ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
TECHNOLOGY
Kelly, David A.

Tee Time on the Moon: How Astronaut Alan Shepard Played Lunar Golf

40 pp. | Calkins/Astra | July, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9781662680175 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781662680182 $11.99
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Although the book offers a factual recounting of the Apollo 14 moon landing, its true focus is astronaut Alan Shepard Jr.'s personal experiment to find out how far a golf ball can travel on the low-gravity, atmosphere-less surface of the moon. The book starts with a wink as Shepard surreptitiously sneaks a sockful of golf balls into the pocket of his space suit, then goes on to describe the spaceship's aim and the experiments that were planned for the third crewed moon-mission. And then comes the moment when, on live television, Shepard unexpectedly twists a metal golf club head onto the end of his rock scoop, pulls out several golf balls, and takes a few swings. Kelly's well-researched retelling of this unusual story also does a little fact-checking on Shepard, who didn't hit the ball quite as far as he believed but nevertheless became the "first human to play a sport on the Moon." Fotheringham's (illustrator of Most Wanted, rev. 5/20) digital art uses a limited color palette that gives the story a vintage feel. Extensive back matter includes an overview of all the Apollo missions, additional information on Shepard and his golf experiment, and a bibliography.
Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

RELATED 

TECHNOLOGY

Bodies Are Cool
by Feder, Tyler
TECHNOLOGY

Germs Up Close
by Levine, Sara
TECHNOLOGY

The Gravity Tree
by Redding, Anna Crowley
TECHNOLOGY

Mimic Makers
by Nordstrom, Kristen
TECHNOLOGY

City of Water
by Curtis, Andrea
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?