| Space Station Seventh Grade | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Jerry Spinelli |
| Country | United States of America |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Little, Brown |
| Publication date | October 1982 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 232 pp |
| ISBN | 0-316-80709-5 |
| OCLC Number | 8590245 |
| LC Classification | PZ7.S75663 Sp 1982 |
| Followed by | Jason and Marceline |
Space Station Seventh Grade is a young adult novel by Jerry Spinelli, published in 1982; it was his debut novel. It was inspired by an odd event when one of his six children ate some fried chicken that he had been saving for the next day.
Seventh-grader Jason Herkimer narrates the events of his year, from school, hair, and pimples, to mothers, little brothers, and a girl. It is a story about being true to yourself and the nostalgic recollection of adolescent years.
Spinelli wrote about the same characters in Jason and Marceline (1986).
Jason - Main character, narrated from his point of view. Ate a dust-covered donut and he loves science. He is making a space station throughout the novel which will be a self-sustaining environment. He thinks about Pioneer a lot. 100-pound linebacker on the football team. He collects dinosaurs. He feels bad about possibly killing a raccoon.
Richie Bell - Jason's best friend, another 7th grader. Leader of the group which consists of Jason, Calvin, Peter, and Dugan. Gets peed on by a 9th grader while using a school urinal. Bags groceries with Jason to earn money on which they end up spending on cupcakes.
Peter Kim - One of the friends, Korean. Has a little brother Kippy Kim who follows the gang around during Halloween dressed up as Fu-Machu. Kippy is killed in a car accident.
Calvin Lemaine - One of the friends, aspires to become a doctor. Has a collection of bugs and insects in his bedroom.
Dugan - One of the friends, a rascal. Goes to a different school from the rest of the boys.(Holy Ghost, the Catholic school) Is unafraid of walking around the dance floor primarily inhabited by intimidating 9th graders. Jason refers to him as having stuff.
Debbie Breen - Jason's crush. Cheerleader, one of the most popular girls in school.
Marceline McAllister - Misfit girl at school. Plays the trombone. Rides a bike around, hits a cow. She knocks Jason over in a snowball fight and stuffs snow in his face. Hates McDonalds. Can run the mile faster than Jason, which irks him, however, he beats her by an inch in the mile race at the end of the book.