Chapter 1 WIDE AWAKE

 

  Henry Heckelbeck wriggled from under his covers and gazed at the twinkly stars. He heard Dad’s slippers wisp down the hallway. They stopped in front of Henry’s door.

  “Too excited to sleep?” Dad asked.

  Henry turned around. “Yup, way too excited!” he said.

   

  In the morning Henry’s class was going on a field trip to the Space Center, which had rocket ships and maybe even aliens.

   

  “Have you ever been to space, Dad?” Henry asked.

  Dad sat down and said, “Only in my dreams.”

  Henry crawled under the covers as Dad handed him a stuffed green alien.

   

  “Maybe you’ll space travel in your dreams tonight,” Dad said.

  Henry yawned. “If I ever fall asleep.”

  Dad pushed Henry’s hair out of his eyes. “Pretend you’re sleeping in space,” he said.

   

  Henry shut his eyes and imagined floating in space.

  Dad stood up and whispered, “Night night, Space Man.”

  Henry rolled over.

  “Night, Astro-Dad,” he said before falling asleep.