Seventh grader Bird is observant, empathetic, and highly conscious of the feelings of those around her. Bird is fascinated by mechanics and engineering, and keeps a notebook filled with her hand drawn, detailed schematics depicting the various appliances and devices she has taken apart in order to discover how they work. Bird is especially enthralled by the Challenger launch, because she dreams of becoming an astronaut. Bird yearns for guidance and support from the adults around her, and she has a special relationship with her teacher, Ms. Salonga, who recognizes Bird’s intellect and talents. Bird is also drawn to Judith Resnik, engineer and astronaut on the Challenger crew team, who Bird greatly admires and wishes to emulate one day in her future career at NASA.

Bird’s seventh grade year is characterized by two specific moments where she feels awkwardness which she takes to heart. First, Jessica Diaz leaves Bird feeling deflated when she tells Bird that she isn’t pretty like Judith Resnik. Second, at Jessica’s urging, Bird tells Devonte that she isn’t interested in him romantically only to learn that Devonte does not have a crush on her as Jessica suggested. Until seventh grade, Bird had not given any significant thought to her appearance, but she becomes preoccupied with the notion that she is plain and the difficulty of achieving her dream of becoming an astronaut.