Astrotwins -- Project Blastoff

Astrotwins #1

by Mark Kelly, Mark Kelly

A team of middle schoolers prepares for blastoff in this adventure from the author of the New York Times bestselling Mousetronaut , based on the childhoods of real-life astronauts Mark Kelly and his twin brother Scott.

It’s a long, hot summer and Scott and Mark are in big trouble for taking apart (aka destroying) their dad’s calculator. As a punishment, they’re sent to their grandfather’s house, where there’s no TV and they have to do chores. And Grandpa is less tolerant of the twins’ constant bickering. “Why don’t you two work together on something constructive. What if you built a go-kart or something?” Grandpa suggests.

But it’s not a go-kart the twins are interested in. They want to build a rocket. With the help of Jenny, nicknamed Egg, and a crew of can-do kids, they set out to build a real rocket that will blast off and orbit the Earth. The question soon becomes: which twin will get to be the astronaut?

Written by a NASA astronaut with four space flights under his belt, this exciting story includes extensive back matter on the space program with fantastic facts and details.

Genres: Science Fiction, Childrens, Middle Grade, Space, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2014

About the author

Mark has been a management consultant and executive coach for over twenty years. He holds a BA from Wake Forest University and a MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a partner with Raleigh Consulting Group.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Astrotwins is a cute book. Mark and Scott are adventurous twins who love to take things apart and put them back together. Their grandfather suggests they spend their summer working on a project. The twins and their friend Jenny ("Egg") decide to make a spaceship for Jenny's next science fair project.

There are many things I love about Astrotwins. It's science heavy, which is cool, and it is presented in a way that educates the reader. There's also a lot of information on astronauts and the space program. Astrotwins is set somewhere around 1974 (I think), and the women and girls are strong, capable characters. I also love that anything is possible if you set your mind to it.

That being said, I did find issue with the lack of incredulity and excitement over accomplishing the impossible. I have no problems suspending my disbelief of kids being able to build a spaceship and launch into orbit. I'm a big fan of the movie Explorers. I do, however, think building a functioning spacecraft would be a huge deal. I want my kids to believe they can do the impossible, but I also want them to understand and acknowledge their accomplishments. I want them to be excited when they reach their goals. Intrinsic rewards, for the win. There was an emotional disconnect for me, and it made it hard for me to celebrate the impossible the way I did while watching Explorers (or Space Camp! I loved that movie, too.)

Despite the emotional disconnect, I did enjoy reading Astrotwins. I'm adding it to my kids' bookcase because I think they will enjoy reading it, as well.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Fast-moving story, exciting in parts. Found it really hard to suspend disbelief in the second half, especially since it's realistic fiction. Lots of STEM information -- would be good to suggest kids who are not fiction fans generally but really into science. The teaching that happens in the book, though, has no subtlety.

[Eme87 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark and Scott Kelly are twins who are a lot alike. They are curious and like to take everything apart to figure out how it works and try to put it together again. The problem is... they can't always get it together before Mom and Dad find out. When that happens-trouble. This also causes them to get into fights and destruction usually follows. After the most serious case of taking apart Dad's calculator and destroying it, they are sent to visit grandpa for awhile who can keep them busy and out of trouble by all the chores on a farm. Even at Grandpa's though trouble follows. Grandpa's suggestion of working together instead of fighting intrigues the twins and makes them think of something they can do together.
As all this is happening, one thing the boys have an interest in is the NASA space program and going in to space. While at Grandpa's they meet a girl named Jenny- or Egg as they call her- who is also fascinated by space. They realize that the best thing they can think of would be to go into space and determine they are going to build a Mercury spaceship just like NASA. But how to do that? As they start to research and build they meet new friends who help them figure out all the math and science needed to build and launch a space craft. Who knew they had to know so much math?! Maybe if they really want to be astronauts they should pay more attention in school. Egg decides to enter their project in the school science fair but only if they can actually get into space. Mark and Scott together go through building a spaceship and trying to figure out which kid gets to go in space. They go to a theme park and plan a launch site. Some one gets really hurt and may not be able to go to space. Who gets chosen?
Written by an actual twin AND astronaut, "Astrotwins: Project Blastoff" by Mark Kelly delves into building friendships, science, math, and sticking with something even when you feel like giving up. Highly recommend.

