What do you think?
Rate this book
Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon
An introduction to the twelve men who have left footprints on the moon, just in time to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the first lunar landing.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took one small step and made history. Over the course of the next three-and-a-half years, twelve lunar explorers, including Alan Shepard and Gene Cernan, touched down on the moon's surface. Author and engineer Suzanne Slade reveals how the Apollo missions (1969-1972) built upon one another and led to important discoveries about our nearest neighbor in space. Back matter includes an afterword by Alan Bean (1932-2018), the fourth person to walk on the moon.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took one small step and made history. Over the course of the next three-and-a-half years, twelve lunar explorers, including Alan Shepard and Gene Cernan, touched down on the moon's surface. Author and engineer Suzanne Slade reveals how the Apollo missions (1969-1972) built upon one another and led to important discoveries about our nearest neighbor in space. Back matter includes an afterword by Alan Bean (1932-2018), the fourth person to walk on the moon.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published March 5, 2019
3 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Suzanne Slade
157 books129 followersSibert honoree author of more than 150 books for chlldren.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 8, 2019
Outstanding picture book on the moon landings. It can easily read as a picture book in increments. Minimal yet interesting text, great illustrations.
June 23, 2020
Quick read, more of a picture book, but very interesting and informative!
July 6, 2020
This picture book is just beautiful! A quick look at the Apollo missions, with a bit about each of the 12 men who walked on the moon.
March 29, 2019
For JE 629.454 and daaaaang this book is good
March 14, 2019
Children are going to read this as history and I'm reading it as memory. It's a celebration by Suzanne Slade of the Apollo flights that begins where her Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon ends. A most exciting time happened in the United States, beginning in 1962 when President John Kennedy said in his speech, "We choose to go to the moon." And we would go, seven years later! Sadly, he did not get to see his vision take place, but we remember his inspiration! You can see from the title that this is the story of those twelve astronauts who walked on the moon! Slade also includes those whose journeys did not make it, twenty-one in all.
Page by double-page spread illustrations by Alan Marks show the grandeur and holding-your-breath excitement from that first step onto our only moon. Neil Armstrong's name will live as the first man on the moon, Alan Shephard as the first golfer in space (Did you know?), and Charlie Duke leaves behind a photo of his family. Each flight extended the stay on the moon as astronauts collected rock specimens and set up experiments, learned to navigate the Lunar Module in order to land in different places to collect more information. Here's one picture of their traveling on the Lunar Roving Vehicle, helping the astronauts conserve energy so they could reach other places faster. It is an inspiring part of history, amazing to believe that we will be celebrating the fifty year anniversary of Apollo 11 this summer.
Much more information is given in the afterword. Alan Bean, the fourth man on the moon, gives an intro and there is a note from the author. Added is a timeline, more about the vehicles, the missions, the art and pages with the facts about each mission. A bibliography and source notes end this wonderful keepsake book of Nasa's flights to and exploration of the moon.
I loved the ending pages showing children and their cat gazing up at what Suzanne Slade writes is "A quiet place where/no wind blows,/no water flows,/no life grows."
Page by double-page spread illustrations by Alan Marks show the grandeur and holding-your-breath excitement from that first step onto our only moon. Neil Armstrong's name will live as the first man on the moon, Alan Shephard as the first golfer in space (Did you know?), and Charlie Duke leaves behind a photo of his family. Each flight extended the stay on the moon as astronauts collected rock specimens and set up experiments, learned to navigate the Lunar Module in order to land in different places to collect more information. Here's one picture of their traveling on the Lunar Roving Vehicle, helping the astronauts conserve energy so they could reach other places faster. It is an inspiring part of history, amazing to believe that we will be celebrating the fifty year anniversary of Apollo 11 this summer.
Much more information is given in the afterword. Alan Bean, the fourth man on the moon, gives an intro and there is a note from the author. Added is a timeline, more about the vehicles, the missions, the art and pages with the facts about each mission. A bibliography and source notes end this wonderful keepsake book of Nasa's flights to and exploration of the moon.
I loved the ending pages showing children and their cat gazing up at what Suzanne Slade writes is "A quiet place where/no wind blows,/no water flows,/no life grows."
October 14, 2019
Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Alan Marks. NON-FICTION/PICTURE BOOK Charlesbridge, 2019. $18. 9781580897730
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
This book tells of the seven moon missions from 1969-1972. Each Apollo mission is covered and the highlights from their different trips are depicted. At the end of the book are synopsis on each Apollo mission with a picture of the Astronauts.
