I Love You, Michael Collins

by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

2018-19 Maine StudentBook Award Reading List.

Amazon Editors recommend this book for readers who have recently discovered middle grade novels with more intricate story lines.

Amazon Editors' Pick Best Books of June 2017

GoodReads Choice Awards 2017 Best Middle Grade and Children's Book

National Council for Social Studies/Children's Book Council Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2018

The Planetary Society Recommended Space Books for Kids of All Ages 2017

The National Science and Engineering Council of Canada list of books for Science Literacy Week 2018

2018-2019 Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award Intermediate Grade list

It's 1969 and the country is gearing up for what looks to be the most exciting moment in U.S. men landing on the moon. Ten-year-old Mamie's class is given an assignment to write letters to the astronauts. All the girls write to Neil Armstrong ("So cute!") and all the boys write to Buzz Aldrin ("So cool!"). Only Mamie writes to Michael Collins, the astronaut who will come so close but never achieve everyone else's dream of walking on the moon, because he is the one who must stay out in space with the ship.
After school ends, Mamie keeps writing to Michael Collins, taking comfort in telling someone about what's going on with her family as, one by one, they leave the house thinking that someone else is taking care of her--until she is all alone except for her cat and her best friend, Buster. And as the date of the launch nears, Mamie can't help but Does no one stay with the ship anymore?

With I Love You, Michael Collins , Lauren Baratz-Logsted has created a heartwarming story about family and being true to yourself.
A Margaret Ferguson Book

"Baratz-Logsted weaves in just enough history to root Mamie's story in her time, a moment when a nation came together and felt proud of human possibilities. . . . Readers will be charmed by Mamie's story of hope in a difficult moment in American history ." -- Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Family, Fiction, Space, Historical, Childrens

240 pages, Library Binding

First published June 20, 2017

About the author

Lauren grew up in Monroe, CT, where her father owned a drugstore at which her mother was the pharmacist. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where she majored in psychology. She also has what she calls her “half-Masters” in English from Western Connecticut State University (five courses down, another five to go…someday!).

Throughout college, she worked semester breaks as a doughnut salesperson, a job that she swears gave her white lung disease from all the powdered sugar she breathed.

Upon graduation, she began work at the venerable independent spacebookseller, now sadly defunct as such, Klein’s of Westport. There, she bought and sold for the better part of 11 years.

In November 1994, Lauren left the bookstore to finally take a chance on herself as a writer. Success did not happen over night. Between 1994 and May 2002 – when Red Dress Ink called with an offer to buy THE THIN PINK LINE – Lauren worked as a book reviewer, a freelance editor and writer, and a window washer, making her arguably the only woman in the world who has ever both hosted a book signing party and washed the windows of the late best-selling novelist Robert Ludlum.

Since Red Dress Ink’s call in 2002, Lauren has been kept very busy with writing more novels and checking her Amazon ranking on a daily basis. She still lives in Danbury, with her husband and daughter, where she has lived since 1991.

In addition to writing, Lauren’s daughter keeps her busy, accounting for the rest of her time.

Lauren’s favorite color is green.

Lauren’s favorite non-cat animals are penguins.

Lauren wants you to know that, however you are pronouncing her last name, you are probably pronouncing it wrong.

Reviews

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it just as much the second time reading it! I just finished watching “First Man” last night and have been watching Apollo 11 documentaries this week, so I was up for a re-read of this one.

*Update 4-28-21*
Michael Collins has passed away at the age of 90.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was about the same age as Mamie when the first astronauts walked on the moon, so reading this book was a stroll down memory lane for me. Like Mamie's, my parents told us we had to play outside all day, every day, in the summer and I don't remember ever being bored. Mamie and her best friend and next-door neighbor Buster played together every day and spent a lot of time at the library learning everything they could about that summer's mission to the moon. Told in a series of letters to Michael Collins, the third astronaut on the mission who stayed on the ship while the other two walked on the moon, Mamie pours out her heart and she broke mine a little with her candor and bravery in what was a difficult summer for her. A love letter to friendship and to those who stay behind with the ship, this was the balm I needed for the rough summer I've been having. (A big thanks to Sonia for the recommendation!)

