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JD Valletta is thirteen years old, and he knows exactly where he's going: Mars.
While navigating the world of middle school and fitting in, JD designs fuel systems, sketches greenhouse habitats, and writes letters to NASA that go unanswered. His bedroom is a disaster-scattered books, Mars posters, model rockets, and a dream that feels impossibly far away.
But JD isn't doing this alone.
His family believes in him. His friends see him, not as weird, but as different-and that's exactly what makes him extraordinary. When mentors open doors, when burnout threatens to break him, when his dream school says no and self-doubt whispers you don't belong here, JD learns the most important lesson of all:
The journey to impossible dreams isn't about being perfect. It's about refusing to quit.
From forgotten assignments to astronaut training. From being called "the Mars kid" to becoming part of the first Mars mission. From a thirteen-year-old who couldn't sit still to the first human footsteps on another planet.
Mars and the Stars is the story of what happens when faith, friendship, and sheer determination collide with a dream too big to fit inside a tidy bedroom.
To young readers (and older ones who need to be reminded) who:
- Dream of discovery
- Feel like they don't quite fit the mold
- Need to hear that failure isn't the end and faith matters
- Love stories of persistence, perseverance, teamwork, and courage
This is your story.
"Because dreams don't die. They just take longer than you think."
Valletta, Chris: - Chris Valletta is a former NFL player turned award-winning entrepreneur, business leader, TED speaker, and author. With a passion for leadership development, Chris focuses on empowering the next generation of leaders in the United States. He is the founder of AmplifyU, the nation's first accredited university-level business and leadership development program for student athletes at Texas A&M University. He is active in philanthropy, creating and supporting programs that foster leadership skills and personal growth in young people, helping them to dream big, work hard, surround themselves with good people, have faith and give back in order to achieve anything they set their mind to. In his first book, "Team WORKS! The Gridiron Playbook for Building a Championship Business Team," with the foreword written by President Donald Trump, Chris shows how the instinctive leadership skills from athletes translate to winning teams in business. In his follow up book, "How Boys Become Men, A Practical Handbook for Dads who want to Inspire Leaders of Consequence," Chris provides a guide for Dads of boys who are looking for effective strategies and insights for raising values-based leaders that can inspire the next generation. His third book, "The Balloon on the Moon, The Journey of a Lifetime," was inspired by Chris's son, Christian, while attending a birthday party when he was 5 years old. A lost balloon and tears turned into a dream and inspiration for children all over the world to reach for the stars and believe in the power of their dreams. Chris's fourth book, Mars and the Stars, is a tribute to his oldest son, JD, a brilliant 13-year old navigating growing up in an ever-changing world. Mars and the Stars proves that the journey to impossible dreams isn't about being perfect. It's about refusing to quit.Chris regularly appears national news networks to discuss the power of leadership, business, and social issues, and he speaks all over the United States, sharing his insights on values-based leadership and the importance of cultivating strong character in future generations. With a passion for American History, Chris is a collector of a broad range of historical and political memorabilia, including over 200 military-issued pocket Bibles carried by soldiers on the front lines during every American conflict.
