Astronaut Robert Thirsk is accompanied in space by two Canadian voices. The engineer has books by B.C.-born writer Kenneth Oppel and Quebec playwright Jean-Rock Gaudreault.
Oppel's novel Airborn and Gaudreault's French-language play Deux pas vers les étoiles were donated to Thirsk's flight kit in honour of his ancestral ties to a past governor general, Lord Tweedsmuir.
Lord Tweedsmuir, also known as John Buchan, founded the Governor General's Literary Awards in 1937. Airborn won the children's literature award in 2004 and Gaudreault's play won the French drama award in 2003.
Oppel, who is probably best known for his Silverwing trilogy, was thrilled to learn that his novel was chosen for this journey. "I'm so honoured that Robert Thirsk chose to take my novel Airborn with him on his six-month mission," he said.
Airborn is the story of a 15-year-old cabin boy who sets out to find a mysterious flying creature.
"It's completely thrilling to think of it in orbit aboard the International Space Station," Oppel said in a release from the Canada Council for the Arts.
"I'm very proud of Canada's involvement in the ISS and the astronauts really do exemplify the best of human co-operation, learning and enterprise. I'm delighted that my book is in such stellar company."
Gaudreault's play Deux pas vers les étoiles centres on a boy named Junior who wishes to run away to the United States to become an astronaut.
"Robert Thirsk moves my story forward and helps Junior and Correlia travel to the stars. This is an unbelievable feeling for me," Gaudreault said.
The work also is available in English under the title Two Steps from the Stars.
A ceremony will be held to celebrate the books' return after Thirsk's six-month mission, which began in May.
Details of the ceremony haven't been released.
