The First Men in the Moon By H.G. Wells

Title: First Men in the Moon
Author: H.G. Wells
ISBN: 0-460-87304-0
201 pages
Everyman Paperbacks, 2000 edition

While not specifically a 'tween' or even a teen book, my mother reminded me of how much I liked it when I was in middle school, so I decided I would take another crack at it.

Description:

'The First Men in the Moon' Tells the story of a young businessman named Bedford who meets a struggling scientist named Cavor. Mr. Cavor develops a new, gravity defying substance, naming it 'cavorite', that nearly tears his house clean off of the ground from its awe-inspiring force. Bedford convinces Cavor that they should build a rocket and use Cavor's new scientific breakthrough to propel them to the Moon. Upon their arrival, the two men find the surface of the moon a cold dead desert of rock and rubble. But once the sun rises across the Moon's surface, the two men cannot believe the flora and fauna that spout out of the planets surface. The two soon realize that the planet is run by a race of insect-like men called the Selenites. Ruled by their "Grand Lunar", the Selenites soon find out about the presence of the two men from Earth. Keeping their wits about them, the two humans must find away to escape from the Selenites and make their way back home.

Review:

I forgot how much I liked this book as a kid; and now I know why. The scene where the two men witness the morning on the surface of the Moon is unforgettable. While it might be little bit difficult for some of the younger 'tweens' the kids on the older end of the spectrum will truly enjoy this sci-fi adventure. Written in a sort of serial format, which may be unintentional, the book is very fast paced and will keep just about anyone enthralled. A really good book for kids on the older end of the 'tween' age range.