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My Year as a SPACE Cadet
Page Stuart’s perfectly organized life is flipped upside down...again.
Page is in unfamiliar territory as the new kid at school. To make matters worse, Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence (or “SPACE” as it is more commonly known) is no ordinary school. Students there have the dubious distinction of being nicknamed “SPACE cadets.” No, not the astronaut-in-training meaning. Think of the other kind of space cadet—you know, someone who is out of touch with reality.
When a bitter prank war erupts with a rival school, Page and her classmates must ask themselves some difficult questions: Are they more than a nickname? Are they more than just SPACE cadets?
“My Year as a SPACE Cadet” (the follow-up to “Welcome to Camp Fill-in-the-Blank”) explores the importance of standing up for yourself and for others and shows how anybody can become an everyday hero.
Middle-grade school novel
Page is in unfamiliar territory as the new kid at school. To make matters worse, Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence (or “SPACE” as it is more commonly known) is no ordinary school. Students there have the dubious distinction of being nicknamed “SPACE cadets.” No, not the astronaut-in-training meaning. Think of the other kind of space cadet—you know, someone who is out of touch with reality.
When a bitter prank war erupts with a rival school, Page and her classmates must ask themselves some difficult questions: Are they more than a nickname? Are they more than just SPACE cadets?
“My Year as a SPACE Cadet” (the follow-up to “Welcome to Camp Fill-in-the-Blank”) explores the importance of standing up for yourself and for others and shows how anybody can become an everyday hero.
Middle-grade school novel
246 pages, Paperback
Published July 21, 2021
1 person is currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Hope Dalvay
5 books7 followersHope Dalvay has a (not-so-secret) secret: she’s a daydreamer. To her relief, she’s turned her daydreaming habit into a passion for writing. Her works include the middle-grade children’s novels Welcome to Camp Fill-in-the-Blank (2019), My Year as a SPACE Cadet (2021), and Butter Tart Island (2024), as well as the educational picture book The Multiplication Rap (2023), all published by The Acorn Press. A huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, Hope is beyond excited that her short story, “In Search of Kindred Spirits,” is included in The ANNEthology: A Collection of Kindred Spirits Inspired by the Canadian Icon (2024).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 14, 2021
Together, my son and I read and really enjoyed Hope Dalvay’s prequel to “My Year as a SPACE Cadet”. When we found out there was going to be a sequel we were over the moon. We especially loved the quirky characters developed by Hope in her first book and looked forward to seeing them again in the second book of her Page without an ‘i’ series.
This book covers the lead character, Page’s grade 9 school year attending Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence- SPACE. (Hope sure likes her acronyms) I was especially pleased that this story took place during the 2003-04 school year and it recorded an extreme weather year that was unheard of in the maritime’s- yet actually happened. It brought forth conversations with my son of our personal experiences during Hurricane Juan and White Juan, conversations that may have not taken place had we not read this book.
My favourite quote: “The greatest hero of all time is the everyday hero, the one who helps others without expecting anything in return.”
I also loved the references of our Heritage Minute Series. These mentions brought my son & I to the computer to Google the mentioned Heritage Minute prior to the answers being given during the trivia contest against the rival school in the story.
My son’s favourite character was WMD…weapon of mass destruction or does it stand for something else? You’ll have to read Hope’s novel to find out. This book would appeal to anyone who enjoys a good maritime read. It is also a great book for creating conversations and learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.
This book covers the lead character, Page’s grade 9 school year attending Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence- SPACE. (Hope sure likes her acronyms) I was especially pleased that this story took place during the 2003-04 school year and it recorded an extreme weather year that was unheard of in the maritime’s- yet actually happened. It brought forth conversations with my son of our personal experiences during Hurricane Juan and White Juan, conversations that may have not taken place had we not read this book.
My favourite quote: “The greatest hero of all time is the everyday hero, the one who helps others without expecting anything in return.”
I also loved the references of our Heritage Minute Series. These mentions brought my son & I to the computer to Google the mentioned Heritage Minute prior to the answers being given during the trivia contest against the rival school in the story.
