Timothy R. Gaffney

This book is about a little boy whose grandfather went to space. The grandpa often retells the story of walking on the moon to his grandson and makes it feel like they are both reliving the adventure together. At the end, the grandson asks if he can go to space one day. The grandfather encourages him by saying yes so he can tell his grandchildren about his own space adventures one day. I would say this book is for intermediate since the words might be hard for primary children to read by themselves.… (mere)

I liked reading this book for the following reasons. First, the characters in the book are very believable. A grandpa is telling his grandson a bed time story about how he went to the moon. The young boy is so excited to hear this story and looks up to his grandpa as a hero for being an astronaut. I feel that most children look up to their grandparents so this young boy is a believable character.

Second, the language is descriptive and uses imagery. I think that this quote helps the reader imagine what is happening in the story, "The sun is hot. A steady breeze blows off the ocean, and we can smell the salt in the air." Even though there are vivid pictures in this book this language helps the reader think about what it smells like and actually felt like.

Third, the first person point of view enhances the main character of the book. Even though the grandpa is telling a bed time story the book follows the young boys own imagination of what it would be like if he was there with his grandpa. The boys curiosity and excitement that he expresses by asking his grandpa questions about his footprints on the moon and the flag that was put there, helps to add to the story. If this wasn't told from the boys point of view I don't think it would have been as interesting.

The message from this book is that you can be anything you want. At the very end of the story the boy asks his grandpa if he can be an astronaut one day and his grandpa replies with, " Why sure, if you like. Then you'll have a story to tell your grandchildren." I think that this quote helps the reader to feel like anything is possible if you put you mind to it.… (mere)

In this historical fiction book, a little boy is asking his grandfather to tell him the story of when he went to the moon. As he is telling the story to his grandson, the boy closes his eyes, and pictures it as though he is right there with him, experiencing everything that is going on. The boy goes up in to space, travels on the lunar rover, and gets to put his footprints on the ground and the flag there too. When they come back to earth, they plop into the ocean, and they are safe. The grandfather tells the boy that everything is still up there, and that he can be an astronaut if he wants to be.… (mere)