President Kennedy’s challenge to land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth brought the determination of four hundred thousand men and women to Project Apollo. The President’s Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon (Peachtree, $22.95) finally reached lift-off in July 1969. As the 50th anniversary approaches, author and engineer Suzanne Slade off ers a riveting free-verse narrative that makes the story of this colossal effort accessible to a broad audience of readers. Slade’s thorough research, Thomas Gonzalez’s powerful and reflective illustrations, and a myriad of NASA photographs ensure this is narrative non-fiction at its very best. All ages.