Characters
Who is the main character and narrator of October Sky?
Homer Hickham
Which teacher encourages Sonny to pursue rocketry?
Miss Riley
What inspires Sonny to build rockets?
Seeing Sputnik in the night sky
In what state is the town of Coalwood located?
West Virginia
What does Miss Riley give Sonny that helps him with rocketry?
a book on rocketry and propulsion
What was the name of the book that inspired the movie "October Sky"?
October Sky
What is Sonny's father's job?
Superintendent of the coal mine
What is the first type of fuel the boys use in their rockets?
What happens to the first rocket the boys launch?
It explodes in Sonny's mother's rose garden.
What is the primary industry in Coalwood?
coal mining
What does Homer's father want him to do instead of building rockets?
work in the coal mine
What fun fact can you discover by rearranging the letters in "October Sky"?
Rocket Boys
Who is Sonny's best friend and the first member to join the Rocket Boys?
Quentin Wilson
What crucial element does Sonny's team add to their rockets to improve performance?
fuel
Where does Sonny's rocket land that gets him in trouble with his dad?
At the mine
What physical challenge does Homer Hickam Sr. face to his job?
black lung disease
What does the Rocket Boys' success symbolize?
the power of preserverence and chasing dreams
What is Quentin's favorite word?
What is the name of Sonny's mother?
Elsie Hickham
Where do the Rocket Boys get the metal for their rocket nozzles?
the machine shop at the mine
What is the name of the competition that Homer and the Rocket Boys enter?
What happens to Coalwood after the events of the book?
It eventually becomes a ghost town after the mine closes.
What is the significance of the last rocket the boys launch?
It represents Homer's farewell to Coalwood OR the support of his father.
What does the book's original title, Rocket Boys, symbolize?
Sonny and his friends' journey from small-town kidss to aspiring scientists