This book was interesting because I didn’t realize that after the first moon mission, there were so many other missions to the moon and then after three years they stopped sending people to the moon. The illustrations are attractive and the highlights from their missions are interesting with fun facts such as playing golf on the moon and leaving family photos behind. Those who love space will enjoy this read.
Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
This book tells of the seven moon missions from 1969-1972. Each Apollo mission is covered and the highlights from their different trips are depicted. At the end of the book are synopsis on each Apollo mission with a picture of the Astronauts.
This book was interesting because I didn’t realize that after the first moon mission, there were so many other missions to the moon and then after three years they stopped sending people to the moon. The illustrations are attractive and the highlights from their missions are interesting with fun facts such as playing golf on the moon and leaving family photos behind. Those who love space will enjoy this read.
Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019...
January 6, 2020
Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon is a children's picture book written by Suzanne Slade and illustrated by Alan Marks, with an afterward by Alan Bean – fourth person to walk on the Moon. Fifty years after the first moon landing, a solemn commemoration of the Apollo 11–17 missions.
Twelve people have walked on Earth's Moon, starting with Neil Armstrong and ending with Gene Cernan. All crewed lunar landings took place between July 1969 and December 1972 as part of the United States Apollo program. All twelve people who have walked on the Moon are American: Neil Armstorng, Buzz Aldrin (Apollo11), Charles Conrad, Alan Bean (Apollo 12), Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14), David Scott, James Irwin (Apollo 15), John Young, Charles Duke (Apollo 16), and Gen Cernan, Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17).
Slade's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. In gentle vignettes, Slade describes each Apollo moon mission in order. Substantial back matter, with a timeline and an afterword from astronaut Alan Bean, concludes this reflective and informative portrait of the U.S. moon missions. Marks' watercolor art captures the majesty of space, with dramatic depictions of the spacecraft being maneuvered and astronauts walking the moon's surface.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It traces the Apollo Space Program from Apollo 11–17, while highlighting the astronauts that walked on the Moon. While the title suggests that it only focused on the dozen astronauts that walked on the Moon, Slade took an artistic license and included the astronauts that stayed in lunar orbit and the ill-fated Apollo 13 as well, bringing a total of twenty-one astronauts, which I am glad she did, because those astronauts that didn't walk on the moon where just as daring and in Apollo 13's case perhaps even more so.
All in all, Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon is a wonderful, albeit cursory collection of biographies about the astronauts of the Apollo Missions – twenty-one in all.
Twelve people have walked on Earth's Moon, starting with Neil Armstrong and ending with Gene Cernan. All crewed lunar landings took place between July 1969 and December 1972 as part of the United States Apollo program. All twelve people who have walked on the Moon are American: Neil Armstorng, Buzz Aldrin (Apollo11), Charles Conrad, Alan Bean (Apollo 12), Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell (Apollo 14), David Scott, James Irwin (Apollo 15), John Young, Charles Duke (Apollo 16), and Gen Cernan, Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17).
Slade's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. In gentle vignettes, Slade describes each Apollo moon mission in order. Substantial back matter, with a timeline and an afterword from astronaut Alan Bean, concludes this reflective and informative portrait of the U.S. moon missions. Marks' watercolor art captures the majesty of space, with dramatic depictions of the spacecraft being maneuvered and astronauts walking the moon's surface.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It traces the Apollo Space Program from Apollo 11–17, while highlighting the astronauts that walked on the Moon. While the title suggests that it only focused on the dozen astronauts that walked on the Moon, Slade took an artistic license and included the astronauts that stayed in lunar orbit and the ill-fated Apollo 13 as well, bringing a total of twenty-one astronauts, which I am glad she did, because those astronauts that didn't walk on the moon where just as daring and in Apollo 13's case perhaps even more so.
All in all, Daring Dozen: The Twelve Who Walked on the Moon is a wonderful, albeit cursory collection of biographies about the astronauts of the Apollo Missions – twenty-one in all.
May 6, 2019
This hardcover non-fiction book is in a picture book format for pages 2 - 33. The illustrations are beautiful and they support the text well.
The text of the book is not rhyming and contains lots of factual information which will appeal to middle-grade learners. The book is formatted in chronological order for the following Apollo missions: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. At least one accomplishment for each moon landing is listed on the respective mission's pages.
I was pleased that the Apollo 13 mission, which was unable to land on the moon due to equipment failure, was included in the lineup so learners can read that not all 'scientific experiments' are successful.
