Buy on Amazon
View on Biblioguides
Readers of Plumfield Moms may have noticed that I’ve been slowly reading my way through the Tales of Young Americans series this year. These picture books offer vivid slices of American history, accessible to younger readers, yet rich and interesting enough to captivate adults like me. I often find myself getting lost in their brief but powerful narratives, and each one leaves me with a deeper appreciation for some facet of the American experience.
As a librarian, I’ve noticed that once families read one or two of these titles, they’re eager to explore the rest. In response, I’ve begun bundling them into pouches—four books per set, each with a balance of stories featuring boys and girls and spanning a variety of historical periods. With nearly twenty titles in the series, I expect to end up with five such bundles.
Marty’s Mission, written by Judy Young and illustrated by David Miles, is a fun and fascinating look behind the scenes of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
This particular title uses slightly simpler language than some others in the series, and its tone is lighter and more cheerful—making it especially well-suited for younger readers.
In the late 1960s, Marty’s family moved to Guam so his dad could work at the NASA Tracking Station. This critical station maintained the antenna that relayed communications between NASA and the spacecraft while it also tracked Apollo 11’s travel. As the story unfolds, we witness Marty and the others on the base as they listen in to the launch and then, a couple of days later, watch the moon landing.
Two nights later, Marty’s mom wakes Marty up to tell him that his dad needs him at the station right away. One of the ball bearings in the antennae is stuck and they need the small hand of a child to reach into the mechanism and apply grease. Marty has to work hard to get his hand in, but once it is inside, the grease helps him slide his hand in and out as he reaches for more grease to apply.
When I think of moon landing stories, I think of NASA. But, I never thought of NASA in Guam. Reading this story feels like being let in on a well-kept and interesting secret. It is a lovely story and is likely to be loved by kids who are fascinated by anything space related.
This series has become, in my view, indispensable. Marty’s Mission is a fun read-aloud and an interesting look into the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. I recommend it wholeheartedly.