SuitabookWe Dream of Space
Erin Entrada Kelly
- Reading
- Before reading, mention that the Challenger disaster is part of the story. Check in afterwards about how the family arguments and insults landed, and let the child choose whether to discuss them further.
- Themes
- Sibling perspectives: Cash, Fitch and Bird face different school and personal difficulties while living in a tense household. The alternating viewpoints let readers see distinct struggles within one family.
- Family conflict: Their parents argue in front of the children, and Bird feels responsible for keeping the family together. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Challenger and science: The class prepares for the Challenger launch; Bird is fascinated by the mission, and the disaster becomes part of the story. The space mission supplies a historical and scientific focus within the siblings’ story.
- Worth knowing
- The story includes the fatal Challenger disaster, frequent parental arguments, repeated insults and name-calling, and an angry outburst in which a student uses a hurtful body-related insult.