The back matter for the book is extensive and includes many color photographs. Here are some of the topics included:
Time Line to the Moon
More About the Vehicles
More About the Moon Missions
Photos and Statistics About Each Mission
For Further Reading
Source Notes
Selected Bibliography
This will be an exciting read for students interested in space, science, astronomy, NASA's history, US history, astronauts, and the moon walks. Highly recommended!
I borrowed this book from the new books shelves in the local public library's children's section.
#################
The text of the book is not rhyming and contains lots of factual information which will appeal to middle-grade learners. The book is formatted in chronological order for the following Apollo missions: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. At least one accomplishment for each moon landing is listed on the respective mission's pages.
I was pleased that the Apollo 13 mission, which was unable to land on the moon due to equipment failure, was included in the lineup so learners can read that not all 'scientific experiments' are successful.
The back matter for the book is extensive and includes many color photographs. Here are some of the topics included:
Time Line to the Moon
More About the Vehicles
More About the Moon Missions
Photos and Statistics About Each Mission
For Further Reading
Source Notes
Selected Bibliography
This will be an exciting read for students interested in space, science, astronomy, NASA's history, US history, astronauts, and the moon walks. Highly recommended!
I borrowed this book from the new books shelves in the local public library's children's section.
#################
July 20, 2019
Having vivid memories of that first moon walk in 1969, I eagerly anticipated reading Daring Dozen. Suzanne Slade did an excellent job with this non-fiction text. The first part of the book is told from the point of view of the moon, which provides an interesting perspective. In the text she provides a brief overview of each of the moon landings. The book closes with additional information about each Apollo mission 11-17.
Daring Dozen is written in such a way that it is appropriate for all ages. Young children can understand and enjoy the first part of the book which is written in story format. The end of the book with all its additional information makes it a great resource for older children and even adults.
Alan Marks, who lives in England, used watercolor inks to create his illustrations which help the reader to visualize scenes they may never see in person.
I would not hesitate to add Daring Dozen to my K-12 Christian School library.
I receive a complimentary copy of Daring Dozen because I am a member of the Land of Enchantment Award Committee. A review was not required.
Daring Dozen is written in such a way that it is appropriate for all ages. Young children can understand and enjoy the first part of the book which is written in story format. The end of the book with all its additional information makes it a great resource for older children and even adults.
Alan Marks, who lives in England, used watercolor inks to create his illustrations which help the reader to visualize scenes they may never see in person.
I would not hesitate to add Daring Dozen to my K-12 Christian School library.
I receive a complimentary copy of Daring Dozen because I am a member of the Land of Enchantment Award Committee. A review was not required.
August 16, 2022
The Daring Dozen is a picture book about the 12 astronauts who got to walk on the Moon. Going in order of each Apollo mission, we get to see what each group did as they explored the Moon. One planted the American flag, symbolizing the patriotism of the American people for space exploration. Another played golf on live broadcast, and someone else left a photo of their family. But the main objectives were to collect samples of the Moon's rocks and dirt analysis their contents. And after much collecting and space launches, it has been proven their is no life on the Moon, but also have similar rocks that are from Earth as well.
The text is plentiful, but written in a soft, poetic manner that brings grace and wonder into the Moon missions. Slade has brought the stories of each astronaut to life, while also making the Moon itself an unspoken main character in the process. And Alan Mark's watercolor illustrations is as eye-catching as looking up real photos from space, providing a much wonderous atmosphere to the story!
The text is plentiful, but written in a soft, poetic manner that brings grace and wonder into the Moon missions. Slade has brought the stories of each astronaut to life, while also making the Moon itself an unspoken main character in the process. And Alan Mark's watercolor illustrations is as eye-catching as looking up real photos from space, providing a much wonderous atmosphere to the story!
October 23, 2019
Children's non-fiction can be far,far better than a good deal of the fiction, and this book is a gem of the genre. There is just the right information told in language that is simple enough so that you could read this in an early elementary class (or STEAM program), but meaty enough to inspire an older child. This is not in rhymes, thank goodness, but at times there is a poetic feel to the prose:
Then their time is up,
An engine fires. Dust flies.
A silvery dot disappears into the blackness.
Silence again.
And the art work blends beautifully. I particularly liked the Apollo 13 sequence with a simply explanation on the left hand page, and the astronauts faces seen in the window of their damaged spacecraft, the moon reflected in the glass. It's just right. And so is this book.
Then their time is up,
An engine fires. Dust flies.
A silvery dot disappears into the blackness.
Silence again.
And the art work blends beautifully. I particularly liked the Apollo 13 sequence with a simply explanation on the left hand page, and the astronauts faces seen in the window of their damaged spacecraft, the moon reflected in the glass. It's just right. And so is this book.
