Q&A with Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, pilot, and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez
A Conversation with Lauren Sánchez, Author of The Fly Who Flew to Space
Little flies have big dreams, too—who knew? Today, we’re thrilled to catch up with philanthropist Lauren Sánchez, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and the debut author of a delightful new illustrated children’s book on dreaming big, no matter the obstacles. The Fly Who Flew to Space tells the story of Flynn, a rambunctious fly who dreams of being an astronaut and finds it ever-so-hard to stay on task in school due to the rocket company just down the street.
And by a fortuitous turn of luck, Flynn’s dreams come true in an accidental astronaut sort of way.
Smitten with the book and wanting to learn more about Lauren’s good work, we asked Foreword‘s Children’s Book Editor Danielle Ballantyne to catch up with Lauren for the following conversation.
Though you’ve worn many hats throughout your life and career, this is your first foray into book publishing. As a debut author, what parts of the process surprised you? Did you have any preconceived notions that were confirmed or dispelled?
Writing this book has been a deeply personal journey for me, especially considering my dyslexia. Growing up, reading and writing were challenging, and never in my wildest dreams, did I think I’d be an author. This story started as a simple idea during a flight with my kids, and evolved into something I wanted to share with the world. The process was much tougher than I anticipated, but also incredibly rewarding. It taught me that sometimes our biggest obstacles can lead to our greatest accomplishments.
You weren’t the only one, for this was also the first picture book for your illustrator, Raleigh Stewart. What was it like to go through that experience together?
Partnering with Raleigh Stewart was an amazing experience. His talent brought Flynn to life in such a magical way. We both approached this project with a lot of enthusiasm and openness, which allowed us to explore all sorts of creative ideas. The characters in Flynn’s family were inspired by my own, which made the project even more special. We even included some fun interactive features like glow-in-the-dark elements and a poster for kids to hang up. It’s been a journey of discovery and creativity for both of us.
You’ve been immersed in aviation your whole life, with your father being a flight instructor and you later getting your pilot’s license. Did you ever want to be an astronaut like Flynn?
Aviation has always been in my blood. My dad was a flight instructor, and flying became a way for me to see the world from a unique perspective. Becoming a pilot was something I never thought I could achieve. I have to admit, I was scared. I waited until I was forty to get my license. It was a dream come true, and now I’m excited to announce that I’ll be leading an all-female Blue Origin flight soon. Seeing Earth from space is a dream I intend to fulfill, just like Flynn.
Flynn is a daydreamer who struggles with staying focused at school but is dedicated when it comes to their passion: becoming an astronaut. I think that’s something many children can relate to, though their passions may vary. Were you a bit of a daydreamer as a child as well?
Absolutely, I was a big daydreamer. Growing up in New Mexico, I was always out exploring and imagining new adventures. It wasn’t until later that I realized my struggles in school were due to undiagnosed dyslexia. But those challenges didn’t stop me from dreaming big. I hope Flynn’s story helps kids understand that their imagination is a powerful tool, and that dreams can lead to incredible achievements in any field, be it arts, sciences, or sports.
What is the main message you hope children will take away from your book?
There are a few key messages I hope will resonate with kids. First, reading is incredibly beneficial; studies show even just five minutes a day can make a huge difference. Second, I want kids to embrace their curiosity and use it to explore the world around them. Finally, I hope this book shows that no matter how small you feel, your dreams are valid and attainable. Dream big, work hard, and one day you might find yourself achieving the impossible.
Are you working on anything else now—literary or otherwise—that you can share?
Aside from the book and my upcoming space flight, Jeff and I are very involved with the Bezos Earth Fund, working to protect our planet. This book also carries that message, encouraging kids to appreciate and take care of our beautiful Earth. It’s all about inspiring the next generation to dream big and make a difference.
The Fly Who Flew to Space
Raleigh Stewart (Illustrator)
The Collective Book Studio (Sep 10, 2024)
Clarion Rating: 4 out of 5
Featuring glow-in-the-dark details, The Fly Who Flew to Space is an imaginative picture book about a fly who travels to space by accident, learning much along the way.
In Lauren Sánchez’s whimsical picture book The Fly Who Flew to Space, an adventuresome fly is inspired to chase their dreams.
Flynn lives in West Texas with a large family, lots of friends, and a dream of becoming an astronaut. They struggle to focus in school, where they are eager for the day to end so they can sneak away to the rocket company down the road, where a rocket is kept in a barn. But when Flynn enters the rocket’s crew capsule despite knowing better than to do so, they are shut inside and whisked up into space with the crew. Though surprised at their unexpected guest, the astronauts give Flynn a tour and explain some facts about space and space travel before heading home, reuniting Flynn with their family and giving them their own small set of astronaut wings.
The book is peppered with amusing details. A walkway of dominoes and computer keys leads to the front door of Flynn’s family home, and two pins and a cocktail umbrella make for a relaxing hammock setup in Flynn’s front yard. The school scenes are inventive, too, with stamps tacked up on the classroom wall like posters and drawings of poop used in math problems. Subtle elements of Mexican culture are woven in, with a papel picado banner hanging in front of Flynn’s home and a nod to Day of the Dead calaveras.
Though the fly-sized touches in the illustrations are inventive and charming, their scale is inconsistent. A stopwatch on the wall of the classroom is just larger than the staples holding up a makeshift chalkboard, and on the rocket ship, Flynn’s size fluctuates in relation to the astronauts and the windows. The multiple art styles further contribute to a lack of cohesion. Further, there are some issues with continuity surrounding Flynn’s flight: when mission control is shown, most screens show a rocket prepared on a launchpad, with the countdown clock reading just over ten minutes to launch. The next page, however, shows the rocket stored in a barn; while there may be two rockets, Flynn refers to the rocket in the singular. Later, after the crew lands, a launchpad can be seen in the distance—with a rocket still in place.
A fly stumbles into an out-of-this-world adventure in the encouraging picture book The Fly Who Flew to Space.
Reviewed by Danielle Ballantyne
August 2, 2024
Danielle Ballantyne
