This is the Way to the Moon: A Children's Classic

This is...

by Miroslav Sasek

Like the other Sasek classics, these are facsimile editions of his original books. The brilliant, vibrant illustrations have been meticulously preserved, remaining true to his vision more than forty years later and, where applicable, facts have been updated for the twenty-first century, appearing on a "This is . . . Today" page at the back of each book. The stylish, charming illustrations, coupled with Sasek’s witty, playful narrative, make these books a perfect souvenir that will delight both children and their parents, many of whom will remember them from their own childhood. In This is the Way to the Moon, first published in 1963, Sasek rockets readers to Cape Canaveral—the space capital of the world, a science-fiction-turned-fact spot on the Florida coast—with a nostalgic look at the electronic brains that put our man up into space and brought him down again. Also included are the updated statistics about the lunar landing and a mini history of NASA’s space program.

Genres: Picture Books, Travel, Nonfiction, Childrens, Space, History, Technology

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Miroslav Sasek (born Miroslav Šašek) (1916-1980) was an author and illustrator from the Czech Republic. He is best known for a series of books for children titled This Is...

Reviews

[Kennedy]

"This is Cape Kennedy" by Miroslav Sasek is a rather long picture book that goes over the history of Cape Kennedy, which would soon be known as Cape Canaveral. This book goes over the history of this site, the surrounding tourist location, and all of the rockets and missiles that have be launched. The illustrations are very well done and represent the missiles/rockets and other equipment very well. I wasn't very interested in the story since this isn't a topic that particularly holds my interest. However, i can see how this would be useful in a classroom setting. This could be a useful tool when teaching children about space exploration or just history of what america has done.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This updated version of a beautiful classic nonfiction book can be useful and delightful on many levels. It especially lends itself perfectly as an opportunity for grandparents to reflect with grandchildren on the historical and cultural influences of our space program, and how it all feeds into the continuum. Post-mortem revisions retain the integrity of the book while clearly covering information necessary to make this book still useful and understandable for this generation of children.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful Book! However, the original book "This is Cape Canaveral" is the better book to have. The story is the same, the title was changed to reflect the renaming of Cape Canaveral to Cape Kennedy in the late 60's. Happily the name was changed back to Cape Canaveral. :)

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written in 1963ish and the first Moon Landing was 1969! WOW! All the facts and stats and info are still awesome PRE Moon preparation! A fun one! I love the Mid Century Modern Architecture depicted! FUN!

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree with Catherine. Cape Canaveral is better. But I still love it!

[Jj · Rating 5 out of 5]

...and this, my friends, is the way to create a book that is both fun to read, and a marvelous specimen of mid-twentieth century illustration.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A children's book full of beautiful illustrations and the story of Cape Canaveral. Perfect for my love of space, retro-futuristic style, and bright illustrations.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely mid-century illustrations and mid-century facts make this a stylish glimpse into the past more than a reliable source of information.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have several of the Sasek books that have been reissued, and this is one my favorites. The artwork is as excellent as ever.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about spaceships.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous vintage illustrations.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite interesting. Most surprising to me was that Cocoa Beach is just down the road from Cape Canaveral. (I learned about Cocoa Beach in Beatrix Williams’ poorly edited book, Cocoa Beach.)

[Becky Carlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable classic Florida book - story and art. The story captures Cape Canaveral and the beginnings of the space program. And the art is classic in a type of Norman Rockwell way.

[L.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time following this and tried skimming the rest to my four-year-old. She said she enjoyed it, so I give it three stars instead of just two. I was excited about this series, so maybe I just need to try some of the other books.

[Kye · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful illustrations with some amusing anecdotes & info on Cape Canaveral.

[Greta Gedanke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the pictures and bought the book for my wannabe–astronaut third grader. A treat!