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Title: October Sky is not a children's book
Review: As a teacher of this book in my high school English class, I think I should point out that October Sky (aka Rocket Boys) is not a children's book by any stretch of the imagination. Its themes include father-son relationships, teenage sexuality, and the manner in which dreams can be made into reality through tough, hard choices. Most 12-year old children are not equipped to really understand this book without adult advice. It is an excellent book for a parent to share with his child but the parent should read it first and be prepared to talk about some of the more difficult aspects of it. This book is very, very different than the feel-good Hollywood movie that was made from it. It is a magnificent text that should be respected as part of the genre that gave us To Kill A Mockingbird and, dare I say it, Huckleberry Finn.
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