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Description
The first private American citizen chosen to go on a space flight, Christa McAuliffe, lost her life when the Challenger exploded just after lift off. Describes her special interest in the space program.
Quick Summary
Christa McAuliffe's story is one of those that stays with you long after you close the book. She was an ordinary teacher from New Hampshire who became part of something extraordinary when NASA chose her for their Teacher in Space program she was going to be the first regular citizen, not a trained astronaut, to go to space, and her whole goal was to show kids that learning and dreaming could take you anywhere. This book does a really nice job of showing her personality, her enthusiasm, and the way she connected with students, so it doesn't feel like a dry textbook. It's a relatively quick read at under 5,000 words, so even middle-grade readers who aren't sure about biographies will find it accessible. Parents should know that the book does include the Challenger disaster and its aftermath, handled gently but honestly it's a story about inspiration and tragedy together, which makes it especially meaningful for discussing courage and loss with kids. If your young reader enjoys learning about real people who took big risks, this is a solid choice, and it's a natural companion to books about the space program or other science pioneers.