Mission to Space

by John Herrington

Go on a Mission to Space with Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington, as he shares his flight on the space shuttle Endeavor and his thirteen-day mission to the International Space Station. Learn what it takes to train for space flight, see the tasks he completed in space, and join him on his spacewalk 220 miles above the earth (book jacket).

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Biography, Science, Space, Stem, Native American

24 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised at the simplicity of this book and I'm not entirely sure who the intended audience is meant to be. It provides a decent glimpse at the preparation for the mission and the mission itself, but it is very sparse with just a few lines of text per page and an accompanying photograph and we really don't have any idea what the purpose of the mission was. It might be suitable for the younger picture book crowd but I think the elementary school kids would need something meatier. It also, and this is just my opinion speaking as someone who has no insider or in-depth knowledge on the subject, does not do a very good job of portraying the Chickasaw Nation or why it was so important that Herrington was the first Native American in space. I personally did not see anything mentioned about his youth, upbringing etc. that connected specifically to his culture. Later in the book we see a Chickasaw Nation governor presenting a Chickasaw blanket to NASA; a photo of Chickasaw dancers celebrating Herrington; and Herrington's eagle feather and a flute that he brings to the space station. Maybe the intended audience is Chickasaw and would already have insight into these things, the barriers (I assume?) Herrington had to overcome in being the first Native American in space, etc. but I do not feel the story does an adequate job of conveying that to an audience unfamiliar with these things. The back matter does include a glossary with some Chickasaw words relating to space and pronunciations but no extended bibliography or additional biographical material.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. I agree that it's insubstantial, but I also think that it works as just a neat introduction to the 'what it's like to be an astronaut' motif. The title might be a bit misleading as it does imply that the book is about the mission, whereas it's actually more of a biography.

If I were a teacher, I'd use it as a biography for sure. "My name is this, my identity is this, my career is this. Some things that have happened to me are these." Then I'd continue, and use it as a springboard for 'diversity' related lessons if I were in a white school, or as inspiration for a 'these are our dreams' unit if I were in a diverse school.

I love the Chickasaw-English dictionary in the back.

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in a straightforward, informative tone with simple pictures, this book is an exciting look towards outer space and how Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington experiences preparation for and going on spacewalks. English-Chickasaw glossary included.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great, simple book about one astronaut's experience for early readers and young children. John Herrington is Chickasaw, and discusses his heritage in the book. The book also includes a glossary of space-related terms in Chickasaw. This book is a valuable addition to public, school, and personal libraries, since there are relatively few books for children that discuss Native American experiences in modern times and daily life. It will also be very appealing for any kid who's interested in space -- the photos are great!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book biography of Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington is super simple, with many fewer words than most picture book biographies, and no extended biography of the man in the back matter; although there is a brief bio of him on the back blurb. There are only one or two sentences per page, accompanied by a photograph--many are of Herrington, but also photos of the space shuttle, and some other Chickasaw people. I did not get much of a sense of who the Chickasaw are from this book. There is one page of the Chickasaw Nation governor presenting a Chickasaw blanket to NASA; there is a photo of Chickasaw dancers celebrating their astronaut; and Herrington has an eagle feather and a flute with him in the space station. Other than a space walk, there is no explanation of exactly what their particular mission was on the space station. What is interesting is that while the text of the bio is entirely in English, the backmatter provides a glossary of Chickasaw words and their pronunciations. Most of the words have to do with outer space, astronauts, and space travel. The glossary concludes with a countdown from 10 to 1 in Chickasaw. While I appreciate this brief biography of the first Native American in space, I would have liked a lot more info about his childhood in the tribe, how he came to be an astronaut, more info on what they did in the space station, and what he is doing now (a little bit in the blurb) in a more fleshed out picture book biography. I do appreciate that the publisher decided to use photos rather than illustrations, however, as that somehow made the story more realistic.

[Yuliya Yefimov · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never knew a member of the Chickasaw tribe went to space, even as an adult you can learn from a children's book! This book is a great example of indigenous people being in different job occupations allowing for indigenous kids to see themselves as capable of achieving such an occupation. The pictures in the book were real life photographs, allowing for the reader to see what John went through to become an astronaut. The text was simple and easy to follow along, great for smaller kids to read! It even highlighted John's indigenous culture intertwined into his occupation as an astronaut. At the very end of the book, there was a language page that translated some of the important words from the book into Chickasaw to allow for a deeper understanding of the Chickasaw culture and how their words are rich, detailed, and not just word for word translation! Overall, a great book to read, learn about an indigenous person and community, and allow kids to envision themselves as astronauts!

