Ham the Astrochimp

by Richard Hilliard Narrated by Jodi Dick, Brian David

Overview

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.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

Paying tribute to the "first truly intelligent being" in space, Hilliard traces the flight and later life of the chimpanzee sent aloft in a Mercury capsule in 1961. Expanding on his main narrative with longer comments in running sidebars, the author emphasizes Ham's intelligence and good nature throughout, and adds an element of drama to the tale, as Ham's capsule nearly sank before it could be hauled out of the ocean. The stodgy but accurately detailed paintings alternate between views of the capsule and close-up shots of the smiling chimp. As a way of sparking interest in the space race's early days, this makes a more triumphant episode to highlight than the U.S.'s early failures chronicled in Heather Feldman's Sputnik, the First Satellite (2003) or the tragic events of Nick Abadzis's graphic treatment of the Soviet mission, Laika (September 2007). (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)

From the Publisher

"Accurately detailed paintings alternate between views of the capsule and close-up shots of the smiling chimp. . . . A triumphant episode." --Kirkus Reviews

"Richard Hilliard brings Ham to life through his pictures and words. . . . A wonderful introduction to a unit on the solar system or space travel." --Library Media Connection

"The text of the book is augmented by excellent illustrations by the author and by more detailed sidebars with useful supplemental material. This book about a real animal's life could be bedtime reading to a child." --Science Books & Films

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170643783
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	11/15/2013
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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