Twins Fitch and Bird and their brother, Cash, live in a home where their parents constantly fight. Their disfunctional marriage affects the children in different ways. Cash is dyslexic and, without parental support, is at risk of failing 7th grade. Fitch stuggles with anger issues and Bird, although very bright, struggles with self esteme. An enthusiastic teacher at their school proclaims January 1986 as space month, and the students have projects leading up the the launch of the space shuttle challenger. As the launch draws near, the stress of their home environment and challenges in their lives at school threaten to drag all three children into their own kind of black hole.
This book was beautifully written, and an utter downer. The stupid parents were totally ruining their kid's lives, and the whole time the reader is sinking into dread, knowing how the Challenger flight ended. I am trying to decide who would like this book. Maybe if there was a kid in a really dysfunctional home, it might give them hope, that, although their parents were jerks, they might bond with their siblings to get through. Or maybe, there might be someone who read it and said to themselves, "at least my parents are not that bad." I was totally not in the mood for this, even though it was really well written. It is on a lot of Newbery lists this year, but I hope it doesn't win. We don't really need more depressing Newberys. (391, 2020)
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