The Moon Over Star

The Moon Over Star, written by Dianna Aston and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, is a book set during the first moon landing on July 20, 1969. This book caught my eye because of my passion for astronomy and the accomplishments of our nation's space program NASA, but the story itself made me sure I wanted to read it. The Moon Over Star is about a young girl named Mae who, like the rest of the world on that day, had her eyes on the sky as Apollo 11 landed on the moon for the first time. Mae was inspired after that day to chase her dreams, no matter how big or small. This book captures the excitement and wonder everyone felt on that day, and would be an excellent addition to any classroom. I would use this book prior to having students write a prompt on a big dream or aspiration of their own, and how they think they can reach it. Or, you could use this story as a component of an earth science unit or as a timeline piece when learning about America's history and accomplishments.

This is a beautiful story of imagination, about the dreams we all hold inside, and the gathering of people to watch the most monumental moment in human history. This moment, captured in a picture book, was the most tuned-in television airing in the world at that time. It was a time for humanity to come together to witness what it looks like when a nation's aspiration to reach a goal is met.

Aston, D. (2008). The moon over star. New York: The Penguin Group.