But when I saw this to review... I just KNEW my son would LOVE it.
I was bummed when we didn't get to see him while he was here in Washington D.C. at the National Air and Space museum. Ask my son anything about space and he will either know or find a way to find out for you and learn it himself.
My little boy after my heart!
He starts with humour on the second page. Something we sometimes all feel when we are facing both a dream and a sudden fear all at the same time. Like, "did I make the right decision?" Looking up 17 stories in the air at the shuttle is bound to given someone doubts... just saying.
You are bound learn things you did not know. Like they don't fuel up until right before because the fuel they use isn't like your car at all. Nope. It is like the stuff, according the book, that can make a bomb and is very incredibly cold and below zero kind of temperature.
I love how he shares that no matter how much he trained, he still wasn't completely ready for the full experience because he didn't know what it was like. Even Digger, his rookie pal on Columbia, who was a veteran and flown planes in the military was stunned and white as a ghost.
What I didn't realise is how long they are in the shuttle before they even launch- that is a surprising fact I did not know! Sometimes several hours. Everything has to check out. Weather, gear, etc. NASA has been known to cancel while crew is about to take off for things before so they have to be extra sure. Makes sense though. But way to tease the astronauts, just saying.
Omg, he really is hilarious. He says that the emergency warning placards are only reading material because even with the training they get, if it's going to be a bad day... it's going to be a really bad day. The way he writes these moments had me laughing.
And best... the book hasn't really begun yet!
This book really is all that and a bag of chips.
I am seriously second guessing giving to my son now... he can read it but can't keep it... lol. Actually, because I am a mum it will still be his, but I will borrow to read when I need to the inspiration.
You feel like you are personally interviewing Mike and he doesn't hold back. Not even the fact that that he opened his acceptance letter from Columbia while on the toilet. A beautiful picture, I am sure. Ha ha.
In telling his story, he is going to inspire both children and adults alike to put down the normal and pick up who they are. That getting stuck in the mundane isn't what life is about. You don't have to like space to really enjoy this book. It is a humble accounting; someone who didn't think they were good enough for MIT or IBM but still did it. He doesn't make these up because you can tell in the way he writes that this is the real him. It speaks volumes. He is the perfect kind of astronaut. Intelligent, humble, funny, realistic, and the picture of an all-American guy. Someone you can't help from wanting to meet no matter how many quasars you studied in college or if you think that an astronaut is like Men in Black. Hey, I won't judge. But you will get much out of this book either way!
I am truly inspired and entertained by this book and by him. I know my son will love this book as well!!
I wish that I could give away this book for giveaway on this blog because it really is very inspirational and I think it would be an awesome read for anyone, any age.
One day, Mike, I hope to meet you in person.
* I received this book in exchange for my honest review*
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