Ham: The AstrochimpILLUSTRATED BY Ages: 9-12 Pages: 32 List Price: $16.95 Cover: Hardcover Published: 8/1/2007 ISBN: 1-59078-459-6 ISBN-13: 978-1-59078-459-4 |
On January 31, 1961, a three-year-old chimpanzee named Ham made history. Strapped inside a Mercury capsule, the little chimp blasted off into the sky, becoming the first intelligent being to ride an American rocket into suborbital space. Ham made a vital contribution to the United States space program. Because there were so many unanswered questions about space travel, scientists could not risk sending humans on a journey into the unknown. Chimpanzees, however, are very similar to humans in the makeup of their skeletons and internal organs. That made them the perfect space pioneers. Ham forged the way into the outer reaches of space so that human astronauts could follow. In this informative and entertaining book, featuring bold and lively illustrations, Richard Hilliard celebrates the achievement of Ham, the astrochimp and space hero. Reviews"Accurately detailed paintings alternate between views of the capsule and close-up shots of the smiling chimp." "Provide[s] the younger set with a narrow window into the beginnings of America’s space program." "The author tells the true story of Ham in a delightful, friendly way for children to enjoy [and] provides the reader with sidebars of more specific information in relation to the story. ...The illustrations are beautiful and define and enhance the text. Richard Hilliard brings Ham to life through his pictures and words. ...This book would be a wonderful introduction to a unit on the solar system or space travel, and the sidebars can be used toward research as an overview of space travel." |
