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Making a Home on the Red Planet Welcome to Mars (Hardback) - Common
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First published September 1, 2015
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About the author
Buzz Aldrin
84 books257 followersBuzz Aldrin (born Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr., January 20, 1930) is an engineer and former American astronaut, and the second person to walk on the Moon. He was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing in history. He set foot on the Moon at 03:15:16 (UTC) on July 21, 1969, following mission commander Neil Armstrong. He is also a retired colonel in the United States Air Force (USAF) and a Command Pilot.
Aldrin was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, to Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Sr., a career military man, and his wife Marion (née Moon). He is of Scottish, Swedish, and German ancestry. After graduating from Montclair High School in 1946, Aldrin turned down a full scholarship offer from MIT, and went to the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. The nickname "Buzz" originated in childhood: the younger of his two elder sisters (Fay Ann) mispronounced "brother" as "buzzer", and this was shortened to Buzz. Aldrin made it his legal first name in 1988.
Buzz Aldrin graduated third in his class at West Point in 1951, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force and served as a jet fighter pilot during the Korean War. He flew 66 combat missions in F-86 Sabres and shot down two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 aircraft.
Subsequent to the war, Aldrin was assigned as an aerial gunnery instructor at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, and next was an aide to the dean of faculty at the US Air Force Academy. He flew F-100 Super Sabres as a flight commander at Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, in the 22d Fighter Squadron. In 1963 Aldrin earned a Doctor of Science degree in astronautics from MIT. His graduate thesis was "Line-of-sight guidance techniques for manned orbital rendezvous", the dedication of which read, "In the hopes that this work may in some way contribute to their exploration of space, this is dedicated to the crew members of this country’s present and future manned space programs. If only I could join them in their exciting endeavors!" On completion of his doctorate, he was assigned to the Gemini Target Office of the Air Force Space Systems Division in Los Angeles before his selection as an astronaut. His initial application to join the astronaut corps was rejected on the basis of having never been a test pilot; that prerequisite was lifted when he re-applied and was accepted into the third astronaut class, the first selection for which he was eligible.
Aldrin was selected as part of the third group of NASA astronauts selected in October 1963. After the deaths of the original Gemini 9 prime crew, Elliot See and Charles Bassett, Aldrin and Jim Lovell were promoted to back-up crew for the mission. The main objective of the revised mission (Gemini 9A) was to rendezvous and dock with a target vehicle, but when this failed, Aldrin improvised an effective exercise for the craft to rendezvous with a co-ordinate in space. He was confirmed as pilot on Gemini 12. Aldrin set a record for EVA, demonstrating that astronauts could work outside spacecraft.
On July 21, 1969, he became the second astronaut to walk on the Moon, keeping his record total EVA time until that was surpassed on Apollo 14. Aldrin's first words on the Moon were "Beautiful view. Magnificent desolation."
After leaving NASA, Aldrin was assigned as the Commandant of the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California. In March 1972, Aldrin retired from active duty after 21 years of service, and returned to the Air Force in a managerial role, but his career was blighted by personal problems. His autobiographies Return to Earth, published in 1973, and Magnificent Desolation, published in June 2009, both provide accounts of his struggles with clinical depression and alcoholism in the years following his NASA career. His life improved considerably when he recognized and sought treatment for his problems. Since retiring from NASA, he has continued to promote space exploration.
Aldrin was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, to Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Sr., a career military man, and his wife Marion (née Moon). He is of Scottish, Swedish, and German ancestry. After graduating from Montclair High School in 1946, Aldrin turned down a full scholarship offer from MIT, and went to the US Military Academy at West Point, New York. The nickname "Buzz" originated in childhood: the younger of his two elder sisters (Fay Ann) mispronounced "brother" as "buzzer", and this was shortened to Buzz. Aldrin made it his legal first name in 1988.
Buzz Aldrin graduated third in his class at West Point in 1951, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force and served as a jet fighter pilot during the Korean War. He flew 66 combat missions in F-86 Sabres and shot down two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 aircraft.
