business principles involved in the creation of America’s most successful companies. Her “Fun Facts” and the abundant illustrations will further engage readers. From an Idea to… will be a welcome, enjoyable addition to books on business for young people, and will also serve to inspire the nation’s budding entrepreneurs and future business leaders.” – Cynthia Richey, 2013 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, from the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This series will be perfect to add to nonfiction collections for teachers of middle grade readers! Fans of the “big head” biographies will really love this new series that focuses on businesses and their successes in the same informative and entertaining way. These books will definitely influence our future entrepreneurs and has a great focus on STEAM and business ed. A must purchase for classroom, school, and public libraries!

One way that I see this book being used in the classroom is lit circles/book clubs because students could be grouped to read one of the books in the series then create a presentation to share what they learned about the company.

Discussion Questions:

What do all four companies have in common when it comes to becoming successful?
What do all four founders have in common when it comes to founding a successful company?
How did ____ change the industry they are part of?

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Media Masters Publicity for providing copies for review!**

Student Voices!: Thoughts on Middle School by Breno, Leila, Josh, Nick, Damon, & Nathan

April 22, 2023July 30, 2019 by Kellee

The best way to learn what kids are thinking & feeling is by listening to them, so I am happy to share my students’ voices!

How Mrs. Moye’s Class Made My Year Better by Breno, 8th Grade

To start with, we read a lot which is awesome. We did things we like while learning. And every single assignment we did was fun–there were no assignment I was bored while doing. And because of this class, I found some great books I would have never found. Sometimes I didn’t want to go to school or was feeling sick, and this class made my day less stressful. When I thought I wouldn’t be able to do something, Mrs. Moye always helped me. So thank you Mrs. Moye for being an awesome teacher and for making my year better!

Tips for Middle School by Leila, 8th Grade

Middle School is like a journey. There’s going to be some things that are hard. Or it may feel like you can’t push through certain trials. But you can! Starting middle school was a pretty scary experience for me. Maybe it will be for you, too, so here are my tips.

My first tip to surviving middle school is to get a sense of what the people are like. Try to surround yourself with people you feel safe with and people that would be a good influence on you. If you find the right friends, they will always be there for you.

Tip two is to join any clubs or groups you are passionate about: music, art, sports, whatever it may be–just do it! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Tip three is to NOT PROCRASTINATE! It is the worst thing you can do when you start getting into more advanced classes. Organize your time and study well.

Tip four is to go to all of those fun field trips and activities your grade level participates in. These events could be one of the best nights of your life. It really gives you a chance to just have fun and be with the ones you care about while you still can.

My last and final tip is to make the most of your time. It may seem like a big deal at the start, but as it begins to get closer to the end of the year, you realize how important this part of your life is. Get all of your friends’ phone numbers, have them sign your yearbook, hang out with them over the summer. Make every moment count. They might not go to the same high school as you. Take pictures will all your friends, and make it all count while it still lasts!

Favorite 6th Grade Activities by Josh, Nick, Damon, and Nathan, 6th Grade

Frog Dissection in Science
Teacher vs. Student Volleyball Game
Hoops for Hearts
Trackfest
Valentine’s Day Dance
Jazz Field Trip at the Bob Carr
End of Year Level Up Party
Book Trailer Creation using Animoto in Mrs. Moye’s Claass
PE Units: Track, Basketball, Racketball, Badminton, Capture the Flag, and Friday Freeday
Creating a Civilization Activity in World History
Finishing the Last Standardized Test of the Year
In-Class Book Clubs in Mrs. Moye’s Class
Jennifer Nielsen Author Visit
Watching a Movie in Language Arts
Weird But True Activity in Mrs. Moye’s Class
Writing Blog Posts for Unleashing Readers
ICT: Coding
ICT: Typing and Nitrotype,
Online Safety Netiquette Project in ICT
Word Webs in World History
No Read Ink in Language Arts

Thank you everyone for your thoughts on middle school!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/29/19

July 29, 2019 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Tuesday: Student Voices!: Short Essays on Reading and Books by Luis, Star, Paola, Amy, Alex, Maya, Axel, Cooper, & Jacob

Friday: 5 Worlds: The Red Maze by Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

We are moving homes here in Orlando, so I am going to take off about 6 weeks to get my family moved and settled. I’ll be back early August.

Ricki

Hi, all! I just returned very late from a day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with my visiting family. I hope you all had a great reading week!

