stem tie in ( )

If you had your birthday party on the moon, all your friends would ride a rocket to get there and, since a day on the moon is almost a month long in earth time, everyone would have lots of time to do all sorts of amazing things, like bouncing over the lunar surface and making moon angels. Or, how about playing scavenger, searching for the things the Apollo astronauts left behind? Will you still be able to see the boot prints astronauts left in the dusty lunar soil? Could you find an American flag? How about space boots? Or a moon buggy? Can you find a four-leaf clover and a falcon feather?

In this informative, yet delightful, picture book, young readers who blast off for this exciting extraterrestrial celebration will learn many moon and space facts as they take rocket rides and collect space rocks for party favors. Colorful illustrations, sidebars, a glossary, selected bibliography, and suggestions for further reading all extend the science learning. The information boxes extend the STEM-supporting information and, just to complete the adventure, there are links to watch the astronauts moonwalk and one to join NASA’s Kids’ Club.

A perfect book for all readers, young and old, interested in space exploration, the moon, and/or science.

Highly recommended. ( )

A party on the moon becomes that much better when mixed with loads of information and fun moon facts.

While this book appears to be a cute story about a birthday party on the moon, it's so much more. The author takes listeners to a trip on the moon, speaking to them as if they are having a party there with their favorite guests. While the usually party things such as balloons, cake and games are present, none of these function quite the way they do on Earth. It starts with the rocket ride, the real surprises such a trip entails (such as distance, speed and lack of gravity) before settling on the moon.

The excitement of a party keeps a light, delightful atmosphere while facts and information are dribbled in about everything from the moon's surface to its rotation to items other astronauts have left behind. While many of these facts glide right in with the story, there are extra tidbits here and there through-out the illustrations.

The illustrations are bright, fun and dance on the edge of reality. The kids are fun to watch as they party and explore, which invites young listeners to dream of bouncing around on the moon themselves. Still, the illustrations hold a touch of more realistic details to give young listeners an idea of what the moon looks like.

This is a fun book not only for moon and space fans, but a great way to introduce kids in general to some outer space information.

I received a complimentary copy and we enjoyed reading this tale as well as learning about the moon so much that I'm leaving my honest thoughts. ( )