Subsequent to the war, Aldrin was assigned as an aerial gunnery instructor at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, and next was an aide to the dean of faculty at the US Air Force Academy. He flew F-100 Super Sabres as a flight commander at Bitburg Air Base, West Germany, in the 22d Fighter Squadron. In 1963 Aldrin earned a Doctor of Science degree in astronautics from MIT. His graduate thesis was "Line-of-sight guidance techniques for manned orbital rendezvous", the dedication of which read, "In the hopes that this work may in some way contribute to their exploration of space, this is dedicated to the crew members of this country’s present and future manned space programs. If only I could join them in their exciting endeavors!" On completion of his doctorate, he was assigned to the Gemini Target Office of the Air Force Space Systems Division in Los Angeles before his selection as an astronaut. His initial application to join the astronaut corps was rejected on the basis of having never been a test pilot; that prerequisite was lifted when he re-applied and was accepted into the third astronaut class, the first selection for which he was eligible.
Aldrin was selected as part of the third group of NASA astronauts selected in October 1963. After the deaths of the original Gemini 9 prime crew, Elliot See and Charles Bassett, Aldrin and Jim Lovell were promoted to back-up crew for the mission. The main objective of the revised mission (Gemini 9A) was to rendezvous and dock with a target vehicle, but when this failed, Aldrin improvised an effective exercise for the craft to rendezvous with a co-ordinate in space. He was confirmed as pilot on Gemini 12. Aldrin set a record for EVA, demonstrating that astronauts could work outside spacecraft.
On July 21, 1969, he became the second astronaut to walk on the Moon, keeping his record total EVA time until that was surpassed on Apollo 14. Aldrin's first words on the Moon were "Beautiful view. Magnificent desolation."
After leaving NASA, Aldrin was assigned as the Commandant of the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California. In March 1972, Aldrin retired from active duty after 21 years of service, and returned to the Air Force in a managerial role, but his career was blighted by personal problems. His autobiographies Return to Earth, published in 1973, and Magnificent Desolation, published in June 2009, both provide accounts of his struggles with clinical depression and alcoholism in the years following his NASA career. His life improved considerably when he recognized and sought treatment for his problems. Since retiring from NASA, he has continued to promote space exploration.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 1, 2019
Written for younger readers, nevertheless the presentation of information on science and space exploration will hold the attention of adults. Aldrin's breezy conversational style will have me seeking his book for adults Mission to Mars: My Vision for Space Exploration.
October 2, 2015
Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet is co-authored by famous astronaut, Buzz Aldrin who is a strong advocate for space exploration, and Marianne Dyson, who is an award-winning author and former NASA flight controller. In short… these are the experts and they make a very compelling case for the possibility of living on Mars in the future. This book will stretch the imagination of young minds – the future thinkers and explorers.
The book begins with a description of the tools for space exploration (i.e., space crafts, space rovers, and more) followed by a discussion of the history of Martian exploration and a presentation of what we already know about the “Red Planet”. The book even contains a topographical map of Mars – it’s just incredible!
The second half of the book is dedicated to using our imagination to think about what living on Mars would look like and some of the issues we would need to address for it to be habitable. For example, there is no breathable air, it is extremely cold, there is no free-running water, no vegetation, no rain, and far less gravity than Earth (does this mean I would be “lighter”?) There are a series of crisp photographs, groovy illustrations, and even some dioramas depicting things such as high-tech space suits, the dusty rust-colored Martian landscape, and tripped-out bio-domes containing all that is needed to live comfortably. The cynic in me is converting to the idea that it may indeed be possible to live on Mars!
My Bottom Line: Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet features an eye-catching collection of photographs and illustrations and is full of the latest science-based information about Mars, space travel, and more. As with other children from generations passed, who gazed up in wonder toward the night sky, this book tests the limits of the reader’s imagination by challenging them to envision life on the Red Planet. I highly recommend this great book and I think it is the perfect choice for any space enthusiast aged 8 years and older.