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible audio
------
3.5 stars 🌟

Sweet (occasionally angering) and moving story.

I wouldn't have forgiven certain people as quickly as Mamie did. You can be grateful and still feel hurt.

The ending was one of my favorite parts, big smile on my face there 😍.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. As historical fiction for children goes, it was so refreshing to read a story that was tied to the specific time, with period details, and a historical event, that was not Colonial America. And I really liked how it was a part of the story. Regarding one aspect of the story: I think today's readers' minds will boggle at kids being left alone, and honestly even as a very lax parent I thought "wait, what? why is no one making sure someone is there?"
I thought her feelings were so real and I always enjoy a story told through letters.
Recommended listening while reading this book: Public Service Broadcasting's "Race for Space", which incorporates historical audio related to the space race and Apollo 11 into their music.

[Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read this book: you'll not only know who the third astronaut was during the first landing on the moon, but you'll think about writing him a few letters, and - more than anything - want to send Mamie a whole stack of mail. And want a friend like Buster. And (regrettably) be reminded that Tang existed.

The facts that: the book is fiction, set in 1969, Mamie doesn't exist and I haven't seen Tang since the 80s are all minor points. The feelings remain, as does the beauty of the story.

'I Love You, Michael Collins' is one of those rare gems of a novel that not only discusses the fears, hopes and relationships of 10 year-olds (and associated humans), but does so with humour, outstanding voice, and respect for the range and scope of their experiences and feelings.

The pivotal importance of your best friend (and particular enthusiastic applause for a girl-boy best friend pairing!), dependability, communication and loyalty are neither sugar-coated nor avoided. Baratz-Logsted doesn't take the easy plot twists either, or escapes, and the novel is all the more exceptional for it.

In terms of wordcraft, Baratz-Logsted approaches the fears of Mamie brilliantly, with a deft use of epistolary (for the entire novel), interwoven with historical phrasing and nuance which only highlights the depth of the characters and fundamental relationships in Mamie's orbit. The characterisation of Mamie is skillfully crafted; her differences are revealed in passing, (sometimes with hilarious, sometimes stinging, asides), her motives believable, her pain all the more devastating as a result.

I admit it. This book made me cry. It also made me laugh, had me run my fingers over the cover and angle it to better catch the light, remember my own best friend at age 10, and put this to the top of my list for gift-giving this year. I don't care how old you are, this book is humanity, beauty and sheer wonder.

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a good book until it dragged out and i realized our main character, while young, seemed to know nothing about anything and everyone laughed at her for it? Maybe it was supposed to be that way. But anyways, story dragged. It got boring. I didn't care if the parents came back.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's 1969. The whole world is awaiting the launch of Apollo 11. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are going to walk on the moon-they are the heroes to everyone in Mamie's class. Yet she thinks Michael Collins, the 3rd astronaut on the journey who will stay will the command module, and not get a chance to walk on the moon, is the best one. She decides to write a series of letters to Michael Collins as he prepares for the trip and continues to write him as he is in space. However, her letters are not those of a star-struck fan, but of a girl trying to come to grips with a serious family crisis as the world comes together for the biggest event of their lifetime. The weaving of storylines, and the theme that minor characters have stories that are equally important and compelling as main characters really drew me in. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this historical fiction-and how much I learned. An MSBA nominee for 2018-19.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love you, I Love You, Michael Collins

[Mark Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! This is one of the Florida Sunshine State books. The young narrator chronicles her life during the week that the astronauts are on their way to the moon and back, through letters written to Michael Collins. The plot is fairly simple, but she does great job of character development for herself and her best friend, Buster. It is very funny - I laughed out loud several times. She also comments on society and how crazy some 'normal' things are. Her observations are quite enlightening. Here is one of my favorites:

