6 Books for Astronaut Fans

Mousetronaut, by Mark Kelly, illustrated by C. F. Payne 
A favorite in my household, Mousetronaut is inspired by astronaut Mark Kelly’s first spaceflight, where he traveled with micetronauts. It follows Meteor, a small mouse with big dreams of traveling to space. He works harder than all the other mice in his training, earning him a spot on the space shuttle. And unlike the other mice, he seems to enjoy the space flight (just like one of the mice on Mark Kelly’s flight). Filled with colorful illustrations, this story has the perfect amount of adventure and heart. Fans of the book can also pick up the sequel, Mousetronaut Goes to Mars.

Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing, by Dean Robbins, illustrated by Lucy Knisley
Behind good astronauts are the people who helped them get into space, and any young astronaut fan will be interested in this story of Margaret Hamilton, who helped land Neil Armstrong and his crew on the moon. Even from a young age, Margaret loved numbers—a passion that eventually landed her at NASA. An inspiring tale about one woman behind the 1969 space landing, this story will have kids thinking about all the people it takes to get a shuttle into space.

The Darkest Dark, by Chris Hadfield, illustrated by The Fan Brothers 
This beautifully illustrated true story by astronaut Chris Hadfield will have kids reaching for the stars and daring to dream dreams they didn’t think possible. As a young boy, Chris loved playing with rockets and pretending he was a brave astronaut, but his fear of the dark kept Chris from feeling brave in his day-to-day life. Chris imagined all the terrible monsters lurking in his bedroom as the night fell. Or he did, that is. When he saw the 1969 moon landing on his television, he discovered the dark expanse of space—much darker than his bedroom—and realized he still wanted to explore it.

Reaching for the Moon, by Buzz Aldrin, illustrated by Wendell Minor
An excellent autobiography aimed at young readers, Reaching for the Moon is about Aldrin’s journey to become an astronaut. Yes, he may have walked on the moon in 1969, but his training, dedication, and passion started much, much earlier. Buzz reminds young readers to dream big, and that with determination, any goal is possible, even if at times it doesn’t seem so. Hearing the life story of the first astronaut to walk on the moon from said astronaut himself will have any astronaut fan inspired to go on to remarkable things.

Sally Ride: A Photobiography of America’s Pioneering Woman in Space, by Tam O’Shaughnessy
This uplifting story of the first woman in space is perfect for middle grade astronaut fans. It takes readers through Sally Ride’s journey to space, starting as a young child who watched Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon. With vivid public and private pictures, Sally’s journey from young underachiever to groundbreaking scientist will fascinate readers, and give them a better, deeper picture of the person behind the stories.

Chasing Space (Young Readers’ Edition), by Leland Melvin
Leland Melvin has done it all—NFL player, astronaut, and song writer—and his autobiography for young readers (adapted from the version for adults) will inspire readers to keep dreaming. When an injury ended his football career with the Detroit Lions, Leland set his eyes on space. After extensive training (and an injury that left him permanently deaf), he realized his dream and traveled on the space shuttle Atlantis to help build the international space station. Young aspiring astronauts will appreciate the do-it-yourself experiments and full color photographs included in the book.