My son’s favourite character was WMD…weapon of mass destruction or does it stand for something else? You’ll have to read Hope’s novel to find out. This book would appeal to anyone who enjoys a good maritime read. It is also a great book for creating conversations and learning opportunities in and out of the classroom.
October 28, 2021
Page's adventures in Prince Edward Island continue in this sequel to Camp Fill-In-The-Blank. After having been sent from Saudi Arabia to PEI to stay with family for the summer, Page's parents announced that she would be remaining in Canada to attend school. Page is duly enrolled in the local junior high school (grades 7-9), S.P.A.C.E..
A misunderstanding in the school office - they thought Page was a boy! - means that she finds herself in an all boys class. This is the icing on the cake after she has been completley ignored by the only friend she has in the school, fellow camp counsellor WMD. Not a great start to her school career.
The novel continues as Page learns to navigate her new school and all the challenges of junior high. She finds herself in the centre of a fierce competition with a rival school and has to survive her first Canadian winter to boot. The later made all the more painful due to her winter gear being resurrected from her grandparents attic. It used to be her mother's and is woefully outdated.
Those familiar with Prince Edward Island will, again, enjoy spotting local places, many of which have been cleverly renamed but are still identifible. Alumni of Charlottetown Rural High School of a certain vintage will note with extra pleasure the resurrection of an infamous school within a school.
This is another strong offering by Hope Dalvay that is sure to be enjoyed by the 10-12 year old set and their parents. My grade 6 student (male) has already read it 3 times!
A misunderstanding in the school office - they thought Page was a boy! - means that she finds herself in an all boys class. This is the icing on the cake after she has been completley ignored by the only friend she has in the school, fellow camp counsellor WMD. Not a great start to her school career.
The novel continues as Page learns to navigate her new school and all the challenges of junior high. She finds herself in the centre of a fierce competition with a rival school and has to survive her first Canadian winter to boot. The later made all the more painful due to her winter gear being resurrected from her grandparents attic. It used to be her mother's and is woefully outdated.
Those familiar with Prince Edward Island will, again, enjoy spotting local places, many of which have been cleverly renamed but are still identifible. Alumni of Charlottetown Rural High School of a certain vintage will note with extra pleasure the resurrection of an infamous school within a school.
This is another strong offering by Hope Dalvay that is sure to be enjoyed by the 10-12 year old set and their parents. My grade 6 student (male) has already read it 3 times!
July 12, 2023
Alicia- My Year As A Space Cadet is about a girl named Page coming to a new school in PEI. The school, Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence, or (“SPACE”) as it is more commonly called, is not your average everyday junior highschool. Students there have been nicknamed (“Space Cadets'') meaning someone who’s out of touch with reality, and this takes a little bit of a toll on their self esteem and confidence, that they are smart and good enough. A little bit of a prank war starts with a rival school, and Page and her classmates have to ask themselves, Are they really just SPACE cadets, or are they better than that?
My Year As A Space Cadet was a funny and entertaining read, but I feel like I really messed up getting the second book in the series, there was some “Blank Spaces” In the story when they talked about camp whatcha-ma-call-it, Oh wait, (Camp Fill In The Blank) that made me feel a little confused. This is a great book and I think in all honesty it’s a good one to give a chance, but read (“Camp Fill-In-The-Blank”) First before this one.😉 I rate this book a 4/5 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟
___________
Julia:
This book is a follow up from hope’s other book welcome to camp fill-in-the-blank! This book follows Page as she is in an unfamiliar territory as the new kid at school. To make matters worse, Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence (or “SPACE” as it is more commonly known) is no ordinary school. Students there have the dubious distinction of being nicknamed “SPACE cadets.” No, not the astronaut-in-training meaning. Think of the other kind of space cadet—you know, someone who is out of touch with reality.
When a bitter prank war erupts with a rival school, Page and her classmates must ask themselves some difficult questions: Are they more than a nickname? Are they more than just SPACE cadets?