[Rochelle Sondae · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating is meant for the editors out there if there are still any in the business. I was frustrated by the format of this book. It was billed as "juvenile fiction" for "ages 8-12" yet I found it to be written from an adults perspective rather than from the characters point of view making it somewhat disjointed. If it were written by one of our local authors I would have strongly advised them to read more books for 8-12 year olds and then rewrite their manuscript. I would have aimed for a read aloud for 4 - 8 year olds with this book further down in the series once those initial kids are a bit older and have been introduced to a few of the physics concepts in books between the first one and this one. There was just too much that happened within the 224 pages during the course of one summer for me, in good faith, to recommend this to any of our customers. It could work as a read aloud for a slightly younger child. I do not see a 12 year old enjoying this unless they are new to astronautics and aerospace and want a fictional account with a few technical terms woven in to help introduce them to attitude, gravity and engineering. That said I have not read Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story or Mousetronaut Goes to Mars which are very popular. If those titles lasted on our shelves longer than a week I might get a chance to read them and maybe, just maybe, they are the 4-8 year old read alouds that I was left pining for.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by retired astronaut Mark Kelley, and co-authored by Martha Freeman, Astrotwins: Project Blastoff tells a suspenseful tale of boisterous twins Mark and Scott based on a true fact: they are the only twins who have ever orbited outer space. Back in June of 1975, they are delighted to enjoy their summer off, with lots of free time. In no time the inquisitive boys get in trouble when they ruin a calculator "pricey in those days" and can't fix it. Their busy parents realize they need more supervision and send them to Grandpa's house, where there isn't even a TV. Resourceful Grandpa relishes their energy and to avoid bickering, tells them to make a project together. At this time in history the space race excited the nation, and Mark and Scott. They secretly decide to build a rocket, with the help of Egg (Jenny a brilliant daughter of a friend of Grandpa's) and a few other friends with a variety of expertise, math, computer, etc. They soon realize they have to keep it a secret and collaborate to pull off the mission. There is lots of scientific information shared with the reader, explained clearly these sophisticated concepts are introduced and also explained in the glossary. Readers who love a good adventure story and are interested in outer space will learn much along the way. Reading Mark Kelley's book as his brother Scott Kelly is in space will inspire a new generation fascinated with space and maybe a few future astronauts.

[Josie B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parts of this book reminded me of one of my all time favorite Robert Heinlein books, Have Space Suit Will Travel, in which a lone protagonist refurbishes a apace suit and gets caught up in a space adventure. I liked that in Kelly's tale it more realistically takes a team to build and launch a spaceship. Bonus awarded that the time period it was set in coincided with my own childhood. As an adult I found Kelly's writing style too simple and didactic at times. But I think it will ultimately encourage middle graders to pursue science and engineering. Or at least to disassemble a calculator.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up in New Jersey, this book made me nostalgic for simpler times, when children weren't programmed every minute of every day and a kidnapper wasn't lurking behind every shrub. And school starting in mid-September!!!

I am sure the fact that the Kelly twins were left to their own devices for so much of the summer will appeal to today's kids, and they might skim over some of the science. I hope they don't. Because this is the first time I have ever had someone explain Newton's laws to me in a way I could truly comprehend.

[Cindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing book. We had previously read the Mushroom Planet book which is great as well. I give it a solid five stars because of the physics it teaches, the creativity, the collaboration. After it got past the initial planning stages, there was a lot left out. I think this is good for kids who don't want all of the details. I think a second version would be great as well with more details about the science and the building of the rocket. My son gave it four stars because he's one of those who would have loved more info.

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I loved the Mousetronaut books, the writing here is bland and formulaic. Perhaps it is the co-writer's fault, but I yawned and skipped to the end. Let these kids wait a few years and read Robert A. Heinlein's Rocketship Galileo instead.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aspects of the book that I enjoyed: the relationship between brothers Scott and Mark Kelly, each having his own strengths and weaknesses but working together to achieve their goal; the strong female characters, who are good at math and science; and the idea that kids could actually pull off building and successfully launching a rocket! I found it baffling, however, that the grandfather in the story (early on introduced as Joe McAvoy, the father of the twins' mother) was subsequently twice referred to as "Mr. Kelly." Still, a fun read for kids.