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple text and color photos follow Astronaut and Chicksaw Nation citizen John Herrington on his mission to the International Space Station. A fantastic end page not only provides an English to Chicksaw dictionary for words in the book but also gives insight to the way the Chicksaw language continues to live and grow.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just skims over details, but there are some pretty cool pictures, and I was touched by seeing the childhood picture of Herrington building and launching rockets with his father. I know lots of people built model rockets without going into space, but it's cool that he did.

[Tyson Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfect for ages 5-8, the book inspires curiosity about science and space while making complex concepts accessible and fun. A great pick for classroom use or bedtime reading for future astronauts!

[Emily Rella · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book has a lot to offer, but lacks in any study of ethnicity. This book does a good job at explaining from an Astronaut's perspective. It is a cute storyline about an astronaut's first time flying to an international space station. It is very descriptive from the training until the actual trip. A good read for a class room and can be applied other subjects.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for a very, very young audience, as it flies through the childhood, training, and first space trip of Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington in just 19 pages.

[Ben Truong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mission to Space is a children's picture book written by John Herrington. It is an autobiographical photograph book of John Herrington – the first Native American astronaut.

November, at least in my part of the world is Native American Heritage Month, which I plan to read one children's book, preferably a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.

John Bennett Herrington is a retired United States Naval Aviator and former NASA astronaut. In 2002, Herrington became the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space.

Herrington's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. With simplistic language, Herrington describes his mission to space and what it means to be the first Native American in space. A glossary of some Chicksaw words and English translation could be found in the backmatter with a brief bio on the back blurb. There are no illustrations per say, but photographs of Herrington and his space mission.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It doesn't give much information on John Herrington's life before or after his space mission, as this book focuses mainly on his space mission. With photographs and sparse and simplistic narrative, Herrington retells his space mission. As an autobiography it is lacking, but a wonderful retellings of one of his major events in his life – going on a space mission. Just wish the narrative was a more inclusive biography and has an in-depth look into the Chicksaw, which was sorely lacking.

All in all, Mission to Space is a good, albeit cursory biography about John Herrington – the first Native American in space.

[Elizabeth]

This book was a Picture Book Honor Book for the 2018 American Indian Library Association's Youth Literature Award.

It's a very simple story about Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington -- illustrated with photographs. It's a fairly simple story about someone who wanted to be an astronaut as a child, trained to be one, and then got to go up to the International Space Station -- but his Chickasaw heritage is woven through the story, which is rare in "generic astronaut" type stories.

There's also a page at the end about language -- "The Chickasaw language is an important part of our culture. It's part of what makes us uniquely Chickasaw. Like all languages, it grows and changes as the world around us changes. Often new words are needed to express new ideas, technologies, and inventions, like astronauts and space shuttles. The Chickasaw Language Committee is a group of fluent Chickasaw speakers that meet regularly to create new Chickasaw words. Because Chickasaw is such a descriptive language, the committee works to preserve the richness and detail that is often lost in literal, word-for-word translations." It then proceeds to offer an English/Chickasaw dictionary (with pronunciation of various English words used in the book (astronaut, float, helmet, etc.) including a description of the Chickasaw word -- so "helmet" (yaalhipa kallo') is "hard hat," but "astronaut" (aba' nowa') is "above walker."

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the true story of Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington, and his journey from boyhood to adulthood, from model rockets to the International Space Station. Photographs and bold text capture children's attention.

Mission to Space stands out among the sixteen books this month because of its focus on Herrington himself. So often, picture books about space focus on the planets or the space shuttle or the experience of being in space itself. This is different because it addresses everything through the lens of the astronaut's personal experiences – what he liked as a boy, how he trained, how his flute and eagle feather were weightless in space, and how his launch was celebrated in the Chickasaw nation. Readers will enjoy the photographs, learn from the text, and absorb the message that our country's successes stem from the rich diversity of its people.

Back matter includes a Chickasaw language guide, with the English word, a pronunciation guide, and a literal translation.

Son's "What To Expect"
They'll expect to learn about space.

