Earthrise: The Story of the Photograph That Changed the Way We See Our Planet

Gr 6 Up–A deep dive into the history of space exploration and travel leading up to the Apollo 8 mission to orbit the moon. The book’s title comes from the iconic photo of the Earth taken on that voyage in 1968. This text-heavy tome is loaded with historical facts and stories from the origins of the space race to the training, planning, and mistakes associated with space missions. The text flows well and is easy to read, though due to the density of information, only the most devoted space enthusiasts will endeavor to read the book in its entirety. Black-and-white photos are used throughout depicting important people and events in space exploration. Young readers will enjoy seeing the rudimentary space suits that now resemble modern children’s costumes. Though the book indicates its primary focus is the Earthrise photo, it takes 80 pages to get to the beginning of the Apollo 8 mission where the photo was taken. The latter half touches on the effects of the photos of Earth taken from space, as well as the trajectory of space travel from Apollo 8 to the present.