I’m caught up in the excitement of the Apollo 11 moon landing, which you know if you follow this blog. The clips of the astronauts, mission control, and Walter Cronkite are all bringing the magnitude of this accomplishment into focus for me.
I was a child in 1969 and didn’t understand why this garnered the world’s attention. Now, as an adult I understand the danger and why Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins were heroes. The very real chance of them not coming back didn’t occur to me until 1986, when I watched the Challenger disaster.
As the countdown reaches 2 days left to 7/20/19, this illustration created by Ariel Boroff to depict the big reveal in our book, demonstrates my own feeling watching all of the news footage from 50 years ago. I hope you are also filled with awe. 
Published by authorlaurablog
I'm a reading specialist and award winning educator from Chicago. While living in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado for nine years, I spent time hiking on the trails with my Goldendoodle Charlie and friends, writing, working in a literacy program at the Boulder Public Library, and mentoring writers and teachers. I love visiting schools. My books combine STEM and Kindness. "Aliana Reaches for the Moon" a picture book that draws inspiration from the moon and the curiosity of children, inviting children to be creative, explore, and experiment. "An Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story" a picture book told in the form of a newscast which skillfully balances the serious subject of forest fires with compassion and humor to help children navigate this important topic through the real events of 2020. I moved to Northern New Jersey in 2025 and am working on new projects.
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Laura Roettiger Books 
I been looking at the moon this week, when it hasn’t been foggy. Always awe-inspiring. Feels miraculous that we’ve been there and returned intact. My son is focused on Mars now. Boldy going……Congrats again on making such a beautiful book!
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Thank you, Jilanne! I have always felt the moon’s magnetic pull, but living in the Rocky Mountains has definitely made it stronger,
The weeks leading up to the 50th anniversary have really been educational for me as I learned more about the individuals involved and the real danger they faced. Reading the speech that was prepared for President Nixon to read in the event they didn’t make it back was powerful. Also, seeing Walter Cronkite and the rest of the anchors show their emotional release to “the Eagle has landed” gave me chills. Mars will be your son’s generation of exploration and dreams.
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