The good and the really bad

Currently, this is Ethan's favorite book. We checked Moonshot out from the library a few weeks ago and had to re-check it out since Ethan couldn't bear parting with it. We read it daily and then spend the following 20 minutes or so looking at the pictures and discussing how the moon landing happened.

I have to admit, I wanted to keep this book just as much as Ethan. It is so beautifully written - it's a poem (but not the rhyming kind) - I sometimes get chills when I read it. I think the goosebumps are due more to magnitude of the moon landing itself, but Brian Floca's words help illustrate how amazing the feat truly was in a way that a 4-year-old can understand (although he has about 100 questions each time we read it). The illustrations are nice too. I especially love the depictions of how large the rocket was to begin with and then how Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins came back to Earth a week later in a tiny little compartment that landed with a splash in the ocean.

The best part was that we went to the National Air and Space Museum with the kids last week and saw that exact tiny compartment (among many other amazing moon landing exhibits) in person. I have been to that museum more times than I can count and I never remember enjoying it so much. My fascination with all of this has led me to question why I studied what I did in college. Oh how I wish I would have gone into the sciences. I guess it's not too late...

And since we are talking about favorite books, I just had to mention my all-time LEAST favorite children's book and Ruby's current favorite:

This book was given to us a long time ago and when Ethan was Ruby's age he loved I Spy Little Bunnies too. I cannot figure out why it is so addictive, but Ruby brings it over to me several times a day and says "Ree! Ree!" It is the weirdest book. Just look at this page (taken from my phone).

The author throws "bubble clowns" out there like two little people dressed as clowns in the reflection of a bubble is a real, normal thing. The rest of the book follows suit in the weirdness category. The last page features a "toothbrush bunny," a stuffed bunny holding a toothbrush. I just can't figure out why she couldn't find more normal things for the kids to "spy." It's definitely the creepiest book we own... and that's saying a lot since the same bookcase in which it normally sits contains "Breaking Dawn."