Tuesday: Student Voices!: Thoughts on Middle School by Breno, Leila, Josh, Nick, Damon, & Nathan

Friday: From an Idea Series by Lowey Bundy Sichol

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

5 Worlds: The Red Maze by Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel

July 26, 2019 by Kellee

5 Worlds #3: The Red Maze
Author: Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel
Illustrator: Xanthe Bouma, Matt Rockefeller, Boya Sun
Published May 7th, 2019 by Random House Books for Young Readers

Summary: In book 3, Oona Lee is determined to light Moon Yatta’s beacon and continue her quest to save the galaxy. But reaching the red beacon means navigating an impossible maze of pipes and facing devious enemies at every turn. Luckily, her friend Jax Amboy has returned from his adventures transformed! Now he must confront the owner of his former starball team, a ruthless businessman who will stop at nothing to get his best player back on the field . . . and who can grant them access to the beacon. Meanwhile, Oona and An Tzu find a mysterious rebel leader and release a surprising power within Oona’s magic. Will they make it in time to stop the evil force seeking to rule the 5 Worlds?

About the Creators:

Praise:

Review:

If you have not read the first two books in this series, stop reading. Go get them. And read them. Then come back. 🙂 It is worth it I promise! Here’s my review of book one: https://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=13265.

As for book 3, The Red Maze, it starts off with a bang as we learn what happened to Jax as he recaps for Oona and An Tzu. The trio are on their way to Moon Yatta to complete their mission of lighting the red beacon. It jumps right into where book 2 left off.

Like the others, the story is full of adventure, battles, betrayal, surprises,

I love the underdog trio that are fighting to save the world. They are fearless and so empathetic, putting their lives on the line to save all. An Tzu is especially interesting as we are still looking for a reason for his rare disappearing illness.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Use The Red Maze to ask some very deep analysis and reflective questions to your students (see below). The story can also be easily connected to significant historical events.

Discussion Questions:

How do you truly destroy evil?
What can you compare the corporation takeover on Moon Yatta to here in America?
How does the removal of laws protecting the environment affect the world?
What can you compare the shapeshifters being banned to in history?
What would you be willing to do to save the world?
How can pressure affect performance?
What makes something alive?
What are examples of people ignoring evil to help reach their own wants in history like what happened in The Red Maze?

Flagged Passages:

First, view these amazing animation test for the series:

These definitely show the brilliance of the creators!

Read This If You Love: The first 5 Worlds books, the Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi, Mighty Jack series by Ben Hatke, Zita the Spacegirl series by Ben Hatke, The Time Museum series by Matthew Loux

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Mark Siegel and Random House for providing a copy for reivew**

Student Voices!: Short Essays on Reading and Books by Luis, Star, Paola, Amy, Alex, Maya, Axel, Cooper, & Jacob

April 22, 2023July 23, 2019 by Kellee

The best way to learn what kids are thinking & feeling is by listening to them, so I am happy to share my students’ voices!

Why Teachers Should Let Students Read Manga by Luis, 8th Grade

Mrs. Moye let me read manga for most of the year. I read a huge variety of awesome mangas, but some teachers don’t like manga for different reasons. But I feel like I have the right to read whatever I want. Manga isn’t just fighting cartoons, some of them have a better plot than books. For example, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure has a better vampire plot than other vampire books out there. Some have great love stories or more realistic action. Manga is truly something that teachers should let their students read and enjoy. And who knows–they may even learn Japanese!

Why 6th Graders Should Be Allowed to Read More Mature Books If They Want by Star, 6th Grade

I believe 6th graders should be allowed to read more mature books. It allows the kids to venture into a world they still have a while to actually enter. They allow kids to feel more emotions, such as sadness in love. For example, in the book The Fault in our Stars by John Green, Hazel and Augustus express such love for each other despite their differences. And when something sad happens at the end of the book, it causes the reader to be sad. Another reason 6th graders should be allowed to read more mature books is because they get kids into more real world situations before they have to experience it themselves. For example, in the book Orbiting Jupiter the author throws the reader into a real life situation.

Why We Shouldn’t Ban Books by Paola & Amy, 7th Grade

Book banning: The horrible act of taking a book deemed “inappropriate” for students and then restricting access to that book. This has been done for years and many people actually think that this helps keep children from certain material. While it actually causes problems.

It Keeps Important Topics Away From Kids

The biggest problem with banning books is that most of the banned books talk about very important social topics. While many people think that exposing kids to these topics will hurt them, the opposite can actually be said. The more kids learn about these topics, the better educated they are. They could then form their own opinions and even come up with ideas to help other people. Additionally, by keeping these materials away from teens and kids, they might make bad decisions because they’ve never thought about it. And by banning the books, people are making the topics more intriguing.

Why I Like Books About Social Justice by Alex, 8th Grade

I think that social justice books are the best to read for multiple reaasons. One big reason is that social justice is a very relevant topic that goes on daily, whether between a cop and an unarmed man or people of different races experiencing racial tension. I think that no matter what the situation is, it’s always interesting to see it unfold. After reading a book that deals with heavy teantion, I like to put myself in that persn’s shoes and think about how I would have handled the situation. Another reason why I believe that social justice books are interesting is because I have never had to deal with much oppression in my life which is why I think it is good to learn about other people that have dealt with oppression beacuse it makes me feel like I am not ignorant about the situations in our society. Just because I don’t deal with them, doesn’t mean I should know about them.