My Year as a SPACE Cadet explores the importance of standing up for yourself and for others and shows how anybody can become an everyday hero.
This book definitely made me think about kindness and a little action (such as a prank war) can bring big power! I really loved getting to read about all the misadventures page has in junior high at SPACE. My favourite part was when SPACE found out they had won the trivia completion! I recommend this book to anyone looking for a feel good book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
My Year As A Space Cadet was a funny and entertaining read, but I feel like I really messed up getting the second book in the series, there was some “Blank Spaces” In the story when they talked about camp whatcha-ma-call-it, Oh wait, (Camp Fill In The Blank) that made me feel a little confused. This is a great book and I think in all honesty it’s a good one to give a chance, but read (“Camp Fill-In-The-Blank”) First before this one.😉 I rate this book a 4/5 stars🌟🌟🌟🌟
___________
Julia:
This book is a follow up from hope’s other book welcome to camp fill-in-the-blank! This book follows Page as she is in an unfamiliar territory as the new kid at school. To make matters worse, Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence (or “SPACE” as it is more commonly known) is no ordinary school. Students there have the dubious distinction of being nicknamed “SPACE cadets.” No, not the astronaut-in-training meaning. Think of the other kind of space cadet—you know, someone who is out of touch with reality.
When a bitter prank war erupts with a rival school, Page and her classmates must ask themselves some difficult questions: Are they more than a nickname? Are they more than just SPACE cadets?
My Year as a SPACE Cadet explores the importance of standing up for yourself and for others and shows how anybody can become an everyday hero.
This book definitely made me think about kindness and a little action (such as a prank war) can bring big power! I really loved getting to read about all the misadventures page has in junior high at SPACE. My favourite part was when SPACE found out they had won the trivia completion! I recommend this book to anyone looking for a feel good book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
August 20, 2021
So I'm completely biased b/c I loved the first book, and much like the first book this one is chock full of fun quirky adventures, and absolute cringe worthy but hilarious moments. This book has great themes and twists but most of all its like characters that stand out. They are flawed and oh so real, Page's fear of being stuck in places without a toilet nearby is a legit fear I have and vomiting in public is something I think everyone has done at least once. Special shout out to the Bystander poem, made me wish I could also see the story from WMD's viewpoint...maybe next time.
January 8, 2022
“My Year as A Space Cadet” is a wonderful read. Hope Dalvay’s “Welcome to Camp Fill-in-the-Blank” characters leave summer camp behind and take on the challenges of a new school year. Page without an “i” tackles her first Canadian winter and navigates the tricky world of Junior High School. When rivalry breaks out with a neighboring school, Page endeavors to lift her fellow classmates at Shale Pit Academy of Creativity and Excellence above the stigma of being called S.P.A.C.E Cadets.
Page’s school year adventures include participating in a high stakes trivia contest, learning to skate playing in a dodge ball tournament, and deciphering a coded valentine. Diverse and unique secondary characters lend upheaval, humour, and sometimes even support to Page’s adventures. Friendships throughout the story face challenges which help Page, her cousins and classmates learn how to be true friends.
Page approaches Junior High with an awkwardness and sense of humour readers will find endearing. They will enjoy her “fish out of water” experiences as she learns Canadian culture and trivia for the first time after growing up in Saudi Arabia. And most importantly, readers will be reminded that “Anything’s possible of you try.”
Page’s school year adventures include participating in a high stakes trivia contest, learning to skate playing in a dodge ball tournament, and deciphering a coded valentine. Diverse and unique secondary characters lend upheaval, humour, and sometimes even support to Page’s adventures. Friendships throughout the story face challenges which help Page, her cousins and classmates learn how to be true friends.
Page approaches Junior High with an awkwardness and sense of humour readers will find endearing. They will enjoy her “fish out of water” experiences as she learns Canadian culture and trivia for the first time after growing up in Saudi Arabia. And most importantly, readers will be reminded that “Anything’s possible of you try.”
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews