Taking Off
Taking Off
Taking Off
Jenny Moss
Reimagining the days surrounding this unforgettable event in history, readers are brought back to 1986 as the astronauts prepare for the Challenger mission, and Christa McAullife trains to be the first teacher in space. When a teen named Annie meets Christa, she is fascinated by Christa's courage. Truly inspired, Annie is determined to make it to Florida to see the Challenger launch, a trip that will forever change how she thinks about herself and her secret desire for her own future. Although she is devastated when tragedy strikes, Annie honors Christa by following her own dream, despite the obstacles. Bringing in her experience as a NASA engineer, Jenny Moss weaves a moving story that recaptures the inspiration teens must have felt years ago as they watched Christa McAuliffe reach for the sky.

Book Details

Genre: 

  • Fiction

Age Level: 

  • 12 and up
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Annie is a high school senior cursed with apathy. She has her boyfriend Mark and her hometown of Houston where NASA engineers live and half the population never goes anywhere. After her friend Lea introduces her to Christa McAuliffe, Annie finds herself a role model. Christa is the woman from the famous Teacher in Space program. As basic American history dictates, the spaceship explodes before leaving earth. Faced with sadness, Annie is confused about everything and--quite frankly--a hot mess.

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