When stargazer Maryellen Larkin learns that a rocket scientist will visit her classroom and be introduced by the student who writes the best essay on "The Wonder of Space," she can't wait to enter the contest--even after a classmate's disparaging remark that girls and outer space don't mix. To really make a splash, Maryellen foregoes the essay and draws a comic book about a fearless adventurer,"Astro Girl." But will her daring comic earn her a place in the stars? 

Set in Detroit during the Civil Rights Movement, "An American Girl Story - Melody 1963: Love Has to Win examines the joyful life and troubled times of an irrepressible 10-year-old African-American girl whose vivid imagination and creativity reinforce her optimism. When shocking national events threaten her sense of security, Melody must find inner strength to restore her hope for a better world.