Lego Man in Space

Lego Man in Space: A True Story
Written and Illustrated by Mara Shaughnessy
W.W. Norton & Co., Inc., 2013. 32 pages. Nonfiction picture book.

The true story behind this book is incredible. Two Canadian teens conceptualized and built their own vessel of household items and launched a LEGO figure into space. Unfortunately the book falls far short of the spectacular true story. The writing is tedious at best with clunky dialogue, a mix of fictitious characters and a smidge of science. The worst part is that there are no photographs of the actual event. A simple Google search provided much more interesting information, including numerous news articles and a Facebook page started by the teens who designed and implemented the project. Young LEGO fans will undoubtedly keep this book flying off the shelves, but parents shouldn't expect to find a must-read.