The Space Mission Adventure by Sharon M. Draper Page B

aren’t even up!” Jerome said as he tossed his sleeping bag into the truck.
    â€œI like the morning, mon! It’s like the day smells fresh and new—ready for adventures!” Ziggy twirled around in Rico’s driveway, excitement showing on his face.
    â€œI think that’s your mom’s sweet rolls you smell, Ziggy,” Rico told him. “Nothing better than hot cinnamon rolls on a chilly morning.”
    â€œYou’re right. My mum was up hours ago making these for our trip. They’re still warm.”
    â€œAre you gonna do something weird, like put ketchup on them or something?” Rashawn asked, wrinkling his nose as he climbed into the SUV with Jerome and Rico.
    â€œNot my mum’s sweet rolls, mon! Be sensible!” Ziggy climbed in the back row of seats with the others and gave everyone a roll even before they got to the end of the street. He made sure Rico’s dad had two. “Must keep the driver happy, mon!”
    Mr. Roman thanked Ziggy and drove smoothly down Interstate 75 for several hours. The boys dozed until he stopped at a gas station near Jellico, Tennessee.
    â€œWould you look at that?” Rashawn said as he climbed out of the car and stretched.
    â€œWow!” Jerome echoed.
    â€œThat’s the biggest dinosaur and Ferris wheel I’ve ever seen, mon!” Ziggy said with awe. “And look at that rocket ship!”
    Mr. Roman chuckled. “I think they designed thisplace so kids could stretch their legs and stretch the wallets of grown-ups as well.”
    â€œNow that’s a dinosaur worthy of the Black Dinosaurs club,” Rico said as they walked around the huge green model.
    Mr. Roman snapped a photo of the boys as they mugged with the dinosaur.
    â€œThe dinosaur looks fake,” Rashawn commented as the boys crammed close to see the result, “but we sure look good.”
    â€œI’m going to gas up the car. You guys look around a bit, and we’ll leave after we eat,” Mr. Roman said.
    â€œThat rocket looks pretty realistic,” Jerome said. “Do you think it can really fly?”
    â€œNaw, it’s just a model like the dinosaur. I want to see the real stuff. I wonder what they’ll have at Space Camp,” Rico mused.
    â€œMaybe that’s where the Martian invaders will be hiding,” Ziggy said as he patted the rocket ship. “Maybe disguised as dinosaurs like that one.”
    â€œYou’re always talking about Martians, Ziggy,” Rashawn said with a sigh. “If you’re so sure theyexist, why haven’t you ever seen one?”

    â€œI don’t know, mon! Maybe I have. I told you they use different disguises.” Ziggy looked around, pretending to search for hidden aliens.
    â€œWell, the Ferris wheel over there—maybe the one they flew in on—seems to be broken, so let’s go inside and get something to eat. I’m starved,” Rico said.
    For four hours, the boys played a marathon state license plate bingo game, a noisy and confusing version of I Spy, and sang every camp song they’d ever learned. Finally, the boys looked excitedly out the window at their first glimpse of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. Black and white rockets of various sizes stretched majestically into the sky as if waiting to be launched. Mr. Roman looked relieved as they pulled into the lot.
    â€œWow! And you thought that play rocket in Jellico was cool. Look at all those space vehicles!” Rashawn gaped with wonder. Standing several hundred feet tall, the largest rocket, painted with huge black and white rectangles, loomed boldly before them.
    â€œIs that real, Dad?” Rico asked.
    â€œYes, son. That’s the Saturn Five —the real thing. It was the largest operational launch vehicle ever produced. It’s more than 363 feet high. If you couldstand a football field on its end, the rocket would be taller. That’s the kind of rocket that