We Dream of Space

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A Newbery Honor Book and a selection of numerous best book lists, this middle grade novel set in 1986 follows siblings Cash, Fitch, and Bird Nelson Thomas in Park, Delaware. As the nation anticipates the launch of the space shuttle Challenger, each sibling grapples with personal challenges. Cash, passionate about basketball, faces academic failure due to a broken wrist. Fitch, who spends his afternoons at the arcade, struggles with his temper. Bird, a twelve-year-old twin, aspires to be NASA’s first female shuttle commander but feels invisible. The siblings navigate their tense home life, finding common ground in their enthusiastic science teacher, Ms. Salonga. She assigns a project that divides the class into spacecraft crews, requiring them to create and complete a mission. As the launch day approaches, the event profoundly impacts their lives and relationships. Told from three alternating perspectives, this novel explores themes of family, friendship, and self-discovery, making it a compelling read for those interested in science and sibling dynamics. Illustrated throughout by the author, it is a rich and engaging story for middle grade readers.