High school freshman Elaine Shiver, having witnessed her mother Mildred\'s life of domestic oppression, resists the accepted standards forced upon women in the 1960s.
Elaine\'s collaboration with Jimmy provides a lesson for us all proving her conviction that men and women can successfully work together towards a common goal.. plus a special plot twist. . .
Bartlett presents the young reader with a story of imagination and adventure, rivalry, and confrontation .
Sheffler, an overbearing, very traditional teacher, who are both convinced that a woman\'s place is in the home.
Will his efforts lead to a tragic end? As Elaine offers continued help and encouragement to her young friend, she must overcome criticism of her own ambitions by her mother and Mr.
By embarrassing Jimmy through a failed mission, he hopes to shift Terri\'s affection to himself.
Even to the point of causing physical harm.
His plan is to derail the proposed launch of Bartlett at whatever cost.
Drabek is determined to undermine Jimmy in the eyes of his sweetheart Terri Lloyd.
Jimmy\'s project is beset from the beginning by the treachery of his rival, Dennis Drabek, the class bully.
But how will they manage to achieve it? And who will be the astronaut? An unlikely candidate emerges: a field mouse named Bartlett.
Elaine and Jimmy join in a project to launch an astronaut into the sky on a unique rocket ship.
Shepard\'s historic flight into space in early 1961.
A turning point occurs with astronaut Alan B. space program.
Through a series of events, Elaine finds herself assisting Jimmy Dixon, a middle school-aged neighbor, as he struggles to complete a class essay contest based upon the U.
S.
She dreams of becoming an astronomer, exploring the planets and stars, even traveling in space someday.
The launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union changes Elaine\'s life forever.
She wants to walk a different path.
High school freshman Elaine Shiver, having witnessed her mother Mildred\'s life of domestic oppression, resists the accepted standards forced upon women in the 1960s
