Rocket Boys by Homer Hickham Jr, is the story of Homer when he was a young man just getting his start in rocket building. He grew up in the small West Virginian coal mining town of Coalwood. The story is that of Homer Hickham Jr, or Sonny as he is known in the story, and his friends as they band together to make, and shoot off rockets, which in this little town is something very different. The Rocket boys as they are known as in the story face many different challenges in Coalwood. From getting materials, to teaching themselves the math to do what was needed to make their rockets, this was not an easy road. The boys were helped by lots of different people through their difficult journey. Sonny's family situation isn't exactly what you would call the perfect all American family. His father is obsessed with his job at the mine and his mother hates the mine and everything about it with a passion. In the end the boys end up winning the science fair and the county and state levels and go on to win the national science in propulsion. After Sonny leaves Coalwood he goes onto collage to become an engineer. After getting his degree he served his country by going to war in Vietnam. After he returned to the states he went to work with NASA designing and building rockets, his dream job.