When Neil Armstrong Built a Wind Tunnel

February 1, 2018
Grades 1-4 The Leaders Doing Headstands series combines narrative nonfiction with a kid-friendly picture-book format. Each volume focuses on the childhood of a noteworthy figure in history or contemporary society, highlighting the interests and pastimes that led to his or her future success; a one-page afterword summarizes the accomplishments for which the person is best known. The title acts as a hook to grab readers' attention, rather than serving as the focus for the book, but it accurately hints at the many relatable childhood activities contained within. In Neil Armstrong, the future astronaut's passion for flight (he was a licensed pilot at 16) and head for science and math help chart his course to the moon. Paragraphs of small text and concluding critical-thinking questions make these accessible biographies best suited to primary-grade readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)