The novel October Sky, is better than the movie because its more describtive , provides more insight into characters thoughts and feelings, and it includes more characters.

The book written by Homer Hickam, described the characters feelings, thoughts, and dreams. Like how Sonny felt when Mr. Bykovski died or how he really thought about Coalwood and his dad.

The book also included more characters. Unlike the movie, Sherman, Sonny's friend was not on the movie. Sonny's pets weren't on the movie either and Sonny's cat dies in the book the one he loved the most.

The book tells about people in Sonny's point of view, like Dorothy Plunk the girl Sonnys madly in love with, his dad Homer Hockam who works in the mine all the time, Elsie Hickam, Sonny's mom who dreams of going to the beach and buying a home there to share with Homer , Jim Hickam Sonny's brother who played football and kinda hated Sonny, Mrs. Riley the teacher who inspired Sonny to continue his journey of building rockets.

The movies are way more different then the book alot more different, different characters, different settings, different acsents.