A funny and heartwarming middle-grade novel about a girl who writes letters to her favorite astronaut as America prepares for the moon landing It’s 1969 and the country is gearing up for men walking on the moon. Ten-year-old Mamie’s class is given an assignment to write letters to the astronauts, and she's the only one who writes to Michael Collins, the astronaut who doesn't get to walk on the moon because he has to stay with the ship. After school ends for the year, Mamie keeps writing to him, taking comfort in telling someone about what's going on with her family. One by one, they leave her thinking that someone else is taking care of her—until she is all alone except for her best friend, Buster. As the launch nears, everyone in the country is on the edge of their seats: Will the mission be successful? But for Mamie, there's even greater turmoil. Does no one stay with the ship anymore?