* This book was provided to us by the publisher free-of-charge in exchange for our honest reviews. All opinions expressed are our own. *
The book begins with a description of the tools for space exploration (i.e., space crafts, space rovers, and more) followed by a discussion of the history of Martian exploration and a presentation of what we already know about the “Red Planet”. The book even contains a topographical map of Mars – it’s just incredible!
The second half of the book is dedicated to using our imagination to think about what living on Mars would look like and some of the issues we would need to address for it to be habitable. For example, there is no breathable air, it is extremely cold, there is no free-running water, no vegetation, no rain, and far less gravity than Earth (does this mean I would be “lighter”?) There are a series of crisp photographs, groovy illustrations, and even some dioramas depicting things such as high-tech space suits, the dusty rust-colored Martian landscape, and tripped-out bio-domes containing all that is needed to live comfortably. The cynic in me is converting to the idea that it may indeed be possible to live on Mars!
My Bottom Line: Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet features an eye-catching collection of photographs and illustrations and is full of the latest science-based information about Mars, space travel, and more. As with other children from generations passed, who gazed up in wonder toward the night sky, this book tests the limits of the reader’s imagination by challenging them to envision life on the Red Planet. I highly recommend this great book and I think it is the perfect choice for any space enthusiast aged 8 years and older.
* This book was provided to us by the publisher free-of-charge in exchange for our honest reviews. All opinions expressed are our own. *
October 22, 2016
A very ambitious book with ambitious ideas that would be just fine for a kid with ideas of space exploration. The ideas prompted a lot of questions of logistics in practice, but perhaps the adult version of this book answers those. A fun mix of facts and possibilities. Includes science project activities making this book suitable for a classroom. Minus a star for the poor CGI illustrations that look like a student's work from 2006. I'm totally pro-science and would love to see a Mars mission happen, so my rating is based purely on the quality of the book, not the possibility or the ideas.
Book content: 4/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Overall: 3/5
Book content: 4/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Overall: 3/5
December 11, 2015
Synopsis- Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on Mars? If you have, you probably dismissed it as impossible. How would you like to hear that it may be possible to live on Mars? Within a few years, it may very well be imaginable to be setting up a colony on Mars. It is something that must be thought of, and will be a necessity for our survival as a species.
What I Thought- When I think of Mars habitation, I normally end up thinking of space-age technology bordering on Sci-Fi. When I read this book, I realized that the technology is closer than you might think. Much like the advanced technology that Jules Verne predicted and wrote about in the 1800s that is reality today, Buzz Aldrin bring future possibilities to us in this book. Aldrin theorizes about the time it will take for us to get to Mars and start a permanent colony. The text also tell the reader a lot about the red planet. In an easy to understand way, Mr. Aldrin helps explain how we would get to Mars, and tells us about Mars now, and what we would do while colonizing. Reading the book was very thought-provoking – it’s an interesting thought, moving to Mars. There are fun activities for kids reading the book to help teach them about the relationship between Earth and Mars such as Earth’s rotation vs. Mars’. There are cool illustrations, plus pictures of the planned living quarters on Mars. I think that this would be a fun class topic/project. You can discuss it with your students and even have them do activities about Mars exploration. Maybe I’ll do a school project on Mars-living!
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
What I Thought- When I think of Mars habitation, I normally end up thinking of space-age technology bordering on Sci-Fi. When I read this book, I realized that the technology is closer than you might think. Much like the advanced technology that Jules Verne predicted and wrote about in the 1800s that is reality today, Buzz Aldrin bring future possibilities to us in this book. Aldrin theorizes about the time it will take for us to get to Mars and start a permanent colony. The text also tell the reader a lot about the red planet. In an easy to understand way, Mr. Aldrin helps explain how we would get to Mars, and tells us about Mars now, and what we would do while colonizing. Reading the book was very thought-provoking – it’s an interesting thought, moving to Mars. There are fun activities for kids reading the book to help teach them about the relationship between Earth and Mars such as Earth’s rotation vs. Mars’. There are cool illustrations, plus pictures of the planned living quarters on Mars. I think that this would be a fun class topic/project. You can discuss it with your students and even have them do activities about Mars exploration. Maybe I’ll do a school project on Mars-living!