When you were my age, Michael Collins, was being considered a tattletale just about the worst thing a person could be? Because sometimes it seems like that's the way it is now. Whether it's at home with parents ("Don't tell on your sister - no one likes a tattletale") or at school with teachers (same thing, but replacing "sister" with "classmate"), the message is clear: tattletales are the worst. I'm not sure why that is, why it is worse to tell the truth about the wrong thing someone is doing than the wrong thing is itself, but that is the world I live in. People act like "Don't be a tattletale" is as strict a rule as any of the Ten Commandments - stricter even! Between you and me, I do not see "Thou shalt not be a tattletale" on any tablets, yet there you have it.

She is very perceptive, and there are many more of these observations throughout the book, which made it a joy to read.

[Dov Zeller · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It’s 1969, and 10-year-old Mamie Anderson is writing letters to Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins."
So begins Kirkus's review. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re... "When Mamie’s teacher asks the class to write letters to the astronauts, Mamie is the only one to choose Michael Collins, the one who will stay onboard while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldren walk on the moon. Mamie understands the importance of Collins’ staying with the ship: if he didn’t, 'How would they…come home again?'"

How indeed? Someone has to stay in the ship, to be a grounding force. Not everyone can be a flashy hero prancing around the moon. (Or so I am told.)

Mamie, a white (working class/middle class?) girl in elementary school, lives in a house in the suburbs (I think) with her mother, her father, and one of her two older sisters. (Her other sister lives on her own, which makes her a bit rebellious according to the textual address of the era and the particular family dynamics.) Her father is a "lineman for the telephone company" and her mother a "homemaker." As far as the era in general--the setting is achieved (?) through some mentions of political things going on (the Vietnam war and Civil Rights), and also with food, though these references seemed a bit forced. Kind of the canned soup version of "this is 1969."

What did I like about the book?
1) That we mostly see Mamie in the summer, outside of school and only have to witness awful school social dynamics/bullying for a tiny bit in the beginning of the book.
2) Mamie's friendship with Buster--that they are a (cis) boy and a girl who are best friends and genuinely care for each other, their affection based on non-romantic intimacy.
3) The way the book echoes and explores in different ways the theme of "the one who stays on the ship."
4) The concept (the novel being told through letters to an astronaut which started as a school assignment).

That said, the concept sometimes got in the way of the storytelling. For example, this letter from Mamie:

"The reason you were born in Rome is because your father was stationed over there with the U.S. Army. Because of your father's work, you moved around a lot. Before you were even eighteen, you'd lived in Oklahoma, New York, Puerto Rico, Texas, and Virginia. Wow, Michael Collins. I've only ever lived in one place before, and that place is right here in Connecticut , which you have probably figured out from my return address.

"Instead of doing what your mom wanted you to do, which was go into the diplomatic service, you decided to do what your father did and join the military. Seventeen years ago, you graduated 185th at the United States Military Academy from a total of 527 Cadets..."

I found it hard to believe she would write a letter that sounds more like a research paper copied from an encyclopedia. But even more than that, I didn't have a clear sense of what she would write. The characters felt a bit flat to me, and the voice of the letters didn't feel terribly specific or authentic. Just kind of explain-y. And everything wrapped up at the end a bit too neatly.

So, all in all, I'm glad I picked this one up. I wasn't as charmed by it as a lot of readers. But, I wanted to know what the "buzz" (wink, nudge) (because Buzz Aldrin) was all about. And, while for me the book was pretty meh, it's refreshing to read an epistolary novel with a girl protagonist whose concerns aren't about crushes and popularity in school, but more focused around a specific historical event, which she enjoys with a friend (some excellent nerd bonding!)

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

What begins as a simple school assignment (write a letter to one of the moon landing astronauts) quickly becomes a young girl's coping mechanism for family drama.

