You have to dream.
We all have to dream.

- Christa McAuliffe, Challenger astronaut

Erin Entrada Kelly, author of "Hello, Universe," wins her second Newbery Medal.
The Newbery Medal, established in 1922, is an award given annually to works and authors who have contributed to children's literature.
The Newbery Medal, sometimes called the Nobel Prize of children's books, is the world's oldest children's literature award.
Each year, the Newbery Medal selects one Grand Prize winner and three or four Honor Awards, which are usually equivalent to excellence awards.
In the 100-year history of the Newbery Medal, only 37 authors have won the Grand Prize or Honor Award more than twice.
Of these, only five have won more than two Newbery Medals since the 2000s.
Of those, three authors did not win the Grand Prize, but only received the Honor Award, with Kate DiCamello and Erin Entrada Kelly, author of "Hello, Universe," winning both the Grand Prize and the Honor Award more than once.

Erin Entrada Kelly won the 2018 Newbery Honor Award, and three years later, she won another Newbery Honor for "We Dream of Space."
Erin Entrada Kelly's greatest strength is her ability to create three-dimensional characters in her stories, making readers empathize with them.
Another attractive aspect is that it is structured so that the story can be enjoyed from various angles, allowing the reader to understand the situation and think while reading.

I wonder if there's something I'm good at? Anything.

-From Cash's words

A story that harmonizes big questions about the universe with the realistic concerns of three siblings.
In this book, Mr. Salonga's science class flows throughout the story.
Mr. Salonga teaches the main characters of this book, Bud, Cathy, and Peach, in different classes.
In January 1986, Mr. Salonga's class was a special class on space exploration to coincide with the launch of the Challenger.
The class includes knowledge about space and questions such as why we explore space.

The story of space, a huge topic that may not touch the skin, strangely harmonizes with the real lives of three siblings.
First, Cash is pessimistic about herself, saying that she likes basketball but is not good at it, and that she is not good at anything, having repeated her second year of middle school.
Peach visits the arcade every day as an escape and solace from her daily routine.
There is anger in Peach's heart, ready to explode at any moment.
Peach's twin brother, Bud, is always calm, stable, and a model student.
I dream of becoming the first female spaceship commander and of having a happy and harmonious family.
But I always feel like I'm invisible and people don't care about me.
The daily lives of these three siblings unfold as they become intertwined with stories about space.
Although she likes things, she has no talent for them, so her first child, Cassie, is troubled and lacks motivation.
I can't do anything with confidence because I keep thinking that I'm falling behind others.
Peach resembles many teenagers entering puberty.
I feel irritated by everything around me and dissatisfied with reality.
It's hard to even say why I'm so annoyed.
That doesn't mean I have any desire to do anything.
I just wish you would leave me alone.
So that you can spend your time doing the things you like.
Bird dreams of becoming the first female spaceship commander.
But he is not recognized by his close family.
Although people around me recognize that I am good at studying, I have no friends with whom I can openly share my inner feelings.
He also worries about the fact that he has no presence, like an invisible person.
The appearance of these three siblings has many similarities to our teenagers living today, regardless of time and space.
That is why readers are encouraged to watch closely to see how these three siblings resolve their worries.

I won't say anything.
What difference does it make?
-From Peach's words

A three-dimensional story of three siblings that unfolds over the course of a month in January 1986.
Erin Entrada Kelly's previous work, Hello, Universe, featured intersecting stories of four children.
This time, the stories of the three siblings, Bud, Cassie, and Peach, intersect, each with its own chapter as the main characters.
Each chapter begins with an image of the central character, making it easy to understand.
And this story takes place over a period of one month, from January 1st to February 1st, 1986.
Because the story unfolds from each perspective along with the date, it is fun to understand each other's position and draw it in three dimensions.
In it, readers can see Cash, Peach, and Bird in three dimensions.
This structure also makes us think about whether we may be looking at family in a self-centered way.
For example, on January 13, 1986, Bud is happy to be treated with respect at his friend Danny's house, but Peach is angry because of his behavior at school.
And Cassie is upset that she is falling behind her friends.
It is fun to read the story of these three encountering each other at a crossroads in the house and see what their positions and feelings are in a new light.

Nobody listens to me.

-From Bird's words

Family: The Power to Overcome Psychological Disaster
On the surface, "We Dream of Space" is a story about the teenagers in the Nelson Thomas family.
But behind these children is a story about the parents and family of the three siblings.
The parents of the three siblings appear to be far from being able to run a happy family.
And in the eyes of children, the image of father and mother is full of contradictions.
The parents strictly tell their children not to use bad language, but the couple fights often, and when they do, they swear at each other without hesitation.
Even in places where children can hear, they often use loud noises and swear words.
Also, while the mother talks about gender equality and says that appearance is not important, she forces only diet drinks on Bud, a girl, saying that it is easy to gain weight, and tells the boys that fattening foods are okay.
My father continues to use expressions that subtly reveal gender discrimination.
There are also very few scenes of people eating together.
Rather than doing something together as a family, everyone just revolves around their own orbit, and the house only shows the concept of space.
Perhaps that's why the three siblings, Cassie, Peach, and Bud, are not portrayed as having high self-esteem.
You are easily hurt, lack confidence, are dissatisfied with those around you, or have difficulty getting along with those around you.
Among them, Bird suffers a great setback with the failure of the Challenger launch.
The various problems that had been building up before exploded with the Challenger explosion.
Not only Bud, who suffered a psychological disaster, but also Cash and Peach, suffered great psychological frustration themselves.
Will these three siblings be able to overcome their struggles and frustrations and recover? "We Dream of Space" effectively portrays the role family plays in these teenagers' struggles, frustrations, and recovery.



The book moves elegantly between small but serious problems in middle school and existential questions of cosmic proportions.
Bud, just a "girl from some corner of Delaware," can't help but feel like a speck of dust in the universe.
Thanks to Mr. Salonga, the science teacher featured in this book, we are able to learn a lot about space.
In particular, the character most interested in science in this book is a woman.
…it is a book filled with hard-won, timeless lessons.
- The New York Times

With short chapters that alternate between each character, the author creates unique and original characters.
A vivid and moving portrayal of family dysfunction and children's resilience.
- 〈Honbuk〉

This book does a great job of illustrating how parenting impacts family members.
It is also a tribute to the need for optimism, compassion, and teamwork when individuals and communities face disaster.
- 〈Bookpage.com〉

In this captivating work, the author delves deeply into space exploration and the bond between siblings.
Another wonderful work from an amazingly talented writer.
- 〈Booklist〉

Kelly uses the incredible power of words to reveal the devastating wounds they inflict on each other and their ability to heal in a captivating story of family's enduring bond.
- Publisher's Weekly

Lyrical yet honest writing, relatable characters, and a captivating 1980s setting make this a rich and surprising gift.
- School Library Journal