Lost in Outer Space MP3 CD – Unabridged, March 14, 2017

I've read other books about the Apollo 13 disaster as well as the movie so I had some background when I picked up this story. Once again, Olson does a great job of telling the story. It can be difficult sometimes telling a complicated story like this one in such a way that children can understand it. The Apollo 13 disaster makes a fascinating, compelling account, but it can also be very technical. It would have been easy to fall into that problem, but Olson does not, he explains things correctly without getting lost in technical jargon. I also appreciated the inclusion of some of the experiences of Barbara Lovell, the eldest daughter of one of the three astronauts, this gives someone for the younger readers to especially connect with as they read.The book begins with the beginning of the disaster then returns to introduce the astronauts, their families, and what lead up to the situation, including a brief introduction to the creation of NASA and the space program. All of this is done quickly and doesn't bog down the story in the least. I enjoyed reading this account of the events and the people involved. I was left was admiration for the efforts of those involved. It's clear that the astronauts made it back safely because of the efforts of these people. At the same time, and the author points this out, while so many were waiting with baited breath to find out if the astronauts were going to make it back safely, conflict on a much larger scale continued to rage around the world (including the Vietnam War). It's ironic to realize the way Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jim Swigert were turned into heroes for surviving the Apollo 13 disaster, while those who made it possible for them to return safely were not. Society can be remarkably fickle about who it identifies as heroes. In any case, this is a great narrative nonfiction book that middle grade nonfiction lovers are bound to enjoy.

I originally read this book to be able to facilitate a 5th grade "book club" at my son's school. While I was already very familiar with the events that occurred during the Apollo 13 mission, the approach that Tod Olson takes in retelling this story makes it appealing to both boys and girls. Mr. Olson not only conveys the basic details of the accident that led to the failure of the Apollo 13 mission, but also spends a portion of the book focused on the events occurring on the ground as viewed from the perspective of Jim Lovell's (then) teenage daughter, Barbara. By including Barbara's experience of the events as they occurred, Mr. Olson gives young readers a character that they can identify and empathize with.This book may seem intimidating to some readers, as it is over 200 pages long, but there are lots of photos and diagrams included in the book to help readers understand some of the problems and challenges the Apollo 13 astronauts were facing. Additionally, the photos help readers put a face to the names of all the people involved in the Apollo 13 mission, from the astronauts to the members of the ground control teams, to the astronauts' families waiting at home for news of their husbands and fathers. The inclusion of photos, illustrations, and diagrams make this book a fairly easy, straight-forward read for most students.Reading Levels (see chart below): This book has a 6.6 ATOS level and is worth 5.0 AR points. It is rated 910L on the Lexile scale, which puts it in the average 4th-5th grade age range. It is rated a U on the Scholastic Graded Reading Level chart. It is a level 50 book on the Developmental Reading Assessment Level scale. The word count on the book is in excess of 32,000 words, but the vocabulary is appropriate for the 8-12 age range. The book is nonfiction, but Mr. Olson has done an excellent job of framing this story as one would a fiction tale, so that the pace and action flow easily. As an adult reader, it took me just a couple of hours to read this entire book.I would highly recommend this book for students who are looking for interesting and exciting nonfiction, or students who tend to gravitate toward fiction but like a good story. Even as an adult reader, I found this book to be a quick and enjoyable read.

Love this book!! We read it during the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission! (Unintended!) Nice to get the perspective from Barbara, Jim Lovell’s daughter who was in her teens at the time. We will watch the movie after we’re done with the book!

While this book seems to be marketed to kids, as a child of the late 60's and early 70's, I was interested in reading about Barbara Lovell's viewpoint of the event. I found the book interesting and enjoyed the read.

Bought for grandson.

Quick read for Mom but took the whole summer for my son to read. LOL!

My son loved the first book Lost at Sea and is now enjoying this one.

another one of the great books in the series

The book is super valued. The service is responsible and quick response.

The book is very informative. But looks like old stock has been sent. I see the back hard cover is bit damaged . Apart from that book looked good.

Nice book

Great book

Gift to grandsons.