Charles Early and Sarah Endres of the Goddard Space Flight Center Library helped with research into television coverage.
Randall Brooks, curator of the physical sciences and space at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, shared his recollections of watching the early space flights in junior high school.
Smith Wells, a truck driver and my brother-in-law, explained the workings of transport trucks, then corrected my many mistakes about air horns and air brakes and Jake brakes.
Deputy Kroger of the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office explained the procedure for the investigation of accidental deaths.
David Dodge, astronomer at the H. R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver, BC, and NBC reporter Jay Barbery pointed out errors in my accounts of the Mercury and Gemini space missions.
Veterinarians Thomas Uhlig and Patricia Leather of Gabriola Island explained the treatment and care of runaway dogs, and the problems of puppies at high altitude.
Scott Grissom talked to me briefly about his father, Gus Grissom. I hope he’s pleased with the story.
David Froom of Island Septic Services of Gabriola Island explained the job of a septic-pumping man, and made it sound so exotic that it changed this story.
Finally, I’d like to thank those who read the manuscript along its way and made it so much better: Bruce Wishart, Kristin Miller, Raymond Lawrence, and especially Françoise Bui, and all the others at Random House.
OTHER YEARLING BOOKS
YOU WILL ENJOY
THE WRECKERS
Iain Lawrence
THE SMUGGLERS
Iain Lawrence
THE BUCCANEERS
Iain Lawrence
FISH
L. S. Matthews
THE VICTORY GARDEN
Lee Kochenderfer
THE SHADOWS OF GHADAMES
Joëlle Stolz
COME, LLAMAS
Jennifer Morris
DANCING IN THE STREETS OF BROOKLYN
April Lurie
VINCENT VAN GOGH: PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST
Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
Kimberly Willis Holt
Published by Yearling, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books a division of Random House, Inc., New York
This is a work of fiction. All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical and public figures, are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical or public figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2006 by Iain Lawrence
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law. For information address Delacorte Press.
Yearling and the jumping horse design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
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The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition of this work as follows:
Lawrence, Iain.
Gemini summer / Iain Lawrence.
p. cm.
Summary: In 1965, Danny’s grief over the death of his older brother Beau is eased when a stray puppy adopts him, but he soon realizes that Beau is somehow in the dog, and sets out to make his brother’s dream of seeing a rocket launch at Cape Kennedy come true.
[1. Brothers—Fiction. 2. Dogs—Fiction. 3. Death—Fiction. 4. Family life—Fiction. 5. Project Gemini (U.S.)—Fiction. 6. Grissom, Virgil I.—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.L43545Gem 2006
[Fic]—dc22
2006001801
Reprinted by arrangement with Delacorte Press
Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.
eISBN: 978-0-375-89215-8
v3.0