If you want to step into fall with a couple of adventurous books, look no further than these two right here: October Sky and My Father’s Dragon. First, of all, why not read a book IN October that has the word October in the title? Seems only fitting, right?
October Sky
October Sky takes you back to 1957, when the year of the Sputnik raced across the Appalachian sky, and the small town of Coalwood, West Virginia, was slowly dying.
The townsfolk were literally dying in the mines. Others were moving away to more prominent areas where they could work and not risk their lives every day. Homer Hickam is the main character in the book and he decides to foster a dream: rockets. He knows his future is uncertain.
Homer isn’t just an ordinary kid. He is also the son of the mine’s superintendent. His mother, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to see Homer leave the city of Coalwood forever and pursue his passion. During this time, Homer creates a circle of friends that rally around each other in the hope of making dreams come true.
Together, they gather scraps of metal and turn them into, not just rockets, but rockets that can fly! It’s an invention that takes the city of Coalwood by surprise. And some aren’t happy about it. You’ll need to read this book and follow along with the adventures of Homer, Johnny, Roy Lee, Sherman, and the others to find out more…
My Father’s Dragon
If you have a child around the ages of 6-11 you will want to pick up this book and read it with them! I loved reading this book to my son and he loved it, too. There are adventures around every corner. This book is told in 3rd person from the perspective of a young boy who is talking about his father, Elmer Elevator, as a young boy. First of all, isn’t that name alone just interesting?
Elmer happens upon a cat one day while walking home and the cat asks if he can come home with Elmer. Well, that didn’t set well with Elmer’s mother. So, Elmer decides to run away. He stows away on a ship headed for the mysterious “Wild Island.”
The cat knows a thing or two about Wild Island” where there are exotic creatures-- no one dares come across. However, there is one very special and kind creature--a dragon. Elmer wants to help this dragon but he has no idea how? He finds a way, alright. Even if it involves lollipops, chewing gum, and lots of rubber bands.
You need to read this book to find out HOW Elmer rescues this kind-hearted dragon. HOW Elmer manages to avoid getting gobbled up by the other creatures and still make it safely back home!