[Natalie]

I struggled through about 20% and had to give up. It was so boring. I couldn't make myself care about anything going on in this story. I thought the plot sounded awesome, but the execution was not great.

[Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My memories of Apollo 11 are so vivid all these years later. I've spent the 50h anniversary year reading histories and listening to podcasts that focused on the first moon landing. When my daughter recommended the book to me, I knew I had to find it somehow. It's one of the best middle-grade books I've read in a long time.

Mamie is one day away from the start of the 1969 summer vacation. She has been handed the final assignment of the year. She is hours away from all the freedom and unstructured play that a late 1960s summer promised; just one assignment stood between her and a summer full of fun with her neighbor and friend, Buster, whose real name we never learn.

The assignment: Write a letter to one of the three Apollo 11 astronauts. All the girls in the class except Mamie picked Neal Armstrong; the boys all chose Buzz Aldrin because he was cool and had a cool name. Mamie was the only one in the class who chose Michael Collins, the sometimes-lonely astronaut whose solitary job was to keep the main module on target. She wrote her letter, and as the summer progressed and the date of the historic launch grew near, she kept writing. These letters to the unsung hero spaceman were Mamie's way of expressing herself--or telling someone, anyone, about the changes going on in her personal world.

This book brought cheers and occasional tears. My only wrinkle with it is that Mamie describes herself as a slow reader. I wondered whether someone with her vocabulary and advanced understanding of people and thins could be a slow reader, but I'm no expert.

These letters are filled with a kind of child-like innocence, and yet they are very much a reflection of the time. Mamie tells Michael Collins in her letters that her parents seem to be having some kind of marital discord; (she calls them "discussions".) That discord erupts in full the night her dad refuses to attend a moon launch party her mom had planned. Always yearning for a bigger broader life beyond the walls of her house, Mamie's mom walks out on the family one night during dinner. Days later, Dad leaves home to find Mom and try to fix things. Mamie is alone with a self-centered older sister who, in late-60s typical teenage fashion, sleeps until noon and spends most of her waking hours with a boyfriend. Mamie's oldest sister has moved out of the house, something that caused no small controversy for that family in that day and time. At some point, it is Mamie who is left to figuratively guide the family ship. She and Michael Collins have a great deal in common.

The author uses period details wonderfully well. She tells of writing phone numbers on the side of the phone. She points out that those of us who were Mamie's age in 1969 were expected to play outside, and there weren't a lot of strictures on where we could play or how far from the house we went.

She recreates vividly the launch and landing. Reading Mamie's description of the event brought it back to me with real force and clarity. I was comforted, too, by the idea that some things haven't changed all that much. You can still buy Fruit Loops and Tang, for example.

It takes talent to create a book based on letters, and the author demonstrates her excellence by pulling this off nicely.

Amy Melissa Bentley's narration was magnificent--even better than that. She brought child-like wonder to the book--a kind of innocence and sophistication all at once. Nothing is over the top where this narration is concerned. Bentley has one of those lovely ageless voices, and her pace and cadence is such that she can effortlessly transport you back to 1969 or anywhere else she wants you to go. They simply couldn't have found a better match for a narrator of this book. It was already an excellent book; Amy Melissa Bentley made it even better.

[Katie R · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of this book it was awesome and what happened in this book was that a little girl named Mamie had an assignment to do and she had to write a letter to an astronaut but she just kept on writing more. And when her dad and mom left she was sad but then after she found out her cat had babies and finally Michael Collins finally wrote back.

[LeeAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. Ah, letter writing, the social media of Mamie's day and one that didn't involve sharing the pouring out of your guts with the world. Unless, of course you are a character in a book.
Yet I don't think it was Mamie sharing her day to day life--including family dysfunction--in this way was what threw me out of the story several times. We all need a way to vent on occasion and pouring out our confused emotions to a stranger, one we will never meet, can seem much "safer" than doing so with someone we know. Rather, it was the "As you know, Bob--or in this case, Michael Collins" style of storytelling the letter device made unavoidable when it came to providing the necessary background information. I'm hoping readers who didn't live through those historic events won't find it so distracting because the overall story is good. And besides, I have a soft spot myself for Michael Collins.

[Meghan Geary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the protagonist. We need more of Mamie in the world. But this book dragged for me, despite my interest in the story’s context. I do appreciate the intent of this novel, and I love Michael Collins, too, as a result. But I felt like this shouldn’t have been a story comprised entirely of letters. It lost some element of immediacy and intensity that I think it could have had. I don’t know…I’m not the target audience, but while the historical context is fascinating to me (and well-rendered here), it doesn’t feel like a tale that would grip young readers. But I’d love to hear how wrong I am! This is a book I’d like to use for an upcoming district-wide reading initiative, so let me know if you know that kids love it!

#mrsgearyreads

[Jean-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We bought this one at the Scholastic Warehouse and thought this month -- the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's space flight to the Moon -- would be a perfect time to read it. The 12-year-old and I were pleasantly surprised by this sweet "Home Alone"-style novel. It's a celebration of the those who "stay with the ship." Middle grade readers will love it. Two thumbs up!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I am also fascinated my the moon landing. The premise drew me right in. This is a great read. Mamie is a strong female character. I love the friendship she has with Buster and his enjoyment of Tang.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

The goal of having an novel written in the form of letters didn't really work for this book. The letters ended up turning into a novel and written in a way that didn't seem genuine from this 10 year old character.

I enjoyed learning about who Michael Collins was.

