Maggie Vaults Over the Moon

Citius Mag named Maggie Vaults Over the Moon to its list of 100 books all runners and track fans should read, and called it the only novel its editor knew of about a field event rather than track. The story of a gritty Kansas farm girl's quest to master the daring sport of pole-vaulting has stirred the hopes and dreams of readers around the world.

When tragedy strikes the Steele Family Farm at harvest time, tearful Maggie finds herself grinding the gears of the giant grain truck, trying her best to replace her big brother, Alex, who died in a fiery car crash. If Maggie is going to escape her worst nightmare (being stuck on the farm forever), she'll need to ignore small-town haters, brave painful setbacks, and defy the heavy pull of gravity itself. As the pole-vault crossbar is raised dangerously higher, her future is quite literally up in the air. Taking cues from the voice within, Maggie bravely launches herself skyward. When the bar is raised to a record-setting height at the state championship meet, can she find the courage it takes to soar into a brighter future of her own making?

This second edition includes a foreword by Olympic Pole Vault Champion Katerina Stefanidi and chapter discussion questions created especially for young readers by Dr. Melissa I. White, a Language Arts (ELA) Teacher and Mental Performance Consultant with a Doctorate in Sport Psychology, whose former student-athletes include 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials pole vault champion Bridget (Guy) Williams.

Written for readers ages 10 and up, grades 5-8. Selected for the Wichita Diocese Catholic Schools Battle of the Books. Suited to independent reading, classroom discussion, team culture, and family conversation. Contains no profanity or sexual content.