My top social justice books:

Ghost by Jason Renolds
I Am Alfonso Jones
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Yummy by G. Neri
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Why I Like K.A. Holt Books by Maya, 6th Grade

My first ever K.A. Holt book that I read was House Arrest, and ever since then, I have fallen in love with her writing. After I read House Arrest, I read Knockout, Redwood & Ponytail, and Rhyme Schemer. I love how her books are written like a verse of a poem because not many authors write the way she does and it captures emotions. I also love how in House Arrest she wrote the book over weeks to follow along. Also, I love that House Arrest, Knockout, and Redwood & Ponytail are in a series but you don’t have to read them in a certain order. Redwood & Ponytail was an amazing book to me; it has an important message which is never be afraid to show who you are no matter what others think. Thank you, K.A. Holt, for writing amazing books!

Reasons Why I Like Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Axel, 6th Grade

I like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series because it is fun to know how Greg lives his life and learn about him. It also includes comedy which makes me laugh time to time while reading it. Greg’s family is really funny and weird and sometimes do embarrassing things which is fun to read about. Greg and Rowley do funny things too–usually activities for their own purposes that always end up as a disaster because Greg tries to imagine how to make everything perfect for him and when he tries to make it perfect, something goes wrong. All of these are why I like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series. Oh! And every year a new book comes out, and so far each one I’ve read is great!

Book Stereotypes That Are NOT TRUE! by Cooper & Jacob, 6th Grade and Mrs. Moye

There are girl and boy books.
- This stereotype has lasted for many years and is still believed vy people. There is no such thing as a girl or a boy book.
Long books are boring
- Long books are not boring because a long book just has more action and fun in it.
Graphic novels are for children.
- Graphic novels are for everyone. They have life lessons and the images bring it all together.
Books are the same as movies.
- Movies have to cut things out because of time. To get the full story, you have to read the book.
Cool kids don’t read/Only nerds read.
- Smart people read.
Judge books by their cover.
- The cover isn’t even chosen by the author and sometimes covers are so misleading!
Non-fiction books are boring.
- Then you aren’t reading the right nonfiction books for you! Try a different kind.
“I don’t have time to read.”
- Yes you do. You aren’t making time to read. Just 20 minutes a day can impact your life in such a positive way!
Children’s books aren’t good.
- Any children’s book will prove this wrong because they have a huge impact on the reader.
Independent reading doesn’t help you learn anything./Books are a waste of money.
- Books can help the reader learn! Instead of playing and buying video games, buy books!

Thank you everyone for your great essays!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/22/19

July 22, 2019 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Tuesday: Student Voices!: Inspirational Female Characters by Vanessa, Angelina, Georgia, & Natalie

Friday: Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Celebration!: Space Book Roundup and Reaching for the Moon Giveaway
**Giveaway open until Thursday!**

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

We are moving homes here in Orlando, so I am going to take off about 6 weeks to get my family moved and settled. I’ll be back early August.

Ricki

We went on vacation with relatives this week, and you bet we brought a huge stack of new books. Below, I share our favorites within the stack. 🙂

Both the kids and adults enjoyed Bug Off!: A Story of Fireflies and Friendship by Cari Best. One of the main characters within the book is very mean, and I loved watching the adults crinkle their noses as they read her mean comments. This is a great book to talk about bugs, friendship, and inclusion/exclusion.

Go For the Moon: A Rocket, A Boy, and the First Moon Landing by Chris Gall is a wonderful book that integrates narrative and nonfiction. The main character learns about the first moon landing as he builds his own rocketship at home. This is a great book for space lovers!

My family has a special place in our hearts for Sara Varon’s books. We were thrilled to see her new picture book called Hold Hands. We read this book a few dozen times this week, and it was a huge hit. My mom said it was her favorite of the bunch.

Horse Meets Dog by Elliott Kalan and Tim Miller is not a brand new book (it came out last year), but it slipped into our stack. This has been a great book to practice reading with my older son, and it is very funny!

James Yang, please do not stop writing these books. We LOVE Bus! Stop! and we also fell in love with Stop! Bot! These two books are among my favorite read-alouds. We have made many predictions about what he might write about next.

This book (The Great Gran Plan by Elli Woollard) was definitely one of my sons’ favorites of the week. Halfway through the week, we swapped out half of the books with a stack that I’d been saving in my car, and my middle son begged me to “keep the piggy book upstairs.” It is a very fun fractured fairytale.

