The Planet Mappers

"The Planet Mappers" by E. Everett Evans is a mid-20th century science fiction tale that follows young Jon Carver and his family on a dangerous space exploration mission. Their journey takes a sudden turn when a meteoroid collision injures Jon's father and sends the family into chaos. A hull strike causes panic, and the family bands together to care for the injured father, who suffers a broken leg and becomes incapacitated. Jon and his older brother, Jak, rise to the occasion, taking on significant new responsibilities to protect their mother and maintain the ship, highlighting themes of courage, adaptability, and the trials of coming of age amidst the rigors of space travel.