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 23, 2017
Welcome to Mars takes its reader on a futuristic journey as one of the Martian pioneers of Buzz Aldrin’s very own crew. The images from NASA, vivid photographs, and computer-rendered drawings of an imagined journey to a settlement on Mars are sure to plant the seed of interplanetary wanderlust in its audience. The logistics of colonization are presented in an understandable but not overly-simplified manner, with intriguing sidebars such as “Your Favorite Five Pounds” and an imagined Mars menu. The included activities are the only part of the book that fall flat; they are a mostly confusing mixture, interrupting the pace of the reader’s journey and failing to add much to the content. However, the excitement that this book will instill in young space fans is sure to have them searching for their own ways to learn more about the many different components of life on Mars presented here.
March 10, 2018
True, Buzz Aldrin could put his name on anything and it would sell – but this is an excellent science book that I would recommend to any science teacher for young students.
Aldrin talks to an imagined young audience as fellow voyagers, walking a pre-teen through the stages of what it would take to get from Earth to Mars – blast off, travel, landing, and then setting up a life on the Red Planet. He uses all currently known science, a lot of history (of course some of it featuring himself), and some not-all-that-out-there speculation about what could be.
Along the way are at home experiments with easy to use materials like modeling clay, flashlights, and balloons to show in real, hands on ways how things like Martian gravity and atmosphere work.
December 12, 2016
I really like books that speculate on how things will be if and when we colonize other planets. This book delved into that a little bit, mostly in the later chapters, and spent a good deal of time on the history of our attempts to reach Mars as well. I think I would have liked it more if it had spent more time on the speculation, but it was still an interesting book. Written for late middle or early high schoolers, it would be a good book for research on this topic in those age ranges.
October 21, 2015
I thought this book was very interesting. It was about people moving to Mars in the future. I have never thought about that before and am very curious now about the possibility of seeing this in my lifetime.
Want to read
March 4, 2016Lexile 900L
IL: MG - BL: 6.1 - AR Pts: 3.0
Dewey 523.43
IL: MG - BL: 6.1 - AR Pts: 3.0
Dewey 523.43
September 14, 2021
Honestly, I liked this better than I thought I would've. I actually learned a lot of things from reading this. I used to think of colonizing Mars as a far away dream but after reading this, it still feels far away but less of a dream. To think that there might be a time in the future where Mars is colonized and people can go back and forth between colonies
This book also introduced me to the concept of terraforming. I've heard of it but it seemed unrealistic. Now it looks like terraforming is grounded in facts. To think that humans might have the power to turn a non-hospitable planet hospitable is crazy and exciting (now if we can figure out how to do that for our planet...). I'll probably be gone by the time we have permanent colonization on mars. If I'm not, it would be nice to actually go there
Anyway, this is targeted towards kids but teens and adults can also learn a lot of useful information. 5/5
This book also introduced me to the concept of terraforming. I've heard of it but it seemed unrealistic. Now it looks like terraforming is grounded in facts. To think that humans might have the power to turn a non-hospitable planet hospitable is crazy and exciting (now if we can figure out how to do that for our planet...). I'll probably be gone by the time we have permanent colonization on mars. If I'm not, it would be nice to actually go there
Anyway, this is targeted towards kids but teens and adults can also learn a lot of useful information. 5/5
October 21, 2019
Buzz Aldrin is a genius. His Aldrin Cycler alone proves it. This book lays out a plan for colonizing Mars. It's geared to kids (I think there's a book for adults that I will be seeking out), but it was full of useful information and neat experiments/activities for kids to do. Sign me up for the first Mission to Mars!!
