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by Chris Valletta (Author)
100% of Profits are donated to Leadership Development Programs for Students
JD Valletta is thirteen years old, and he knows exactly where he's going: Mars.
While navigating the world of middle school and fitting in, JD designs fuel systems, sketches greenhouse habitats, and writes letters to NASA that go unanswered. His bedroom is a disaster-scattered books, Mars posters, model rockets, and a dream that feels impossibly far away.
But JD isn't doing this alone.
His family believes in him. His friends see him, not as weird, but as different-and that's exactly what makes him extraordinary. When mentors open doors, when burnout threatens to break him, when his dream school says no and self-doubt whispers you don't belong here, JD learns the most important lesson of all:
The journey to impossible dreams isn't about being perfect. It's about refusing to quit.
From forgotten assignments to astronaut training. From being called "the Mars kid" to becoming part of the first Mars mission. From a thirteen-year-old who couldn't sit still to the first human footsteps on another planet.
Mars and the Stars is the story of what happens when faith, friendship, and sheer determination collide with a dream too big to fit inside a tidy bedroom.
To young readers (and older ones who need to be reminded) who:
- Dream of discovery
- Feel like they don't quite fit the mold
- Need to hear that failure isn't the end and faith matters
- Love stories of persistence, perseverance, teamwork, and courage
This is your story.
"Because dreams don't die. They just take longer than you think."
