Survival in Space: The Apollo 13 Mission

Astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise were over 200,000 miles from Earth, in a rocket on the way to the moon, when a faulty wire caused a disastrous explosion. With compromised support systems and one oxygen tank completely destroyed, their survival was on the line.

This is the true story of the famous Apollo 13 mission, told in an accessible narrative style and dyslexia friendly format, brilliant for reluctant readers but also anyone who loves non-fiction and real-life stories about breaking boundaries and overcoming challenges.

The story includes some fascinating background to the mission, such as how the Apollo programme came about, the building of the absolutely enormous Saturn V rockets, and what it’s like to travel through space. Although very much non-fiction and rooted in facts, David Long’s brilliant writing recounts the unfolding events in a story-like way.

After the explosion, Lovell, Swigert and Haise face a series of life-threatening challenges as they try to get home. What really comes across, though, is the extraordinary bravery and pioneering creativity of everyone involved, both the astronauts themselves and those on the ground, and those who envisioned us venturing into space in the first place. An inspiring read.