The Moon--50 Years Later

We got a big day in history coming up.  This Saturday, June 20, marks the 50th anniversary of when a human being set foot on the moon for the first time.  Neil Armstrong became the first person to step on the moon followed by Buzz Aldrin.

Many people today can't imagine a world that doesn't include space travel, the International Space Station, and satellites doing everything from sending pictures to Google Maps to beaming your television broadcasts.  The moon was far and mysterious, something that impacted ocean tides and supposedly caused lunacy (note how the words lunacy, lunatic, and lunar all have the prefix luna, which means "moon").  Astronomers studied it and writers fantasized about it throughout the centuries.

For those of us who want to celebrate the golden anniversary of Apollo 11, there are a number of books and movies about the moon landing and the space program:

• Apollo 11 (DVD)  Original color footage of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon and the moon landing are put together.
• Apollo 13 (DVD)  The "successful failure" of the Apollo 13 mission in which three astronauts didn't land on the moon as planned but came safely back home.
• Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys by Michael Collins  An Apollo 11 astronaut shares his experiences from his first flight to the moon landing.
• The Dish (DVD)  The little known but true story of how scientists used one of the world's largest radio telescope dishes in Australia to transmit a live video feed of the first moon landing to the world.
• Eight Days Gone by Linda McReynolds  A book educating children (and adults) on the Apollo 11 mission and the history of NASA's mission to the moon.
• First Man (DVD)  Focuses on the professional and personal challenges of astronaut Neil Armstrong.
• Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly  Tells the story of four African-American female mathematicians who contributed to some of the greatest moments of NASA's space program.
• Mission to the Moon by Alan Dyer  A children's book addressing the Apollo 11 moon landing as well as other moon missions that followed.
• Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 by Brian Floca  Presents the story of the Apollo 11 mission from Earth all the way to the moon.

Take one (or several) small steps to the library, but one giant leap into the history of space exploration.  Come in and check out a book or DVD that will put your head in the clouds.

With out of this world wishes from the perch.

The Benefits of (Summer) Reading

The Summer Reading Program is going full steam at our library as well as at other libraries across the country.  Kids, teens, and adults are taking part by reading books for pleasure, logging in their hours spent reading, and collecting prizes for logs completed.

It's great that program participants are given tangible rewards for their time spent reading, but there are more rewards that go beyond travel mugs and splat balls.  Allow me to elaborate on the benefits of reading at any age:

• Improves reading skills.  The more you do something, the better you get. Reading is something to practice just like any other activity.
• Improves writing skills.  A good writer is also a good reader.  Books demonstrate how language is used.
• Increases the desire to read.  When you eat a potato chip, you know you can't eat just one.  The same goes for books.
• Improves self-esteem.  Reading builds vocabulary and knowledge.  It's a good feeling when you're able to express yourself well and talk about things you know.
• Improves memory.  When you read a book, one event in a story often leads to the next. Reading exercises your mind and helps you remember earlier things.
• Improves concentration.  You just have to know what happens next in the story, don't you?  Reading will help you focus and concentrate better.
• Reduces stress.  Need to relax?  Reading allows you to forget your troubles and focus on something else for a while.
• Promotes curiosity and learning.  Reading exposes you to different things that will make you want to learn and understand more.
• Improves empathy.  Connecting with fictional characters helps us connect with real people in our lives.
• Provides entertainment.  Books and the stories they tell are fun!  They take us to different places when we have nowhere to go.
• Creates a lifelong interest in reading.  When you start reading and make it an enjoyable activity, it becomes a good habit.

I'm sure there are more benefits of reading than the ones I've listed.  What do you consider to be the greatest reward from reading?  Share it with us!

Ever bookishly yours from the perch.