The Challenger Explosion: Core Events of a Space Tragedy

By John Micklos, Jr.

After pushing back the flight several times, the Challenger Space Shuttle was ready to launch. On January 28, 1986, the shuttle lifted off. Just 73 seconds into the flight, tragedy struck. Without warning, the Challenger exploded in front of stunned spectators, killing everyone on board. Readers will learn what caused this horrible disaster and the lasting effects to NASA and the space program.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: Aug 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781663983251

John Micklos, Jr.

John Micklos, Jr. has written more than 50 children’s books spanning a wide range of ages and genres. His work includes picture books, poetry books, and numerous nonfiction books. Popular titles include One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me! (Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books, 2017), which was chosen for inclusion in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program for multiple years. John’s other top-selling books include 125 True Stories of Amazing Pets (contributor) and 125 Cute Animals (contributor), both published by National Geographic Kids. He also has written dozens of biographies, history books, and social studies books for educational publishers such as Capstone and Cavendish Square. Biographies include Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Amelia Earhart, Alexander Graham Bell, Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali, Sequoyah, Geronimo, and others. History topics include the Revolutionary War (six-book series), Civil War, Challenger tragedy, Gold Rush, Lewis and Clark Expedition, and many others. A resident of Newark, Delaware, John enjoys visiting schools (in person or via Zoom) and conducting writing workshops with students of all ages. His presentations and workshops center on writing poetry, nonfiction, and persuasive pieces, as well as the art of research and revision, to name just a few. Learn more about John’s work at www.JohnMicklosWriter.com.

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