ENCHANTED STORIES: We Dream of Space

We Dream of Space
By Erin Entrada Kelly
Greenwillow Books, HarperCollins Publishers, 2020. 391 p.

Cash, Fitch, and Bird are siblings that are all in seventh grade. Cash was held back one year and Fitch and Bird are twins. They all have the same science teacher who is excited to teach them about the upcoming 1986 Challenger Mission Launch. Each sibling has their own struggles. Cash isn’t sure what he is good at, and he is afraid to fail 7th grade for a second time. Fitch is only interested in playing games at the arcade after school and often let’s his temper get the best of him. Bird wants to become the first female shuttle commander and is enthralled with learning about Challenger but is frustrated when others keep telling her she isn’t pretty. To top everything off, their home life isn’t stellar seeing how their parents tend to only argue with each other. With all that is going on, the siblings must learn what is important to them and to each other. Kelly has created a trio of strong characters that must learn what is most important to them in the face of personal family challenges and a national disaster. Readers who are struggling with their own imperfect realities will gravitate toward this enchanting novel.

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