By depicting some famous figures as animals, these board books introduce history in a way that is accessible and fun. The texts contain some basic facts about the person under discussion, while the zany premise yields plenty of humorous puns for prereaders (and the grown-ups who read to them).

Flying toward the future with beak held high, Neil Armswan was a model astronaut and pioneer in space travel, leaving webbed footprints on the moon. Somewhat recalling classic Disney cartoons, Zoe Persico's joy-filled illustrations bring the heroic Apollo 11 mission to life.