Skip to main content

I Love You, Michael Collins

Image
By


I Love You, Michael Collins 
By Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Farrar Straus Giroux, 2018. 230 p.

It is 1969 and the world is collectively holding their breath as three astronauts prepare to launch into space and head for the moon. Ten-year-old Mamie’s class is given an assignment to write a letter to one of the three astronauts. All the girls choose to write to Neil Armstrong. All the boys choose to write to Buzz Aldrin. Mamie alone chooses to write to Michael Collins—the one who will get as close to the moon as possible but will never step foot on it. Her class thinks she is crazy. After the assignment is over, Mamie still writes letters to Michael Collins. She is worried about things that are happening in her life and she is worried about all the dangers that Michael Collins is about to face. This is a beautifully-written story about a girl who is trying to figure out who she is (although she does know she doesn’t want to be the same as everyone else just for the sake of being the same) while trying to figure out what is happening in her family and in the country (and soon to be space) all at the same time. This is one of those books that I started reading and then couldn’t stop thinking about. Give this to any kid who wants to be their own person, enjoys historical facts about the space race, or just loves a book about a couple of really well-written characters.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

By
If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

By loo
Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: The New Girl

By
The New Girl By Cassandra Calin New York: Graphix, 2024. Comic. 261 pages. 12-year-old Lia and her family have just moved from Romania to Montreal, and she's doing her best to keep up with the changes. But, she's homesick. She misses the rest of her family, her friends, and her favorite Romanian treats. She doesn't speak French and her English is shaky, which makes it hard to make friends, even in her international immersion class. And she's dealing with super painful menstrual cramps every month. But before long, Lia starts to hit her stride. She befriends the other bilingual girls in her class, she gets a spot as the artist for her school's magazine, and even has a new crush -- Julien. Though she may be the new girl, Lia is starting to fit in. This slice of life graphic novel is an adorable choice for middle grade readers and young teens. Lia is a likable protagonist and readers will have little difficulty relating to her adjustment to school. The text speaks to a...
Post a Comment
Read more