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Authors: Hazel Hutchins
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hurried down to his laboratory and come back with something that would measure how high it flew. I knew these things were happening because kids were calling across the field, but I tried not to hear. I tried to concentrate on setting up the rocket exactly as it needed to be set up.
At last everything was ready. I nodded to Seymour to begin the countdown.
âTen, nineâ¦â
His voice was clear and steady on the afternoon air.
âEight, sevenâ¦â
The other kids in our class began to count too.
âSix, fiveâ¦â
More kids were counting.
âFour, threeâ¦â
More and more voices.
âTwoâ¦â
It sounded like the entire school.
âOneâ¦â
I took a single slow, wonderful breath. The entire school was watching, but the truth is I forgot all about them. It felt like just me and the rocket.
âBlastoff!â called Seymour
FSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSâ¦
It must have been the longest second in history. This was a much larger and heavier rocket, and for two complete heartbeats there was a lot of smoke and sound but no upward motion. It just seemed to sit there on the brink, quivering. Oh no! It really was going to fall apart right on the launchpad!
And thenâ¦
Swoooâ¦
oooooâ¦
oooosh!
It was off! It rose into the air smooth and sleek and eager as if it was born to fly. Up and up and upâsure and strong with a glorious rushing sound both powerful and sweet.
âYahoo!â shouted Seymour.
The thrust stage was over and momentum alone was carrying it upward against gravity. I could see it slowing. It was wonderfully high in the air.
âOne, one thousand. Two, one thousand.â
I was counting under my breath. This time it would be five full seconds before the smaller charge would,
I hoped
, pop the nose cone and Iâd find out if the launch was really a success.
âThree, one thousand. Four, one thousand.â
The rocket had reached maximum height. It seemed to hang in the air.
âFive, one thousaâ¦â
And then it happened. A perfect circle of red and white appeared round and full and beautiful against the blue of the sky.
The parachute had opened.
My brave little rocket was returning safely home.
My name is TJ Barnesârocket man.
The books where Seymour found his facts
about inventions:
Brockman, John (editor).
The Greatest Inventions of the Past 2,000 Years
. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.
Caney, Steven.
The Invention Book
. New York: Workman Publishing Co., 1985.
Gardner, Robert.
Experimenting with Inventions
. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990.
Hopper, Meredith.
I for Invention
â
Stories and Facts about Everyday Inventions
. London: Pan Macmillan Childrenâs Books, 1992.
Jones, Charlotte Foltz.
Mistakes that Worked
. New York: Doubleday, 1991.
Platt, Richard.
The Macmillan Visual Timeline of Inventions
. Toronto: Macmillan Canada, 1994.
Vare, Ethlie Ann and Greg Ptacke.
Patently FemaleâStories of Women Inventors and Their Breakthrough Ideas
. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2002.
Wulffson, Don L.
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle
. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1997.
Wulffson, Don L.
Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions
. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2000.
Hazel Hutchins is a prolific, award-winning author for children who knows how to make her readers laugh and cry while keeping them on the edge of their seats. Hazel was captivated by rockets when her son bought a kit at a garage sale when he was ten. He helped her with the technical details for her story. Hazel lives in Canmore, Alberta.
At last everything was ready. I nodded to Seymour to begin the countdown.
âTen, nineâ¦â
His voice was clear and steady on the afternoon air.
âEight, sevenâ¦â
The other kids in our class began to count too.
âSix, fiveâ¦â
More kids were counting.
âFour, threeâ¦â
More and more voices.
âTwoâ¦â
It sounded like the entire school.
âOneâ¦â
I took a single slow, wonderful breath. The entire school was watching, but the truth is I forgot all about them. It felt like just me and the rocket.
âBlastoff!â called Seymour
FSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSâ¦
It must have been the longest second in history. This was a much larger and heavier rocket, and for two complete heartbeats there was a lot of smoke and sound but no upward motion. It just seemed to sit there on the brink, quivering. Oh no! It really was going to fall apart right on the launchpad!
And thenâ¦
Swoooâ¦
oooooâ¦
oooosh!
It was off! It rose into the air smooth and sleek and eager as if it was born to fly. Up and up and upâsure and strong with a glorious rushing sound both powerful and sweet.
âYahoo!â shouted Seymour.
The thrust stage was over and momentum alone was carrying it upward against gravity. I could see it slowing. It was wonderfully high in the air.
âOne, one thousand. Two, one thousand.â
I was counting under my breath. This time it would be five full seconds before the smaller charge would,
I hoped
, pop the nose cone and Iâd find out if the launch was really a success.
âThree, one thousand. Four, one thousand.â
The rocket had reached maximum height. It seemed to hang in the air.
âFive, one thousaâ¦â
And then it happened. A perfect circle of red and white appeared round and full and beautiful against the blue of the sky.
The parachute had opened.
My brave little rocket was returning safely home.
My name is TJ Barnesârocket man.
The books where Seymour found his facts
about inventions:
Brockman, John (editor).
The Greatest Inventions of the Past 2,000 Years
. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000.
Caney, Steven.
The Invention Book
. New York: Workman Publishing Co., 1985.
Gardner, Robert.
Experimenting with Inventions
. New York: Franklin Watts, 1990.
Hopper, Meredith.
I for Invention
â
Stories and Facts about Everyday Inventions
. London: Pan Macmillan Childrenâs Books, 1992.
Jones, Charlotte Foltz.
Mistakes that Worked
. New York: Doubleday, 1991.
Platt, Richard.
The Macmillan Visual Timeline of Inventions
. Toronto: Macmillan Canada, 1994.
Vare, Ethlie Ann and Greg Ptacke.
Patently FemaleâStories of Women Inventors and Their Breakthrough Ideas
. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2002.
Wulffson, Don L.
The Kid Who Invented the Popsicle
. New York: Penguin Putnam, 1997.
Wulffson, Don L.
Toys! Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions
. New York: Henry Holt and Co., 2000.
Hazel Hutchins is a prolific, award-winning author for children who knows how to make her readers laugh and cry while keeping them on the edge of their seats. Hazel was captivated by rockets when her son bought a kit at a garage sale when he was ten. He helped her with the technical details for her story. Hazel lives in Canmore, Alberta.
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