Tony Jenzano, Astronaut Trainer: The Man Who Made the Stars Shine

by Michael G. Neece, Benlin Alexander (Illustrator)

Overview

When America's first astronauts launched into outer space, Tony Jenzano helped them learn to navigate by the stars. As the leader of a big planetarium in a small town, Tony was the man who made the stars shine. Without Tony, NASA's first space travelers would have been lost in space.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781469659923
Publisher:	Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
Publication date:	09/01/2020
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Michael G. Neece writes public history, children's books, and YA novels in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where he lives with his wife and three children. He presents constellation shows at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center under the same dome where NASA astronauts once trained. He is confident that children will guide us to the stars as long as we feed their curiosity and teach them kindness. www.michaelgneece.com

Benlin Alexander is a professional illustrator located in Raleigh, North Carolina and working with clients across the country and throughout the world. He is a member of SCBWI and has completed twelve book projects since he started his career in 2012. www.benlinalexander.com

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

NASA wondered if Tony could assist astronauts, or 'star sailors,' in learning to navigate in space. Who better to help them than a former sailor in charge of a theater filled with stars?—from the book

Editorial Reviews

11/13/2020

Gr 2–5—Anthony Jenzano (1919–1997), a white American man born in Philadelphia, loved the stars. After serving in the Navy during World War II where he trained as an electrician, Jenzano was hired by the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill, NC, to run and maintain the star projector. He eventually became the director. In 1958, NASA asked Jenzano to teach the Mercury 7 astronaut team how to navigate space and use the stars as guides to return to Earth when equipment malfunctioned. Gus Grissom, John Glenn, and Alan Shepard were among those who trained with Jenzano. On at least two occasions, astronauts implemented the knowledge they acquired from Jenzano, including James Lovell and the other members of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission. This picture book biography provides solid information about a little-known participant in the United States space program, but the narrative is somewhat bland. Alexander's colorful illustrations, many replicated from actual photographs, liven up the text. Those with a deep interest in the history of the space program may enjoy this title; it could be best used in a unit on space or as a nice complement to H.A. Rey's Find the Constellations. VERDICT Browsers may pass over this title about a lesser-known contributor to space exploration, but teachers will find it useful in the classroom.—Margaret Nunes, formerly at Gwinnett County P.L., GA

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