[Kara Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The three books I chose to read were I Love You, Michael Collins by Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Project Alpha (Voyagers #1) by D.J. MacHale, and Hidden Figures (Young Readers’ Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly. The commonality between all three books is the topic of space and space exploration, although through three very different lenses.
I Love You, Michael Collins is historical fiction about a girl named Mamie in the 1960s, as an observer of the Apollo 11 moon landing. While she is entranced by the moon landing, her favorite astronaut is the least famous of the group, Michael Collins, because he won’t be landing on the moon. Instead, he’ll be staying with the ship, waiting for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to return and ensure everything goes smoothly, and the ship can return, even if the mission fails. Meanwhile, at home, Mamie’s world is kind of falling apart as her mom leaves for a while, and her dad leaves to get her back. Mamie’s sister is supposed to care for her, but she leaves to stay with her boyfriend. Mamie’s other sister doesn’t live at home, and seems to busy to care for Mamie. With the backdrop of the space program, Mamie finally realizes that even though he wasn’t as famous, Michael Collins had an important job – he assured success of the mission by staying with the ship. Like him, Mamie “stays with the ship” to make sure that she’s the stable one who stays and ensures her family will succeed as well.
In the book Project Alpha, the story follows eight children, all around the age of 12, as they are set to try to travel to distant planets to collect materials to power Earth’s waning power supply, and prevent the need for mandatory blackouts. This story is science fiction, and feels like a mix of the Hunger Games and Star Trek – there are eight possible applicants, but only four will make the final mission. The second half is their first mission out in space, and has elements of technology, travel at the speed of light, and new, unknown planets. Meanwhile, group dynamics and friendships are the focus on board the ship.
The book Hidden Figures in a non-fiction narrative about the African-American women who joined the work force during the World War II years, and continued on after World War II as new jobs and opportunities opened up for women, both white and black. This book specifically follows the struggles and successes of women who worked for NACA, which later became NASA, as computers – essentially very well-educated and incredibly intelligent human calculators for the complicated flight and space mission mathematics. It also emphasizes how critical these women were to the success of the advancement of space-flight technology, as well as how critical they were to the success of both the advancement of women in the workplace, as well as the advancement of desegregation and equality for all in the United States during a turbulent time.
The reason I chose these three books is for their commonality of space. I like the idea of having a group of students read a book on one subject (space) from many different aspects – historical fiction, science fiction, and non-fiction. I think on the one hand, it gives them more depth and understanding that a topic can be interesting from many different perspectives, as well as helping students discover if they prefer a certain genre over others. I think including the non-fiction narrative is also a way to help students analyze how realistic some aspects of the other two genres are, and to realize the real-world implications, as well as how fiction can still be used to learn about a topic.
The response method that I chose was to have students post on the Seesaw app. If you’ve never used it before, Seesaw is an app on the iPad. Students scan a code that leads them to the class Seesaw page, where they have several options to choose from. For example, a student can post a photo, a video, a drawing, add a note, or they can even add a link or upload a file. For the non-video options, there is an option to record their voices on whatever they chose to do. In their research, McKnight et al. (2016) explored several classrooms’ use of technology and through observation and surveys, came to some conclusions about the benefits of technology use in the classroom, some of which I feel can have practical applications for readers responses, especially in connection with the Seesaw app. Among the things that the researchers noted was that technology improves access, not only by allowing many students to be more engaged, but also because technology is so widespread now that students can access it in a variety of locations – many have technology that they can use to access Seesaw from home, and if not, we have the resources at school to allow all students to use this method. Secondly, the researchers found that using technology enhances communication and feedback (McKnight et al., 2016). One of the things that is really useful about Seesaw is that I can access it from home. This means that I don’t have to lug reading response journals home and back to school. It is all accessible from my computer. A feature on the Seesaw app is that once students share to their journals, other students can view their responses. Therefore, not only can students communicate with me and get feedback from me, but they can also get feedback and questions from their peers, as well as recommend books to their peers. Likewise, parents can link to their own child’s Seesaw page, and can see and give feedback on what their students post, keeping them more in the loop of the quality and quantity of their child’s work, as well as helping them see what their child is reading and how they understand it.
In another article I read by Laidlaw and O’Mara (2015), they also noted that the use of technology helps to reach students with disabilities. By providing more methods of responding to what they’ve read, perhaps it will help me as the teacher to get a better understanding of what the students, especially those with disabilities, understand, and how I can continue to help them. For example, a student who struggles to read and write might find it a daunting task to read a book and then also write a response about it. However, it might be less daunting to read the book and the video a response talking about the book, or even drawing a picture of a visualization of a favorite part, and then talking about it. I like that there is also a place to upload a file, such as a word document, or there is also a note pad option, where students can write a response as well. At my school, we have a set of keyboards that can be attached to the iPads, which can help students even more.
The way I would use this would be to have reading response starters available to students. I found two pages with reading response prompts on them that I liked, and seemed appropriate for my students at:
https://mrsmurray2015.files.wordpress...
https://www.ercsd.org/Page/1355
These could be uploaded onto the shared files that all students can access on Seesaw or printed off and given to students. Students would choose 1-3 prompts to respond to for each book. For each book response, there would be information that they would have to share for each book as well – title, author, and genre – and then they would follow it up by responding to 1-3 of the prompts.
By using this method of reading response on Seesaw, it uses traditional reading response methods with the response, in a new way. Not only does it increase the use of technology, but it also increases engagement, allows for more interaction from teachers, students, and parents, is more accessible, and is inclusive for students of all abilities.


References:
Baratz-Logsted, L. (2017). I love you, Michael Collins. New York: Square Fish.
Laidlaw, L. & O’Mara, J. (2015). Rethinking difference in the iWorld: Possibilities, challenges,
and ‘unexpected consequences’ of digital tools in literacy education. Language and
Literacy, 17(2), 59-74.
MacHale, D.J. (2015). Project Alpha. New York: Random House.
McKnight, K., O’Malley, K., Ruzic, R., Horsley, M.K., Franey, J.J., & Bassett, K. (2016).
Teaching in the digital age: How educators use technology to improve student learning.
Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 48(3), 194-211).
Shetterly, M.L. (2017). Hidden figures: The untold true story of four African-American women
who helped launch our nation into space. New York: Scholastic.

