I did something at the recent Dragon*con that I have never done before, and that was to attend a Space Track panel. Why did I leave the world of Tusken Raiders and Kowakian monkey lizards for this? Well, Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta have teamed with the Challenger Centers to create a new trilogy of books for young adults.
And I—as an avid reader and proponent of education—wanted to learn more. I realize it’s terribly geeky of me, but encouraging kids to read is important. Not only that, but getting them to LEARN in the process is even better.
So, here is how the books came to be: in 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger met an untimely end, and the “Teacher in Space” program was cancelled. This program was to have encouraged interest in science, math, and space exploration. In the spirit of this program, the family members of the crew joined forces and founded the Challenger Centers.
The Challenger Centers turned the tragedy into something positive. At any of the fifty Centers, students experience simulated space missions and educational programs. June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Commander Dick Scobee, spoke at the Dragon*con panel about her desire to teach the next generation engineering, science, and mathematics and thought books created for young adults might be a good way to accomplish that.
That goal led to a collaboration involving authors Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta. I had the opportunity to ask Anderson a few questions about the books, so I wanted to know what the best part of working on the series was for him. He replied:
“The support we’ve gotten from the space community, and all kinds of major celebrities, has been amazing. Receiving sincere testimonials from Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Sally Ride, Leonard Nimoy, and Neil deGrasse Tyson has been unbelievable. This could be one of the most important things we’ve done in our careers, and we’re glad we could help.”
Many of us remember that terrible day when the shuttle explosion occurred. We all watched it on TV and on the news rebroadcasts. When asked to recall his activities on that day, Anderson replied that “I was working at a large government research lab, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, just driving into work, listening to the radio. . . . Everybody in the facility was dazed, gathering around radios and TVs.”
The Star Challengers series is about a group of students chosen to travel to the future and visit a moonbase. Lessons in math and science are sprinkled throughout the story so that readers “accidentally” learn concepts they may otherwise find dull, particularly if taught in a typical classroom setting. The idea is that, as the main characters learn scientific concepts, young readers are learning as well.
Anderson’s favorite character is JJ, “someone who really reflects the charm and drive of June Scobee Rodgers,” he says.
The first book in the series, Moonbase Crisis, will be released in October. The second is scheduled for January 2011, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. The third book should be out in May, and additional books may follow.