Title Space Kids – The Journey of Hope
Author Alan Nettleton
Genre Middle Grade Science Fiction
Book Blurb
How far would you go to follow your dream? In 2068, Space Command scientists must learn how children manage in space without adults. They advertise for a leader for the first-ever child-only mission. During the day, Sophie Williams struggles to fit in at her new secondary school, and bizarre recurring dreams torment her at night. She misses her dad and would do anything to make him proud. The Space Command advert sends shivers down her spine. Maybe this is her chance. The selection process pushes Sophie to her limits but, eventually, she finds herself strapped into the enormous spaceship and leading her team on a journey of discovery. Being in space with three other kids, a robot and a dog is fun at first, but Sophie has no idea what she is about to encounter. This uplifting story inspires children to believe in themselves and reach for the stars. It provides us all with hope.
Excerpt
The grey school building came into view as Sophie rounded the final bend. Other kids swarmed towards it from all directions, some in small self-driving buses, some on electric scooters of various designs and some on old fashioned pedal bikes. Those who lived further away came by drone, each of which could carry several people. They buzzed in like bees and touched down on the school roof, which had special landing pads and staircases down to the main building. Sophie could have used a driverless bus, but she liked to walk, partly to escape the inane chatter of other children and partly to get fresh air and exercise.
The school corridors were always chaotic. A crowd of kids, most considerably older and taller than Sophie, were running, shouting and making fun of each other. She tried to ignore the mayhem and marched straight to her classroom. There were several groups of children chatting and laughing in their little cliques.
She had been at secondary school a couple of months now and knew she should make more effort to socialise with her new classmates, but they all seemed to know each other so well. She felt like an outsider. When she did talk to the other kids, she often found the conversation boring and childish, although she felt guilty for feeling that way.
On this particular morning, a group of boys were gathered around a screen talking excitedly. Sophie thought she overheard one of them mention Space Command, which grabbed her attention. Space Command was the global space organisation. The main spaceport was in Wales, not too far from where she lived. She had passed it many times and had stared at the grand entrance gates, wondering what it was like inside. On a clear day, dad would shout when he noticed a rocket climbing into the sky, and they watched together from her bedroom window, something she now did on her own.
She decided to approach the group. “Excuse me, what are you all talking about?”
Josh, a skinny boy with hair that flopped over his glasses, appeared surprised by the question, or maybe he was not used to being approached by a girl. “Space Command is looking for a child captain for a space mission,” he responded nervously whilst showing Sophie the advert on his tablet. The Space Command logo at the top of the screen made it look official.
“Young person with leadership qualities wanted to lead a child-only mission into space. Full training provided. Please apply.”
“Even twelve-year-olds can apply,” said Josh.
Sophie gasped. “Child only? They want children to go into space without adults?”
“Yep! It says here – Space Command needs to train and then observe the best young astronauts for a routine mission to learn how kids will cope,” replied Josh before turning back to his friends. “I hope they give us laser cannons! Maybe I could go and find aliens and start an intergalactic war.”
Josh laughed hysterically at his own comment. Sophie raised an eyebrow and backed away from the conversation, but goosebumps were rising all over her arms. Her mind was racing.
The first lesson was English. Mr Galway, a tall, bulky man with a thick beard and glasses, the combination of which left very little of his facial skin showing, was asking questions at the front of the class.
“How do we complete this sentence using the present continuous form of the verb?”
Other children raised their hands. Sophie stared out of the window at the moon, which was still visible in the daylight.
“Sophie?” asked Mr Galway in his deep voice.
Sophie stared at the half-crescent moon and imagined flying close to it in a spaceship with her team of other children. No adults. Would they really trust children in charge of a spaceship?
“Sophie? Earth to Sophie! Come in, Sophie.”
The other children laughed.
Sophie snapped back to the classroom. “Sorry, I was…what was the question?”
Buy Links (including Goodreads)
Grab your e-copy on sale for 99 cents starting July 31 at 8 am PST!
If you enjoy Space Kids – The Journey of Hope, please consider the second book in the series; Space Kids – The Alien Princess. It is available at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C326G52Y
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Author Biography
Best International Author of the Year 2022 - Finalist
N.N. Light Book Awards
Hello! I am the author of the Space Kids series - an inspirational story about four 12-year-olds that find themselves travelling to the stars.
I hope this will inspire children to think positively about overcoming personal challenges and to spark interest in engineering and technology. We need today's children to help us address the global challenges of tomorrow.
I was delighted that Space Kids - The Journey of Hope was selected as winner of Best Middle-grade Book and Best Indie Book at the N.N. Light Book Awards 2022.
Social Media Links
Twitter: @al_the_writer
Website: https://alannettleton.com/