The Boy Who Touched the Stars / El Nino Que Alcanzo Las Estrellas (Bilingüe)

A heartwarming true story about dreaming big, working hard, and reaching the stars.

Every night as a child, José M. Hernández gazed at the stars from his bedroom window. When he saw astronauts land on the moon on TV, he decided he wanted to go there too. But life wasn’t easy for José. His family were migrant farmworkers from Mexico, constantly moving to follow crops across California, and he didn’t speak English.

With the help of a caring teacher who encouraged his love of learning and convinced his parents to settle in one place, José worked hard, learned English, and pursued his passion for space. He became an electrical engineer, built a family, and never gave up on his dream. Even after NASA rejected his application eleven times, he kept trying—until he was finally accepted and flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to the International Space Station.

With beautiful illustrations by Steven James Petruccio, this bilingual picture book (Spanish/English) introduces children ages 5–9 to space travel and the power of perseverance. José’s inspiring story shows young readers that with determination, education, and hard work, no dream is out of reach.