Zero Hour

It's 1957, and the space race hasn't happened yet. The Moon is still a distant dream, and a little boy named Bobby watches his father disappear into a restricted military facility called Buffalo Flats, coming home tired and quiet, hiding something wonderful. When Bobby finally pieces it together a rocket is being built, a real rocket, destined for the Moon his father is part of something historic. The temptation proves irresistible. Bobby sneaks aboard the rocket, hiding in the shadows of machinery that smells like fuel and promise, planning to surprise his father with the ultimate stunt: stowing away on humanity's first lunar journey. But childhood has a way of confronting you with harder choices than adventure. As the countdown approaches, Bobby must weigh the call of the extraordinary against the quiet courage of staying behind for someone who needs him. This is space exploration before it became commonplace, filtered through the wide eyes of a boy who still believes the universe is there for the taking. Perfect for readers who miss that pre-cynical age when rockets were magic and going to the Moon sounded like the most impossible, beautiful thing in the world.