[Melanie Brinkman]

Dear Michael Collins,

It's 1969, and the whole country is looking to the sky. As man gears up to set foot on the Moon, Mamie's class is assigned to write to the astronauts. Everyone's eager to write to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but Mamie chooses to write to Michael Collins, the man who will come so close, but never actually experience everyone else's dream, being forced to stay with the ship. Even after school's over, Mamie continues writing to the spaceman, finding solace in telling someone about her life as it's changing around her. As everyone seems to leave her behind, she's forced to wonder if anyone stays with the ship.

A story of a summer unlike any other. A story of one young girl grounding herself by writing to a man on the Moon.

Trigger warning for neglect.

Slightly unsure of herself, but insightful, Mamie carried herself with grace. She struggled with the upset of her home life and the changes in the world around her, but she never let her weaknesses show. I admired her honesty and hopefulness as she pressed on in light of heartbreaking circumstances. She may have been daunted, but her courage helped her go about life as normally as she could. I would have loved to been friends with this brave soul.

From unhappy, argumentative parents, to her two somewhat distant older sisters, to her smart best friend Buster, Mamie's life should've been bursting with people. My heart ached as crack after crack appeared in her family unit. I was very surprised at decisions they made and assumptions they took for granted. Frustrating as they were, I just wanted the best outcome possible for Mamie. Thankfully, she had Buster to rely on. While she desperately tried to keep secrets from the neighbor boy, he was supportive of her ideas and the best friend she could have possibly asked for. Mamie had a rich relationship with each of her family despite the lack thereof. (This will make a lot more sense if you read the book.)

When we think of heroes, we often think of those individuals who go out and do exciting things, but it's important to remember the courage of the people who hold things together. Told in epistolary format, Mamie exemplified this type of bravery. Rich with the perfect amount of detail, her words transported me back to the days leading up to man landing on the moon. Every one of the simple, emotional letters Lauren Baratz-Logstead penned through the ten year old's hand conveyed fears, hopes, heartache and achievements above and on the ground. A story of family and heaps of self growth, the ending was a pleasant, unexpected surprise. Overall, this historical fiction was a reminder that great things happen to those who stay with the ship.

Sometimes staying behind takes the most courage.

[Becky Ginther · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet middle grade novel which takes place in 1969 about a girl named Mamie. Her class is tasked with writing a letter to one of the three astronauts going for the moon launch, and she's the only one who chooses to write to Michael Collins. He's the one who is forgotten next to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the one who is referred to as "the third astronaut" - the one who has to stay on the ship instead of walk on the moon. This sort of "outsider" status means that Mamie relates to him, and she continues to write him letters throughout the summer.

As the book goes on we get to know Mamie's home life and the issues she has with her parents and sisters. As each family member leaves the house for one reason or another, Mamie is determined to stay in the home she knows - she will be the one to "stay with the ship."

I really enjoyed reading this book. Mamie is an interesting character and her relationship with her best friend Buster is something special. The parallels between Mamie's situation and how she projects her feelings onto what she thinks Michael Collins might be going through is pretty clever. Her family issues are pretty heartbreaking and it's hard to believe parents could be so irresponsible.

I also really liked the fact that this book was so focused on the moon landing. It had a lot of great information in it and was a cool way to get kids educated and interested in a topic they probably had heard about, but didn't know many details about. We did it as a book discussion book and since this year was the 50th anniversary of the moon landing it was very timely!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to School Library Journal for the ARC.

I thought this book filled a previously empty niche of introducing kids to the moonlanding, which made it so fascinating. The suggested reading at the end pointing kids towards more period resources is a bonus.