[Dotty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun adventure with lots of science and math mixed in. As someone who grew up in the era I enjoyed the setting. The twins make cool characters and the friends round out a nice "gang." I would have liked a bit more at the end, maybe more about the flight or the results when Scott splashed down. Easy sell for middle grade readers.

[Kristi Bell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book was written "very juvenile", I got lost in the scientific terms. I am not a science person so that may have skewed my point of view. I found myself bored and struggling to get through it. This may appeal to 4-6th grade boys who like space.

Language: none
Adult situations: none

[Michelle Wilkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The vocabulary is a little advanced, even for an adult, but Mark Kelly offers a glossary at the back to help. Regardless of that, "Astrotwins-Project Blastoff" is such a great story about friendship and teamwork. I loved the building story of the two twins and their love for adventure. Also, I did not see the ending coming at all! This was a great book.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent candidate for the next MHL list! Written by retired astronaut, Mark Kelly - whose brother Scott is currently an astronaut - this sci-fi, adventure is made almost believable.
Physics, Math, Space Science, Engineering, Computer Science, and most importantly, Collaboration are all part of this fast moving story of summer adventure like no other!

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Build A Rocket Ship

So remember on the news it said how Scott Kelly came back to Earth? This is a book written by his twin, Mark Kelly where Scott and Mark Kelly as middle schoolers are going to build a rocket ship and fly it far away.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the historical perspective and all the math & science terms, but the book moved too slowly for my taste. I also had a huge problem suspending my beliefs for the second portion of the book when I felt like the entire story up to that point had been realistic fiction.

[Brenda Kahn]

Reviewing for SLJ

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book and enjoyable for "big" kids of the space era, however there is a lot of science and math that makes it unreadable for the average person. Math and science geeks will love it!

[Andréa]

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher.

[A.mickey44gmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the science content. Would be so fun to use in the classroom!

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for kids who enjoy nonfiction but need a fiction book. This book is filled with interesting facts (math, science and history) and just a hint of fantasy mixed in.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dream big fun. Great book for kids and adults alike.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book Loved how it showed the importance of working as a team. Some of the language used in the book will be over some kids head, but this book does contain a glossary in the back.

[Nickie Coby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun way to introduce kids to the wonder of space exploration and the science behind it! As someone who never took physics, I found this book extremely helpful to my understanding of the science.

[Car · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked it. it was good

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son loved it, and I enjoyed reading it with him

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked a lot because they built a spacecraft that really worked and they were very happy!🚀

[Jacks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very exciting and fun; definitely a recommendation.

[Ben Guzal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astrotwins: Project Blastoff by Mark Kelly is a book telling the fictional story of two kids, Mark and Scott Kelly, who aspire to build a rocket ship. The original plan was to build a rocket ship on their own, just the two of them, nobody else. That idea soon begins to fade when the two brothers meet a girl named Egg. They invite Egg to help them with their project and Egg agrees. They start off at the “Dreaded Library” where they meet Howard and begin learning physics, this was not exactly Mark or Scott’s favorite part of the project. When the studying was over, they began work on the rocket ship. Throughout the project, they gained a few more hands this included Barry, Mark and Scott’s best friend, and Lisa, Howard’s sister. After working all summer, the rocket ship was finished, and through a little competition they knew who would be the astronaut. After a long summer of work, it was finally time to launch. This book does a great job of showing readers how you should never give up on something that you are passionate about. Mark Kelly adds in those tiny little events that make this book so exciting and so interesting. Readers who enjoyed reading books like The Wild Robot are sure to like Astrotwins: Project Blastoff because they both have a very intriguing storyline.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark and Scott Kelly, twins, encounter Jenny (Egg), Howard, Barry, and Lisa who all decide to build a space capsule to send a kid into space. They work at the twins’ grandfather’s place and try to keep their project a secret for as long as possible. Can they achieve their goal? Find out in this exciting first book of the series!