The Race to the Moon: An Interactive History Adventure

The Race to the Moon: An Interactive History Adventure
(You Choose Books)
Allison Lassieur

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 978-1476552163
Publisher: Capstone Press
Date of publication: February 1, 2014
Age: Grades 3 - 6
Genre: Nonfiction

Themes: space race, Cold War, Soviet Union, journalism, NASA, rocket science

WWII has ended, and the USA and USSR are the most powerful countries in the world—and they're fast becoming rivals. Imagine you are living in the '50s and '60s: part of these two country's rivalry is a race to explore space. You can either be a scientist working on early rocket technology, a reporter following the firsts for both countries, or a member of Mission Control in NASA. You choose!

First of all: You Choose Books are simply genius. It's not a book that has to be read front to back, page by page. It's interactive, meaning the reading is more engaged and invested. Basically, these types a books are a favorite of mine when trying to get a reluctant reader reading. And these nonfiction options are great! The Race to the Moon is about an actual historical event. Kids can learn from this! The reason it works for a "You Choose" is that there are many branches of that history. Lassieur let's you explore each branch. Or just one. It's up to you.

Personally, it was a little difficult to read, but I'm a person who reads front to back, looking for every tidbit. "You Choose" means you flip back and front through different pages. You might suddenly die or get promoted—and then you can be done, or start over. Thus, the story is choppy; there's a little bit of artistic license. But still, I'm a proponent for these books. I think they're great for the right reader.

Find it at your library or on Amazon