I just finished reading We Dream of Space (2020) by Erin Entrada Kelly, a young adult novel that follows the lives of three siblings over the course of a month in early 1986. The siblings have a teacher who is closely watching the unfolding of the Challenger mission, and weaves the event into her classroom lessons.

All three children have very different and distinct personalities. All face their own challenges and the shared situation of living in a dysfunctional family. The Challenger mission had a profound effect upon the nation and the lives of those involved, and, in this story, the three Nelson-Thompson children as well.

This story captured my attention, primarily because of the well-written characters and the familiar memories of junior high and growing up. There is an element of nostalgia for anyone who grew up in the ‘80s, but this alone would not have sufficed to make this a moving narrative. Rather, it is the characters and the lessons they struggle to learn that make this a memorable book.