T-Minus: The Race to the Moon #[nn]

The cover of this 2009 graphic novel from Simon and Schuster sets the tone perfectly: a collage of bold orange and navy panels frames a suited astronaut, a soaring rocket, the Earth seen from space, and what appear to be mission blueprints — a visual countdown in itself. Jim Ottaviani, Zander Cannon, and Kevin Cannon bring the Space Race to life in this compelling account of humanity's push toward the Moon. It's a handsome, thoughtfully designed book that captures both the engineering drama and the human stakes of one of history's greatest endeavors.