First published 2020
Bird Nelson Thomas wants to become NASA's first female shuttle commander. Her twin brother Fitch battles an anger he cannot control while spending hours at the arcade playing Major Havoc. Their older brother Cash faces repeating seventh grade again, distracted by basketball star Dr. J and his crush on Penny. The three siblings live together in Park, Delaware, but drift in separate worlds within their chaotic household. Their science teacher Ms. Salonga, who failed to make it into the Teacher in Space program, pushes her students to follow the upcoming Challenger launch in January 1986. While Cash and Fitch show little interest, Bird pins her entire future on the mission. When the shuttle launches and disaster strikes, the tragedy reshapes how all three see their dreams and their family. This story captures three young people seeking their own paths while orbiting around each other in a home where tension runs high and escape feels necessary.
Genres: science-fiction, coming-of-age, young-adult, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, sibling-relationships
Setting: Park, Delaware, NASA
Period: 1986
400 pages · ebook · Greenwillow Books