We were lucky to receive a F&G of The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes, but the finished copy is even more beautiful. I love this book, and it has been great to discuss my oldest son’s imminent entrance to kindergarten. All week, my brother kept asking him if he’d be the “king of kindergarten.”

Ricki

I am not sure what the week brings. I’ve got a few audiobooks rolling that aren’t enticing me, and I am wondering if I should switch gears to different audiobooks. I am finding it tricky to balance two young kids, a newborn, work, and reading at the moment, so you might be seeing predominantly new YA texts for the next few weeks.

Tuesday: Student Voices!: Short Essays on Reading and Books by Luis, Star, Paola, Amy, Alex, Maya, Axel, Cooper, & Jacob

Friday: 5 Worlds: The Red Maze by Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel

and

Apollo 11 50th Anniversary Celebration!: Space Book Roundup and Reaching for the Moon Giveaway

July 19, 2019 by Kellee

Tomorrow marks the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking Apollo 11 mission. To celebrate this momentous celebration, I am happy to share some fantastic space books! (And don’t forget to enter the giveaway!)

Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of NASA Mathematician Katherine Johnson
Author: Katherine Johnson
Published July 2nd, 2019 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

The inspiring autobiography of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, who helped launch Apollo 11.

As a young girl, Katherine Johnson showed an exceptional aptitude for math. In school she quickly skipped ahead several grades and was soon studying complex equations with the support of a professor who saw great promise in her. But ability and opportunity did not always go hand in hand. As an African American and a girl growing up in an era of brutal racism and sexism, Katherine faced daily challenges. Still, she lived her life with her father’s words in mind: “You are no better than anyone else, and nobody else is better than you.”

In the early 1950s, Katherine was thrilled to join the organization that would become NASA. She worked on many of NASA’s biggest projects including the Apollo 11 mission that landed the first men on the moon.

Katherine Johnson’s story was made famous in the bestselling book and Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. Now in Reaching for the Moon she tells her own story for the first time, in a lively autobiography that will inspire young readers everywhere.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
Author: Brian Floca
Originally Published April 9th, 2019 by Richard Jackson Books

Brian Floca explores Apollo 11’s famed moon landing with this newly expanded edition of Moonshot!

Simply told, grandly shown, and now with eight additional pages of brand-new art and more in-depth information about the historic moon landing, here is the flight of Apollo 11. Here for a new generation of readers and explorers are the steady astronauts clicking themselves into gloves and helmets, strapping themselves into sideways seats. Here are their great machines in all their detail and monumentality, the ROAR of rockets, and the silence of the Moon. Here is a story of adventure and discovery—a story of leaving and returning during the summer of 1969, and a story of home, seen whole, from far away.

Hidden Figures: Young Readers’ Edition
Author: Margot Lee Shetterly
Published November 29th, 2016 by HarperCollins

This edition of Margot Lee Shetterly’s acclaimed book is perfect for young readers. It is the powerful story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

This book brings to life the stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, who lived through the Civil Rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the movement for gender equality, and whose work forever changed the face of NASA and the country.

Moon’s First Friends: One Giant Leap for Friendship
Author: Susanna Leonard Hill
Illustrator: Elisa Paganelli
Published May 7th, 2019 by Sourcebook Jabberwocky

A heartwarming story of a friendship-seeking moon that also celebrates the extraordinary 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing!

From high up in the sky, the Moon has spent her whole life watching Earth and hoping for someone to visit. Dinosaurs roam, pyramids are built, and boats are made, but still no one comes. Will friends ever come visit her?

One day a spaceship soars from Earth…and so does her heart.

Includes bonus educational pages about the moon mission!

One Giant Leap: The Story of Neil Armstrong
Author: Don Brown
Published September 24th, 2001 by HMH Books for Young Readers

As a young boy, Neil Armstrong had a recurring dream in which he held his breath and floated high above the people, houses, and cars. He spent his free time reading stacks of flying magazines, building model airplanes, and staring through the homemade telescope mounted on the roof of his neighbor’s garage. As a teenager, Neil became obsessed with the idea of flight, working odd jobs to pay for flying lessons at a nearby airport. He earned his student pilot’s license on his sixteenth birthday. But who was to know that this shy boy, who also loved books and music, would become the first person to set foot on the moon, on July 20, 1969. Here is the inspiring story of one boy’s dream – a dream of flying that landed him more than 200,000 miles away in space, gazing upon the awesome sight of a tiny earth hanging suspended in a perfectly black sky. On the thirtieth anniversary of the moon landing, Don Brown’s expressive story reveals the achievement of this American legend, Neil Armstrong.

Previously Reviewed and Recommended:

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

**Thank you to Milena at Simon & Schuster for providing the books for giveaway!**