Families who loved When Sparks Fly: The True Story of Robert Goddard, Father of US Rocketry by Kristen Fulton often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child feels defeated by a project that didn't work or when they are labeled as a dreamer who needs to get their head out of the clouds. It is a powerful antidote to the fear of failure, showing that even the most world changing inventions began as messy, noisy, and often unsuccessful experiments. The story follows Robert Goddard from a sickly child with a big imagination to the visionary who launched the first liquid fueled rocket, despite being mocked by the media. Parents will appreciate how it validates the trial and error process. It is perfectly pitched for the elementary years, emphasizing that 'sparks' of curiosity require the fuel of persistence to truly take flight. It transforms a history lesson into a masterclass in grit and creative resilience.
