Graphic · ages 8–12

Space Chasers: To the Moon

Name: Space Chasers: To the Moon
Author: Leland Melvin
ISBN: 9781250782786

To the Moon

Written by Leland Melvin · Illustrated by Joe Caramagna

Book 2 in Space ChasersView the full series

The kid astronauts are bound for the Moon, but Steven, back from a serious injury, is sick of being handled with kid gloves, and then the moonquakes start. A tense, heartfelt second mission from a real astronaut.

Best for8–12
FormatGraphic
Length208 pp
Read aloud~1 hr40 min

Where to buyPaperback

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The vibe

What it’s like.

Style

Conversational

Tone

Exciting
Adventurous
Inspirational

Themes

On the pagespace, moon, astronauts, teamwork, recovery from injury, stem

Experience meters

Energy4/ 5

Humour3/ 5

Scariness2/ 5

Peril4/ 5

Wonder4/ 5

Cosiness1/ 5

Emotional intensity3/ 5

Conceptual intensity2/ 5

What’s it about?

The story.

The Space Chasers are heading to the Moon for the very first time. Steven has recovered from his injury and finished physical therapy, but his friends keep treating him like he might break, being overly careful and tripping over themselves to help when all he wants is to be one of the crew again. Then the mission turns dangerous: the lunar surface is unstable, and relentless moonquakes threaten to shake the whole team apart. To get through the crisis and make it home, the kids have to trust one another's wits, strengths and courage completely, Steven included. Written by real NASA astronaut Leland Melvin with Joe Caramagna and illustrated by Alison Acton, this second volume blends white-knuckle survival with a warm, honest look at recovery, belonging and being underestimated.

Fit check

Right for your child?

Where it lands by age

The second Space Chasers mission, aimed at 8 to 12s reading alone or together. Exciting survival stakes rather than graphic content, plus a thoughtful thread about recovery and being treated as capable. Follows book one, so read that first.

Best fit · 8–12
Read aloud · 8–11
Independent · 8–12

Prose load

Light

Visual support

Very high

Reluctant-reader friendly

Very

Read-aloud quality

Patchy

Works well for

Reluctant readers

Low sensitivityNo content warnings

Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.

Bedtime suitability

1 / 5 · Wide awake

Sensitive-child

3 / 5 · Mostly fine

Graphic intensity

2 / 5 · Mild

Best for

Space fans
Stem readers
Graphic novel lovers
Reluctant readers

Avoid if

Wants calm bedtime
Wants standalone

Why it lands

Why they love it.

Why kids love it

This time the team lands on the Moon, and it will not stop shaking. Steven just wants his friends to stop babying him, and the whole crew has to pull together fast when the ground itself turns against them. Real space danger, real friendship drama.

Adventure and freedom
Surviving danger
Proving yourself

Why parents love it

Beyond the thrilling lunar peril, book two quietly tackles what it feels like to be underestimated after an injury, a subject children rarely see handled with respect. Authentic astronaut detail and a strong teamwork message make it a confident, rewarding sequel.

Educational for adult too
Conversation starter

In the series

Space Chasers.

2 books · open the series →

Space Chasers2025 · Book 1 You are here

Space Chasers: To the Moon2026 · Book 2

About the creators

About the creators.

Leland Melvin

Writer · United States · b. 1964

Leland Melvin (born 1964) is a former NASA astronaut and the real-life inspiration behind his children's fiction. A one-time NFL wide receiver whose sporting career was cut short by injury, he flew two Space Shuttle missions aboard Atlantis and logged more than 565 hours in orbit, later writing the memoir Chasing Space and its young readers' edition. His middle-grade graphic-novel series Space Chasers, created with writer Joe Caramagna and illustrator Alison Acton, channels that first-hand experience into fast, authentic adventure: a crew of kid astronauts train for a real orbiting station, then must save it, and later a Moon mission, with only each other to rely on. Melvin wears his STEM smarts lightly, making these warm, exciting stories about teamwork and belonging for readers 8 to 12.

Joe Caramagna

Illustrator · United States

Joe Caramagna is an American comics writer and prolific letterer, a graduate of the Joe Kubert School whose lettering has touched much of the Marvel Universe. In children's books he co-writes the Space Chasers graphic-novel series (2025-) with real-life NASA astronaut Leland Melvin, illustrated by Alison Acton: thrilling, authentic space adventures in which a crew of middle-school astronauts must save an orbiting station, and later reach the Moon, with no grown-ups to fall back on. His storytelling wears its STEM smarts lightly, blending white-knuckle peril with warmth about teamwork, recovery and being underestimated. A reliable graphic-novel writer for ages 8-12.

Alison Acton

Illustrator · Canada

Alison Acton is a Canadian illustrator with a background in comics and traditional animation, having worked for studios and publishers on both sides of the industry. For young readers she is the artist behind Space Chasers, the graphic-novel series created by real NASA astronaut Leland Melvin with writer Joe Caramagna. Across Space Chasers and its sequel, To the Moon, Acton draws a crew of middle-school astronauts training for real missions and then fighting to save a space station, and later a lunar landing, with only half their team and no adults to fall back on. Her bright, characterful artwork keeps the STEM smarts light and the action thrilling, carrying stories of teamwork, courage and belonging that quietly encourage children to picture themselves in space. Authentic, energetic adventure for eight- to twelve-year-olds.