You Are the First Kid on Mars
Grade 2-6–What would it be like to travel to Mars, explore the red planet, and return to Earth? O'Brien has created a realistic account of such a journey with informative text and polished digital art that sparks the imagination. Adults take a backseat in this adventure, as the narrator speaks directly to readers about what they could expect to see and do. Rich illustrations depict a young boy as the traveler, space vehicles, and rusty red landscapes with depth and detail. Following a four-month trip on a Nuclear Thermal Rocket, the boy joins scientists, engineers, and pilots living in a habitat on Mars complete with a greenhouse. As for finding life on Mars, it is explained that microscopic organisms are more likely than little green men. But who needs aliens when you have robots watering the plants and roving the surface? Additional facts are listed at the end of the book.–Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, COCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.