Note:
Published by White Dog Press, 2016. A review copy was provided upon request, in exchange for an honest review.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herrington's memoir about his training and mission on the Endeavor is a fun read. It goes over the importance of the mission to the Chickasaw nation, of whom Herrington is a member, and the different kinds of training it takes to be an astronaut. This is a great introduction to different concepts, such as diversity, Native American history, and science. Herrington also includes an English/Chickasaw glossary. This would be a great read aloud and fun to include in a program about space or Native Americans.

[Olivia Nuzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect story for a science lesson and to learn about an astronaut's first slight on a space shuttle into space. I enjoyed this book because the pictures on every page were so cool to look at because they were his pictures! It kept me engaged, and would for sure keep children who are reading the story engaged. A story with great information that is nonfiction, and a biography story to teach children about all the training and hard work that goes into becoming an astronaut. However, it also teaches children to work hard for what they want because the sky is the limit.

[Kylie Rademacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mission to Space is astronaut John Harrington’s autobiography. John Harrington is Chickasaw, Chickasaw is North American Indian tribe. Harrington shares of Chickasaw language and culture in the backmatter of the text. A glossary of about 25 English words are translated to Chickasaw with their pronunciations and definitions listed. The story shares what it is like to fly into space a back using real life photographs to help give readers the full experience. This primary level text is informational and culturally responsive.

[Jensen Kniska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mission To Space is about John Herrington who happens to be the author of the book. He is a commander and NASA astronaut. He explains his experience on the space shuttle, Endeavor and his mission to the international Space Station. Students would be able to gain knowledge about how to travel around space. The recommended age range for this book is five to six. I'm sure that every grade level could gain something from this book.

[Thomas Helean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely geared towards more younger students. I think this book was very informative and would be great for any student who is interested in space or astronomy. It was cool to hear a first-hand account of what it was like to be in space and the pictures and text were easy to follow along with. I also liked that they included the Chickasaw Nation and gave them the recognition they deserved.

[Paige Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very informational book to read to students about what all you have to do to prepare for space and then what it's like once you get to space.The pictures are nice and they go along nicely with the text. It allows the children to feel as if they are in the shoes of an actual astronaut.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended picture book of Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington. The photographs will encourage discussion about science and NASA and Native Americans. I was especially interested in the last few pages where the author offers a list of words in the Chickasaw language with pronunciation and description.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would appeal to all ages, despite the rather short sentences and simplistic language, because it has primary source photos and a lot to discuss. I LOVE the Chicksaw language glossary with pronunciation and description in the back. I could see spending a lot of hours reading over this list with little people!

[Devin Lenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very simple book about a boy that wanted to be an astronaut and about his journey to get to go to space. This book shows students a different perspective of someone that had a long shot to be able to do something awesome but still accomplished it with nothing letting him hold him back.
This book is an early/beginner book but could teach students about different careers.

[Ashtyn Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, John Herrington shares his passion for space travel as well as his Chickasaw heritage. He gives children a glimpse into his astronaut training at NASA and his mission to the International Space Station. He gives perspective on what is needed to train for space travel. This is a great book to inspire young kids who have big dreams.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written by John Herrington about his life as an astronaut. The book describes the preparation and training that he went through as well as his mission to the International Space Station. This book would be great for children around grades K-2 as a read-aloud or choice reading. The book could be used to learn more about space and what being an astronaut is like.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this guy's story and I think it is amazing he wrote a book to inspire others in his Native American tribe to explore careers in space. In the book, John Herrington, a member of the Chickasaw tribe, documents his journey from training to mission. I so wanted to love this book, and I'm glad we read it, but it just fell a little flat for us.

[Arden Fisher]

Summary: this book is about a man who goes to space. He describes the process of the training it took to get there and what it is like in space.

Did I like it? I thought it was a cute book with good general information for a young kid to know about astronauts.

How could I use it in my class? I could use it to teach about space and astronauts.

[Stacy Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herrington’s autobiographical narrative of growing up and becoming an astronaut. Herrington highlights is Chickasaw ancestry and love of flight. Text that is easy to read with photos related to topics. A must add for Oklahoma school librarians.

[Missy Matula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book and great to teach children about NASA and what it takes for astronauts to train and prepare for space. Children are naturally fascinated by astronauts, space and rocket ships so this was a great book to teach them more about this.

[Jennybeast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really nice, simple book on astronaut prep/life. Love the direct role model action -- Herrington is from the Chickasaw Nation, and the book talks about how his Nation celebrated his mission to the International Space Station. Very cool.