Kelly writes a heartfelt story of family and the bond of siblings. Each chapter begins with a date in January 1986, then divides into short vignettes following each sibling on that day. But when the Challenger disaster occurs, Bird finds herself in need of the support she’s been giving. Bird is enthralled with the space mission and decides she’s going to be a shuttle commander one day. It’s January 1986, and their teacher is gearing them up for the launch of the space shuttle Challenger. The Thomas household is toxic with their parents’ constant fighting, and Bird feels like she has to keep their family from malfunctioning altogether. Bird likes tinkering with machines but feels invisible. Fitch is good at video games but bad at controlling his temper.

He isn’t good at anything, and now he’s repeating seventh grade with his two younger siblings. The Thomas siblings-13-year-old Cash and 12-year-old twins Fitch and Bird-all struggle to navigate the doubts of middle school and their dysfunctional family. There is no forced march towards a resolution, and the book simply ends with a greater resilience on the part of Cash, Fitch and Bird, along with an awareness that, by joining forces, they have the power to form the family they want themselves.Three siblings face their middle school problems as they learn about space. There is similar restraint in recounting the Challenger explosion, depicted only by its effect on the characters rather than used gratuitously to complete a dramatic arc. Entrada Kelly creates a vivid historical setting by being selective with 1980s details and highlighting elements with high kid appeal, such as arcade games and popular TV shows. The Nelson-Thomas family is white, Bird’s friend Devonte is African American, and teacher Ms.

Entrada Kelly tells the story through each sibling’s viewpoint in distinct and engaging voices, giving readers a choice of characters to relate to. All three siblings sink into separate coping mechanisms when their parents’ daily bickering inevitably erupts into fights. Cash’s grades are poor, Fitch can’t control his temper, and Bird dreams of becoming an astronaut, but her mother only talks to her about dieting. Twins Bird and Fitch are now in the same grade as their older brother Cash, who is repeating the year. Gr 4-6–It’s January 1986, and siblings Bird, Fitch, and Cash’s seventh grade science classes are anticipating the Challenger shuttle launch at the end of the month.

We dream of space by erin entrada kelly