Reaching for the Moon

Buzz Aldrin
HarperCollins (2005)
ISBN 9780060554477
Reviewed by Evan Weldon (age 6) for Reader Views (9/08)

“Reaching for the Moon” by Buzz Aldrin is the story about an astronaut named Buzz Aldrin.  When Buzz Aldrin was born his parents named him Edwin Eugene, but his sister could only manage to call him “Buzzer.”  Then it was shortened to Buzz.  Now everyone calls him Buzz.  He was the second man to set foot on the moon’s surface (the other crew member was the first and he lowered the ladder so Buzz could climb down). 

When he was about six or seven he started collecting rocks, and he went to the dock to show some rocks to his friend.  His friend wanted one of the rocks but Buzz said no.  So his friend pushed him into the water.  When his friend’s father pulled him out of the water, Buzz was still clutching the heavy bucket of rocks.  As a kid Buzz really liked collecting rocks and he was really determined to do what he wanted.  Eventually that meant becoming an astronaut.
 
The paintings in the book were very good, and they gave a lot of detail.  My favorite picture was of Buzz practicing to become an astronaut by exercising under water.  There were also good pictures of rockets and the Eagle, the lunar lander.
 
I would recommend “Reaching for the Moon” by Buzz Aldrin to people who like very exciting and suspenseful books.  I am six and I could read the book by myself; but the book was kind of long, so it was nice to have someone read it to me.

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