One of my favorite parts was the actions of Mamie's father and how the problem was resolved without the author resorting to divorce. I loved how he was a true man and pursued his wife when she ran away. And then they calmly found a way to resolve their problems and stay true to their marriage vows. Kudos to Lauren Baratz-Logstead for being so pro-family!

The friendship between Mamie and Buster was one of the main driving forces of the book. Overall enjoyable read.

[Annette Alden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I always like books that are written in letter form, and this one is a series of letters from a girl named Mamie to Michael Collins, the astronaut. All of her school class is assigned to write letters to astronauts in 1969, and of course, each student picks either Buzz Aldrin or Neil Armstrong. But since no one else picks Michael Collins because he rotates the moon while the other 2 land there, Mamie decides she will. Her life ends up mirroring his in a way, because Mamie is left home when her parents both leave after marital problems. Another reason I loved the book is all the things I remember in it from my childhood--I was 5 at the time of the walk on the moon, and the author of this book was 7.

[Bookslut · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not that amazing, geared for younger kids than I expected. It started out really cute, and felt like genuine letters that a little kid would write. But to keep that up for an entire book gets really hokey--I can only read sentences like 'Now there was something I really wanted to know,' or 'But let me tell you, it was news to me' so many times. I started to feel like, I've got it. You sold me, it's a little kid writing letters in the 1960's. Now can we move this thing a little? It's too bad, because I love space, I like friendship stories, and I tend to love epistolary novels, but I couldn't wait to get on with it.

I did truly appreciate some of the feminist overtones in the book, and I loved how the book felt when it started. I think she just heaped it on too thick.

[Clare Lund · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet, quick historical fiction book about a 10-year-old girl named Mamie in 1969 who is obsessed with the Apollo 11 mission. When all of her classmates fight over writing letters to Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, Mamie chooses Michael Collins, who will stay with the ship while the other two men get to walk on the moon. Then chaos ensues at home, and Mamie finds herself having to "hold down the ship" as well. Ages 10 and up.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a 2019-2020 Golden Sower nominee in the Chapter Book category.

I heartily enjoyed this quick read featuring a girl writing letters to Michael Collins, the third astronaut to travel with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon on Apollo 11. While she writes him letters detailing the events leading up to the rocket launch, and then the eventual moonwalk, she is also describing what happens to a family when the parents leave a young girl alone for the first time. Her mother leaves home, and two days later, her father goes after her. They both assume that Mamie's older sisters will step in to help her out, but no one does. So, with the help of her best friend and neighbor Buster, Mamie decides that she can pull off a Moonwalk Party all on her own.

This was a fun read showcasing this moment in history. I liked the main characters, but got very disappointed in the adults in the book.

Highly recommend for students in grades 4-7.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up just in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the moon landing.

As a class assignment, ten year old Mamie must write to one of the three astronauts going to the moon. She chooses Michael Collins. The story is a series of letters written to the astronaut telling him about her life and what is happening. And a lot is happening for her.

This is a sweet book about the importance of family and remaining steadfast in the face of difficulty. I loved it.

[Amy Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sweet, so special! Clearly communicates the excitement of the moon landing and makes me wish I was there in the flesh. I love the non-romantic friendship between a girl and boy character for a middle grade book.

I would recommend this book to any kid who loves historical fiction and who is tired of reading about wars all of the time.

[Lisa K · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the summer of 1969 and Mamie is 10. At the end of the school year, the teacher talks to the class about Apollo 11, the moon landing mission. Each student writes a letter to an astronaut. No one picks Michael Collins, the one who will stay with the orbiter, so Mamie does. And then she writes another letter, and another, until they become an important journaling exercise during a challenging time at home. As well as seeing her through this time, we join her in learning -- from best friend Buster and trips to the library -- all about the mission. And TV dinners and other spot-on period happenings.

Should be any easy one to hand to kids about grades 3-5. (Unless kids find the title as corny as I did?)