His 1998 memoir Rocket Boys (also published as October Sky) was a New York Times Best Seller and was the basis for the 1999 film October Sky. A family film, I would recommend for ages 8 and up. (born February 19, 1943) is an American author, Vietnam War veteran, and a former NASA engineer who trained the first Japanese astronauts. Life wasn’t always easy and that is portrayed but the positive message of following ones passion is the biggest takeaway. The mine offers many dangers and some injuries and accidents occur but without showing much (a dead body is seen very briefly) mostly just discussed. One of Homer’s friends is seen being beaten by his step-father which leads to the intervention of Homer’s dad. Motherly Advice: October Sky is rated PG so I set my filters to medium which took out language and only left a few minor things. Make sure to watch the credits to see what became of the boys. You can’t blame these boys for wanting a different life Homer’s relationship with his proud and hardened father is key in this story. Throughout the film you are given glimpses of the dreary and laborious life of a coal miner, it paints a dull future full of risk, injury and illness from the mine. Let’s just say if they made a movie about my life I’m not sure what it would be called quite yet but hey, that’s okay, I may be on the brink of something, you never know.right?! The “Rocket Boys” determination is contagious.

After I watch a really good inspirational movie, I find myself all gung-ho and ready to do a gut-check of my own dreams. October Sky is such an inspiring story that it will surely lift your spirits. Determined not to follow in his dad’s (Chris Cooper) coal-blackened footsteps, Homer and his closest buddies began building their own rockets. When the Russian’s launched Sputnik it ignited something in Homer and he saw that as his ticket out of Coalwood. The only kids that got out of the dust filled town received football scholarships to college, the rest accepted the inevitability of working in the coal mine. October Sky is based on the book “Rocket Boys” and tells the true story of Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) in 1957 Coalwood, West Virginia where there was almost no opportunity. 'Sometimes One Dream is bright enough to light up the sky'

John hickam october sky