THE ASTRONAUT WHO PAINTED THE MOON is the true story of Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon. He had always wanted to be a pilot, and when the opportunity came, he became an astronaut. He took pictures of what he saw on the moon, but they did not match up to what he felt. Thus, when he returned he painted the moon for others to experience.

Most of the book details the history and story in an approachable way for young readers. The end of the book includes a timeline of space travel, photos of the moon, and some of the paintings that adds some appeal for older readers who may want to delve a little deeper.

What I loved: This interesting story adds some interest for combining the sciences and art, placing them together in historical context. Thus, the book has appeal to a broad audience. The story is very approachable for older preschoolers through elementary schoolers, giving a great overview of his life and work. The illustrations include a lot of color and detail that will be fantastic for older readers. There is a lot to see and experience in the book! The added back information also adds to the broad appeal.

Final verdict: Science and art meet beautifully in this true story about Alan Bean, astronaut and painter, who brought his visit to the moon to life in his artwork. Highly recommend for children who love science, art, and/or history in the elementary school-aged crowd.