CHAPTER 1THE GREAT ROCKET CHALLENGEThe science class was abuzz with brainstorming the best ways to build a paper rocket.Kids sat in pairs on the floor, on desks, evenout in the hall, as they worked together ontheir rockets. Ms. Wilson, the science teacher,went from group to group checking on theirprogress."How do we launch the rocket into the air?"Asha asked her best friend Baz. "We need therocket to launch out . . . not up." Baz chewedon his lip as he always did when he was tryingto sort out a problem."Any questions?" Ms. Wilson asked Ashaand Baz when she popped by their spot in thecorner of the room. All the kids thought Ms.Wilson was the best teacher in the schoolbecause she came up with fun class projects."No questions. We're good." Asha repliedquickly.Baz felt uncomfortable being put on thespot. He just stayed quiet and tried to blend inwith the wall.The Great Rocket Challenge was a projectand a competition. The teams had to make apaper rocket fly the farthest. However, thechallenge was that they could only pick theirrocket supplies from eight items:* white computer paper,* tape,* scissors,* paper straws,* glue,* pencils,* cardboard rolls, and* markers.The team with the rocket that flew thefarthest would meet Chris Hadfield, theCanadian astronaut, at the school assembly!Asha and Baz wanted their rocket to be theone that flew the farthest. They wanted to winthe rocket competition."Ours is going to be better than yours!"bragged the team nearest to Asha and Baz."Pfft . . . not possible! Do you have Baz onyour team? No, you don't," Asha shot back.Everyone knew Baz was the smartest kid inscience class. He was amazing in math andproblem solving. Asha, on the other hand, wascreative and curious. She was definitely themost outgoing in the class.Asha and Baz were best friends and alwayspicked each other for partners. They even hada plan to be partners when they grew up. Bazwould be an animal biologist and Asha wouldbe a teacher. They would travel the worldtogether teaching people about saving animals.Asha and Baz looked around the class. Someteams were using the cardboard rolls as rocketbodies."Too heavy," said Baz.Other teams were using glue to attach paperstraws together."Too messy," said Asha.A few teams were making paper airplanes."Not even rockets!" Baz whispered.Asha and Baz brainstormed a different wayto build a rocket. They decided to make a lightyet solid rocket using only three items forconstruction: paper, a pencil, and tape.They cut a rectangle of paper to be therocket body. They rolled the paper snuglyaround the pencil and taped it to itself. Then,they folded over the top of the paper to makea rocket nose cone. Finally, they cut three smalltriangles to attach to the bottom as rocket fins.Carefully, they slid the paper rocket off of thepencil. Success. It looked like a real rocket!Launching the rocket was their roadblock."What if we connected the bottom of therocket to the top of my water bottle and thensquirted water through it?" Baz suggested."The water would create energy to blast therocket.""Wouldn't the water soak the paper?" Ashawondered."True," said Baz."Wet paper can't fly," said Asha. "Plus, waterisn't on the supply list anyway."Baz looked stressed."Keep thinking," Asha encouraged.Baz looked around at the teams and chewedon his lip. Some were already testing theirrockets. "We are falling behind," said Baz."We'll figure it out. Don't worry," Asha said,trying to boost his spirits."Start cleaning up. It's time for lunch,"Ms. Wilson said cheerfully. "After recess youcan continue working on your rockets."Asha and Baz cleaned up the rocket supplies."Since it is so nice out," Ms. Wilson announced,"you can have lunch outside."The kids clapped all at once. Lunch outsidewas a treat. Ms. Wilson really was the bestteacher!The bell rang out and everyone went outside.Groups of kids sat together on the playgroundeating, talking, and playing.Asha and Baz headed to the edge of theplayground, where the grass turned into sand."So how do we get our rocket to launch?"Asha asked as she plopped on the ground andtook out her thermos and fork. She quickly duginto her delicious curry, enjoying every bite."Let's talk out the problem," Baz suggested.He loved planning. Baz sat next to Asha andbegan munching on his plain cheese and buttersandwich with the crusts cut off. "We needour rocket to go the farthest. For it to fly, weneed energy. Something to push it across theclassroom," Baz said in between bites."And water can't do that," said Asha pointingher fork in the air."Right. We need to use something on thesupply list. But also something that won't breakthe rocket," said Baz."Correct," Asha replied, then swallowed.They finished their lunches and wiped theirmouths with the backs of their hands. Theyput their containers back in their lunch bagsand put their lunch bags on the grass.Just then, Asha noticed an extraordinarystick lying in between the sand and grass. Itwasn't rough and covered in bark like all theother sticks in the schoolyard. This stick lookedas if it had been polished by someone. It wasas long as the length between Asha's wrist andelbow. The wood was a dark chocolate brownat one end that flowed into a warm honeyyellow at the opposite tip. This unusual pieceof wood also had an interesting bend to it.Asha and Baz were both drawn to the odd stick."Wow, look at this!" Asha declared pickingit up."Can I hold it?" Baz asked."Just a minute," Asha replied holding up herhand like a stop sign. "I know just what to dowith this stick . . . let me draw our rocket."Asha bent down to the sand and drew theoutline of their rocket. First a nose cone atthe top, then a body tube in the middle. Finally,she drew three rocket fins at the bottom."Get in!" Asha invited Baz.Asha and Baz stepped into the rocket ship.Asha touched the stick to the sand as if shewere pressing a button. "Blast off!" she yelled.In that exact moment, the south wind blewsand into a gentle tornado around them. Ashaand Baz were transported through space andtime."What was that?!" Baz exclaimed as the minitornado died out."Magic?" Asha guessed."On second thought, never mind," Baz saidtaking a few steps back in fear. "I don't wantto hold the stick after all.""Look," Asha said pointing down to thesand. "The rocket is gone."The rocket ship drawing had disappearedwith the tornado, and written in its place wasa name and a year:MARY SHERMAN MORGAN. 1957. Excerpted from Asha and Baz Meet Mary Sherman Morgan by Caroline Fernandez All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
