The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon
Written by Dean Robbins
Illustrated by Sean Rubin
The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon is a biographical picture book about Alan Bean, one of the first astronauts to ever land on the moon.
The storytelling in this biography was really lovely. It weaved between two timelines; Alan Bean as an adult and Alan Bean during his childhood. The art followed a specific color scheme throughout as well, which was beautifully executed.
The amount of research that went into this biography was impressive and appreciated. The last few pages of the book are filled with timelines of real events, and more information on Alan Bean’s life.
The overarching message from this book, and from Alan Bean himself, was that he saw himself as an artist who was also once an astronaut. The message encourages children to pursue all their passions, regardless of whether they are intellectual, artistic, or physical passions.
After reading this novel I’d like to learn more about Alan Bean’s life, and how he managed to balance his passion for art and his knowledge of space exploration. It further proves that you really can do anything you set your mind to.
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