Apollo 13: A Successful Failure

by Laura B Edge

"Houston, we've had a problem."

On April 13, 1970, the three astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft were headed to the moon when a sudden explosion rocked the ship. Oxygen levels began depleting rapidly. Electrical power began to fail. Astronauts James Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise were about to be stranded in the inky void of outer space.

The mission to the moon was scrapped. Now, Apollo 13's only goal was to bring the crew home. With the damaged spacecraft hurtling towards the moon at roughly six thousand miles per hour, there was little hope of success. But the astronauts and mission control were fully prepared to do whatever it took to return the crew to Earth.

This space disaster occurred at the peak of the United States' Space Race against the Soviet Union. But for four days in 1970, the two nations put aside their differences, and the entire world watched the skies, hoping and praying the astronauts would return safely. As missions to Mars and commercial space flight become a reality, the time is now to be reminded of our common humanity, of how rivals can work together and support each other towards a shared goal. Because no matter what happens or where we travel, we all call Earth home.

Genres: Nonfiction, Middle Grade

136 pages, Hardcover

Published March 3, 2020

Reviews

[Brice Karickhoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, sweet and simple. I was reading another book that mentioned Apollo 13 in passing and I realized how little I knew about it. I decided I’d see if the library had a short factual account. It did. This delivered! What a wild story. Now I need to watch the movie.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

My formative years were in the 1980s, so the space shuttles were a big deal. It was a like a party every time one took off, up until that fateful Challenger explosion that marred our childhood memories. But even then, we ate up all of the information we could about the history of the space program. And then in the 1990s, the movie Apollo 13 came out, once again lighting a desire to know more.

This book is great. It opens with that fateful moment leading to the famous words, "Houston, we have a problem." And then it goes into the history and the importance of the space program leading up to this mission. Following that is an account of the rest of the Apollo 13 ordeal, reading almost like a novel. You can almost feel the action and are glued to the pages to find out what is going to happen next. I love that in a nonfiction book.

And then it gets into the aftermath of the trip, including the investigation into what had happened and the last missions to the moon. It's hard to believe it has been almost 50 years since we last touched down there.

So many photographs illustrate the stories, which are one of my favorite things to see. Give me the real photos and not just illustrations. They really make the history come alive.

And then for those who want more, you can refer to the resources, bibliography, and suggested further reading sections with both books and websites.

I loved reading more about this famous story and learning more than I had known before. I think space afficionados from upper elementary and older will also enjoy it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my requested review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Priscilla · Rating 2 out of 5]

O livro de Laura Edge é uma crônica interessante que detalha todo a história da aeronave conhecida por ser uma das grandes falhas da Nasa em seu programa lunar. São depoimentos, fotos, diagramas e explicações que abrangem desde o primeiro protótipo da nave até o retorno dos astronautas.

Não é uma leitura técnica propriamente, mas é seca e informativa. Como a autora fez questão de não romantizar os acontecimentos, pode afastar os leitores que estejam experando uma experiência de leitura similar a aventura de Ron Howards, Apollo 13, que trazia Tom Hanks e vários outros autores de peso.

Recomendo àqueles que são interessados no assunto. Adolescentes podem lê-lo com certa facilidade, porém podem precisar de ajuda em alguns conceitos - a autora não colocou muitas notas explicativas para ajudar a compreensão.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I expected a bit more from the writing for this YA nonfiction book about the Apollo 13 mission. Despite the inherent drama of the actual mission and the amazing things mankind has accomplished in space, the book narrates facts dryly. Maybe adult narrative nonfiction (like Erik Larson) have spoiled me for nonfiction, but regardless, the tone and facts presented in this book are lackluster.

[Ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I knew a lot of this from watching the movie, but enjoyed a few new insights, as well as information about the other Apollo missions and the future of space exploration. Very easy to read. Great for kids, teens and young adults who are curious about NASA and space exploration.

[Joe Dykta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Nice facts and flow.