At just 12 years old, Christian Jordan — who recently graduated from School No. 4 in Oceanside — could now add “published author” to his list of accomplishments.
The Oceanside resident released “The Quantum Serve,” the first installment in a planned five-book series that combines his two greatest passions: science and tennis. The book follows a young tennis player, Saba, who discovers how the laws of physics — including motion, force, energy and gravity — shape every serve, volley and bounce on the court.
For Christian, the story is about more than just sports.
“I wanted to find a way to connect science to something people experience every day,” he said. “Science is in everyday life. As long as you’re curious, it’s most likely going to take you to very great and creative places.”
His lifelong fascination with science is what inspired him to consider undertaking the five-book series.
Christian said he was introduced to scientific experiments when he was just 3 or 4 years old, often working alongside his mother, Shellon Jordan, an educator, and his older sister, whose own interest in biology encouraged his interests. Around that same age, he also picked up a tennis racket.
Those twin interests eventually became the foundation for “The Quantum Serve.”
“When you bounce the ball, there’s gravity, force, tension and spin,” Christian explained. “All of those are aspects of science.”
He completed the manuscript during February break, comparing the writing process to putting a puzzle together. While he occasionally encountered writer’s block, he persevered and independently published the book through Amazon, receiving printed copies about three weeks after submitting the manuscript.
Holding the finished book for the first time was an unforgettable moment for Christian.
“It felt really good,” he said. “All my work was there, right in my hand.”
Christian plans to write four additional books that explore scientific principles through everyday interests. The next installment, he said, may connect music and physics — another natural fit for the young viola player.
“I think, as I get older, my writing style will change,” he said. “But I want to keep writing.”
Outside the classroom, Christian served as the science journalist for the School No. 4 newspaper, where he researched and wrote articles explaining advanced scientific topics for fellow students. One of his favorite pieces explored concepts related to quantum physics.
Christian is currently earning college-level credits in physics and chemistry while balancing his regular schoolwork, and he hopes to one day become both a nuclear physicist and a cardiac surgeon.
His mother said his determination has never wavered.
“Christian has always been curious,” she said. “Even in kindergarten, teachers would tell me they couldn’t believe someone so young was writing the way he did.”
She recalled watching him complete his elementary school homework before spending evenings working on college-level chemistry and physiology assignments.
“Some nights, he would come home from school, finish his homework and stay up completing chemistry quizzes ofphysiology labs,” she said. “At the end of the program, he earned A’s in his college courses.”
She said supporting Christian’s ambitions has always been easy for her.
“He’s amazing. Why shouldn’t I support him?” she said.
Christian is continuing his scientific pursuits this summer through a research project examining whether movement-based physics instruction helps students better understand and retain scientific concepts. The study reflects what he hopes will become a broader educational initiative inspired by “The Quantum Serve.”
His mother said the book represents something much larger than a single publication.
“It’s more than a book,” she said. “It’s a movement — “The Quantum Serve” movement — to change the way students are inspired, the way they learn science and the way it’s delivered in schools.”
Christian expressed hope that readers walk away with more than an appreciation for physics.
His advice to other young writers and aspiring scientists: “Stay curious.”
“Curiosity,” he explained, “can lead to wonderful things.”
“The Quantum Serve” is now available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/44fkfAk.