April 23, 2020
Slade delivers a tantalizing taste of several of the Apollo missions in this captivating book. She discusses each mission in just enough detail to hold the reader's attention and whet their appetite for more. In the back of the book, Slade includes an afterword by astronaut Alan Bean, along with a slightly longer summary of each of the missions and photographs. She also provides the audience with resources for further reading. Alan Marks provides stunning illustrations in watercolor ink, which enhance Slade's narrative.
This book is essential for budding astronauts and outer space enthusiasts.
This book is essential for budding astronauts and outer space enthusiasts.
October 13, 2019
This picture book showcases the twelve astronauts who "walked the moon". A chronological history of their space missions. This is the first of its kind that i have read in picture book format. The book "travels" from the first mission to the last one and includes the one where the astronauts were not able to actually land on the moon. It was interesting to see how each of the missions builds on each of the previous missions. Beautiful water-colored illustrations, this is educational and informative. Highly recommended for upper elementary and middle graders.
November 12, 2020
There's a poetry imbued in Suzanne Slade's narrative--and even a whimsy and playfulness that is so unexpected and welcomed, making a dense topic all the more approachable. The information for each mission is organized thoughtfully, and the expressive watercolor art by Alan Marks really sheds light (pun intended) on the tense moments and the moments filled with elation.
All in all, this is a wonderful book for certified NASA nerds, and even those with a passing interest, as it easily draws readers in on so many levels. Backmatter helps older readers gain deeper insights.
All in all, this is a wonderful book for certified NASA nerds, and even those with a passing interest, as it easily draws readers in on so many levels. Backmatter helps older readers gain deeper insights.
August 8, 2019
A nice little book that reminds everyone the moon missions were more than just Neil and Buzz. The book splits into two parts. The first is the hyper short narration of the Apollo missions, simple enough for an emerging reader to read a few pages at least. The second half of the book covers the missions in greater details to answer all of the little ones' questions. They even explain the artwork!
July 27, 2019
Excellent telling of the NASA moon missions with stellar back matter (see what I did there?) This narrative non-fiction title pairs lovely text with lush artwork and wraps it in compelling details. The photos and deep knowledge in the back both informs and inspires questions and curiosity. Perfect timing on the publication at the 50th anniversary of the first moon walk.
October 16, 2019
A tmely release(50th anniversary of first moon landing) with informative content and evocative illustrations.The uniformly gray moon scenes have been warmed with color, but the stark perspectives make the dangerous and dramatic accomplishments of moon landing and exploration come to life for young readers.
July 19, 2019
A wonderful nonfiction evaluation of the science and discoveries made by the twelve astronauts who stepped on the moon, during the Apollo 11 to Apollo 17 missions. With a nod to all 21 of our lunar astronauts (including those lost). The back matter includes an afterword by Astronaut Allen Bean.
December 12, 2019
A short chronology of lunar visits, watercolor illustrations and interesting facts about each moon landing. (The text is similar to verse.)
Time Line and a lot of additional information in the back.
Further reading, source notes and a selected bibliography are included.
Time Line and a lot of additional information in the back.
Further reading, source notes and a selected bibliography are included.
January 29, 2020
One of the better recent moon-landing picture books. This book combines poetry, exact quotations and narrative non-fiction alongside watercolour illustrations. It ends with a photographic index of all the Apollo missions for kids wanting further information.
November 14, 2020
An excellent short story that encapsulates the ambition, purpose and personality of 12 astronauts who walked on the moon. Every child can enjoy reading this and imagine what she can accomplish in this life.
January 1, 2022
Kids are going to love this book. Especially if they are obsessed with space. They should go for this book, for sure. It encapsulates each of the Apollo missions with fabulous illustrations and accessible, easy to follow facts.
March 14, 2019
Another one needed in my personal collection!
March 18, 2019
Good for 2019 SRP.
April 6, 2019
Tiny snippets of each mission, but enough information to understand the point of each one. Nicely done.
April 13, 2019
An overview of the various Apollo missions to the moon, with plenty of lovely back matter to encourage further reading for older children. Excellent.
April 26, 2019
Interesting exploration into the space missions meant to go to the moon, both successful and unsuccessful. The bonus is the actual pictures of the teams at the end of the book.
May 25, 2019
It's unfortunate that the front flap incorrectly says June 20, 1969 as the historical moon landing date.
July 27, 2019
An accessibly written and appealingly illustrated overview of the Apollo missions and introductions to the twelve men who walked on the Moon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews