ZOOM, ROCKET, ZOOM!

Rollicking verse introduces youngsters to the jobs various space vehicles do and to the astronauts that explore outer space. 

Who knew that astronauts had such a wide variety of vehicles to choose from? Rockets and shuttles help them blast off. Lunar modules and moon buggies allow them to explore the moon. And space stations are a home away from home for astronauts who need to work in space. Mayo also devotes pages to unmanned space vehicles, including satellites, robotic spacecraft and rovers, all the while explaining in simple language what each does. But while each vehicle gets only one spread, the "smart," "excited," "brave" and "bold" astronauts are granted several, reflecting the many jobs they do—guiding, exploring, collecting, studying, working, rebuilding and repairing. Onomatopoetic sounds enliven the bouncy verses: “Mighty rockets / are good at zoom, zoom, zooming. / 5 4 3 2 1 and … / Lift off! Launching! / Whoo-oom! / Up they go, zooming. / Blasting into space.” The bright colors will keep readers’ attention, and it is more than evident that Ayliffe has done her research in the amazing detail she has put into her cut-paper collage illustrations.

Space enthusiasts will be launched out of this world.