Rocket Boys (The Coalwood Series #1)

This book is a must read for any aspiring young scientist. High School student Homer Hickum's fascination with rockets leads him on life changing journey to adulthood. Homer grows up in the coal mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. The Coalwood inhabitants take pride in their coal mining and high school football. In Coalwood, you either grow up to become a miner or you go to college on a...more

This book is a must read for any aspiring young scientist. High School student Homer Hickum's fascination with rockets leads him on life changing journey to adulthood. Homer grows up in the coal mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. The Coalwood inhabitants take pride in their coal mining and high school football. In Coalwood, you either grow up to become a miner or you go to college on a football scholorship, and then come back to coal mining. Homer decides he wants to be a rocket scientist. Initially the town of Coalwood openly discourages such flights of fancy. But Homer's enthusiasm and persistance in following his dream eventaully rallies the town behind him. An inspiring true story.   hide

I enjoyed this very much. The movie was pretty close to the book.

Wow ... What a read !! better than the movie "October Sky" ...

Recently read this story and it was a great light story about a group of boys building rockets in a coal mining town during the space race. Really fun story.