In the Shadow of the Moon

December 15, 2020
A well-researched, detailed account of two leading engineers in the space race that raises questions about the human costs of war and propaganda. Parallel narratives chart the careers of Wernher von Braun, the former Nazi famous for helping the U.S. reach the moon, and Sergei Korolev, the Soviet Union's top rocket designer, who developed the first of the Soyuz spacecraft that are still in use today. A portrait emerges of two men ruthless in their pursuit of spaceflight and two countries similarly remorseless in their fight for dominance. Von Braun knowingly supervised forced prison labor in horrific conditions to build the V-2 rocket, which then killed thousands more during World War II--but the American military wanted his technical expertise, so he got to bypass the legal immigration system and build a new life as an American hero. The text is frank: "Utopian dreams of world peace and cooperation in space captured American minds, hearts, and imaginations, but in truth prestige and power were the endgame for both rival governments." A discussion of von Braun's privilege, as compared to the struggles of Black Americans, also adds valuable context. Unfortunately, the book tries to include so much that it sometimes loses focus: The author takes pains to celebrate U.S. physicist Joyce Neighbors and Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova while decrying sexism, yet the effusive praise of John Glenn fails to mention his advocacy against women in space. Engrossing and painfully relevant. (author's note, bibliography, endnotes, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2021

Gr 7 Up-This title provides a fascinating look at the early space race and the two engineers who led the technological innovations. Wernher von Braun was a German-born high-ranking Nazi official and SS officer, who developed Germany's devastating V-2 missiles. V-2s were built at factories using forced labor; von Braun worked at Mittelwerk, a production facility where countless prisoners suffered and died. At the close of World War II, top German engineers knew the future of rocketry would involve either the Soviets or Americans. Von Braun chose the Americans and surrendered in May 1945. U.S. policy mandated that former SS officers would not be accepted into the States, but von Braun's knowledge was too extensive to dismiss. His background was quietly classified and not released for decades. Von Braun and his team later developed the Saturn rockets, which gave him celebrity status in the U.S. Meanwhile, as a young man, Sergei Korolev refused to implicate a coworker with false allegations during Stalin's Great Purge and was arrested. He barely survived a Soviet gulag and was sent to a work prison. In the 1950s, the Soviets classified his name when he developed the Sputnik rocket. The text adds depth to the history of the space race, with thoughtful, ethical discussions of the U.S. concealing von Braun's history to further its agenda. The back matter is extensive. VERDICT This book contains numerous interesting biographical and technological facts, which results in an engaging, fast-paced narrative that will delight readers of history and space technology. A worthy addition to all libraries serving teens.-Karen Bilton, Franklin Township P.L., NJ

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2021
Grades 8-11 The race to put a man on the moon is positioned as a competition between two rocket engineers in a book that reads, at times, like a Cold War spy novel. Wernher von Braun was recruited by the U.S. government at the end of WWII, despite being a decorated major in Hitler's SS who used concentration camp prisoners in the manufacturing of his rockets. Sergei Korolev led the development of weapons technology under Stalin, even while imprisoned by the Gulag or toiling in obscurity under near-impossible conditions. Both dreamed of using wartime technology for space exploration and single-mindedly worked toward that achievement. The toll comes across loud and clear, from tragic explosions to brutally long work hours and health issues. Cherrix, who uses formerly classified documents as sources, excels in placing each advancement in its historical context, from the 1930s through the Apollo program. Information about the other nearly half-million Americans involved in winning the space race is brief. Still, this account reveals important truths in a style that will captivate teen readers.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.