Books That Take You There: Mars

For a long time, humans have dreamed about living on planet neighbor, Mars. There are so many books and movies about colonies on the dusty red planet that spark our hope and imagination for a life on another world. Here are some picture books that will make you feel like you know what it's like on Mars.

Good Night, Oppy!

Written by James McGowan

Illustrated by Graham Carter

New York: Boyds Mills Press, 2021. Picture Book.

This book follows Oppy, who was an active rover on Mars from 2004 to 2018. He had many different tasks and made some famous discoveries including the existence of groundwater on the red planet. This book is a fun yet informative picture book that will teach all readers about life on Mars.

Rover Throws a Party

Written by Kristin L. Gray

Illustrated by Scott Magoon

New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2020. Picture Book.

The Curiosity rover is a bit lonely after a year on Mars, so it decides to throw a party! The rover works hard to prepare for the party and send invitations all over the planet, but will anyone come? After reading this sweet story, you will wish you could attend the party, as well as learn a few things about the planet.

Night Night, Curiosity

Written by Brianna Caplan Sayres

Illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke

Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge, 2020. Picture Book.

After her mom leaves for her night shift as an engineer at NASA, this young girl imagines what it would be like on a space mission to Mars and to be travelling with the Curiosity rover. This book told in rhymes is the perfect bedtime story for your aspiring astronaut.

Mars' First Friends: Come On Over, Rovers!

Written by Susana Leonard Hill

Illustrated by Elisa Paganelli

Naperville, Illinois: Sourcebooks Wonderland, 2020. Picture Book.

Mars is lonely and his sibling planets won't play with him. When the Spirit and Opportunity rovers show up, he finally has someone to play with! This charming picture book with have you grinning and will teach you more about space and the red planet.

Comments

Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit

Review: The Frindle Files

Frindle Files By Andrew Clements New York: Random House, 2024. Fiction. 198 pages. In 1996 Andrew Clements wrote a story about a kid who invented the word “frindle” (another word for “pen.”) The Frindle Files is the sequel that takes place many years later. Josh is a student in Mr. N’s class. He and his friends can’t stand the fact that Mr. N makes them all write their homework down on paper with a “blue or black pen” and “neatness counts.” Josh is a computer geek and loves to do all his homework on the computer. In the midst of trying to find a way to make Mr. N accept the students' desire to do homework online, Josh comes across some information about Mr. N that links him to the word “frindle.” Now Josh and his best friend must decide what to do with the information and if they are willing to stand up to Mr. N’s antiquated way of doing homework. Kids who love the original book will highly enjoy this new edition. It is a continuation to the story in that it shows what ha

Books to Read When... You Need to Feel the Warmth of Friendship

When autumn is merging with winter, storm clouds present themselves more often, and mornings are crisp and chilly, I crave reading books that make me feel cozy and loved. Friendships are always valuable to me, but there is definitely something that makes me appreciate them even more in the colder months. There is a warmth to be found in each of these books that I hope you will enjoy! All That Is You Written by Alyssa Satin Capucilli Illustrated by Devon Holzwarth New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2022. Picture Book. This book is representative of everything good about relationships and connections. The author puts into words exactly what I have felt about so many of my closest relationships. I love the wide variety of characters represented. There are young children, grandparents, parents and children, siblings, and friends, as well as pets, birds, and insects. The illustrations have beautiful nature scenes, including a gorgeous sunrise, a sailboat on the water, and cozy scenes of h

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