Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut
Product Description: Born into a family of migrant workers, toiling in the fields by the age of six, Jose M. Hernàndez dreamed of traveling through the night skies on a rocket ship. Hernández didn't speak English till he was 12, and his peers often joined gangs, or skipped school. And yet, by his twenties he was part of an elite team helping develop technology for the early detection of breast cancer. He was turned down by NASA eleven times on his long journey to donning that famous orange space suit. Hernández message of hard work, education, perseverance, of "reaching for the stars," makes this a classic American autobiography.
Special Populations: English Language Learners (ELLs), Migrant Farmworkers
Culture/Community: Mexican / Mexican American
Heritage & History: Hispanic Heritage and History
Themes for Middle Grade/YA: STEM, Big Responsibilities, Family and Friends, Identity, Immigration, Journeys, U.S. History
Genre: Autobiography/Memoir
Audiobook: No
Age Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Center Street
Book Series: Autobiography and Memoir for Young Adults: Hispanic Heritage, Migrant Farmworkers: Books for Middle Grades and Young Adults, Stars, Planets, and Space: Diverse Books for Kids
9781455522804