Rocket Boys Review

Title of the Book: Rocket Boys
Author: Homer Hickam
Number of Pages: 388
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆  

Review:

Homer Hickam’s Rocket Boys begins in a small coal mining town in West Virginia, where a bright young boy feels hopeless and doomed to a life working in the coal mines.  This young boy, is none other than Homer Hickam himself.  Hickam describes his own experience as a high schooler growing up in Coalwood, West Virginia, and how his passion for rocket building brought a new sense of hope to himself, and to the rest of the town.  When the book opens, Hickam tells us that the only kids who manage to make it out of Coalwood, are a few lucky ones who get football scholarships.  Homer’s brother Jim, is one of those lucky ones, and his parents couldn’t be more proud.  Homer, however, is not very athletic and has often struggled to fit into the mold that his father has created for him.  He is more interested in space and the world outside Coalwood, while his father would like him to be excited about following in his footsteps at the mine.  Hickam tells the story of how he and a group of his friends (the Rocket Boys) were able to use math and science to build rockets and find their way out of Coalwood.  

Rocket Boys is a true example of the American Dream in action.  Homer Hickam tells us an inspiring story of how he worked hard and beat the odds in order to make a better life for himself.  At times, Rocket Boys can be tragic and emotional, but overall it is one of the most beautiful and uplifting books I’ve ever read.  You can’t read Rocket Boys without feeling a sense of inspiration.  Hickam does a brilliant job of illustrating life in Coalwood so you can really imagine what it would be like to life there.  His voice is fun and witty, while also finding times to be powerful and emotional.  There were many times when I laughed out loud as Hickam told stories such as blowing up his parents fence on their first rocket attempt.  But for all the times I laughed, there were times when I found myself tearing up as characters were lost to accidents in the mines, and Homer struggled to overcome different obstacles.  

There is no way you could read this book without finding yourself caring deeply some of the characters.  Even if you can’t relate to a love of rockets or science, many people can relate to the idea of wanting to create their own path and be their own person despite what their parents or anyone else might think.  Homer’s struggles to make his father understand him, throughout the story, is something that I could really relate to as a teenager.  Hickam does a great job of creating very dynamic characters who each have many flaws which humanize them.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of the people who had an impact on Homer Hickam as he grew up in Coalwood.

Rocket Boys is also a great read for any history buffs out there because it gives an interesting perspective on the Great American Space Race.  We often learn about the space race from the perspectives of politicians and scientists that worked to beat the Russians.  Rocket Boys allows us to see how this era was perceived by the more common folk in a small American town.  The Russian’s launching of the famous first ever satellite, Sputnik, is the first thing that inspires Homer to start building rockets at the beginning of the story.  

Overall, Rocket Boys is an inspiring and uplifting story that anyone would enjoy.  It highlights the beauty of the American Dream and the importance of education as a gateway to a better life.  I think that every high school student should read Rocket Boys because 21st century high schoolers often become apathetic about learning, and reading this book has given me a new appreciation for the importance of education.