May 26, 2018
Targeted at kids, a great primer about the history of Mars exploration and what future colonists might need to do to survive there, without any technical gobbledygook.
December 19, 2018
nice book with a plan for going to mars. It's a shame nobody with power listens to Aldrin. It seems like a solid plan.
April 16, 2022
"It's time to make a new home on Mars. Let's roll up our sleeves and begin! -Buzz Aldrin
November 15, 2016
Welcome to Mars: making a home on the red planet
National Geographic Kids, Washington DC, 2015
ISBN 978-1-4263-2206-8
Nonfiction/fiction
96 pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm.
Dewey: 523.43
Interest Level: grades 3-6; Reading Level: 5.6
Lexile measure: 900
3 out of 5 stars
Recently, I have seen several magazines that have covers featuring "Mission to Mars" and the National Geographic Channel has a special airing soon as well. As I began to read Welcome to Mars I wondered if I had missed some recent announcement from NASA that dealt with sending a manned mission to Mars. From the tone of the book it really seems that this travel and colonization is imminent. I actually did some research and found that while there is a goal to send a human to Mars in the 2030s, there are no concrete space programs planned beyond further exploratory rover missions.
So while I am still not sure about the glut of recent Mars literature, I will speculate that it has something to do with increasing the PR for the space program and encouraging young people to still be fascinated with space travel. With that thought in mind, I tried to look at this book as it relates to building excitement and inquiry in a younger generation of potential astronauts and space travelers.
On the positive side, many elementary schools use National Geographic in classroom reading programs, so kids will be familiar and comfortable with the layout and style of the book. Here is the magazine:
As you can see, the colors and format are very similar to what can be found in the book (below):
There are lots of photographs included in the book, and the text blocks are kept to shorter lengths. These are appealing features to elementary age readers.
Overall though, I felt the book was confusing in its flow and intent. This is one of those books that I would question about placing in the nonfiction section of the library. The parts of the book that directly suggest you are a space traveler colonizing Mars, are clearly made up, and it wasn't really clear from formatting or transitions which parts of the book were made up and which were informational. For example, on page 55 is a section titled "The Interplanetary Spaceport." This section begins in the fictional realm by stating, "The two previous missions identified the best place to put our first spaceport," however immediately following this there is factual information about the topography of Mars and areas that would be more habitable than others. Then we switch to fiction and read, "The spaceport we're landing at will be located near the Martian equator," and then more factual information.
As an adult, I struggled with the movement back and forth between fiction and nonfiction. On page 32 the text says "when you observe Mars through our telescope here on the cycler," and I couldn't remember if the cycler was real or imaginary. I had to flip back to page 20 to remind myself that it was a concept presented by Aldrin.
Welcome to Mars wouldn't be one of the "must-have" books that I would recommend for an elementary school library. I feel that the purpose of the book is not clearly defined from the beginning for young readers and therefore gives them incorrect messages about the current state of the United State's space program as it relates to exploring Mars.
An interesting side note is that the National Geographic Kids Magazine that features "Mission to Mars" is very well done, and even includes some of the same visuals as the Welcome to Mars book. The magazine article starts out clearly stating its purpose, "It's the year 2035, and you've been selected to join NASA's newest astronaut class. Your assignment: Travel to Mars...Here's your guide to everything you need to know about surviving life on Mars." Very concise in its purpose and the information that it shares with young readers, I would highly recommend the magazine article.
National Geographic Kids, Washington DC, 2015
ISBN 978-1-4263-2206-8
Nonfiction/fiction
96 pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm.
Dewey: 523.43
Interest Level: grades 3-6; Reading Level: 5.6
Lexile measure: 900
3 out of 5 stars
Recently, I have seen several magazines that have covers featuring "Mission to Mars" and the National Geographic Channel has a special airing soon as well. As I began to read Welcome to Mars I wondered if I had missed some recent announcement from NASA that dealt with sending a manned mission to Mars. From the tone of the book it really seems that this travel and colonization is imminent. I actually did some research and found that while there is a goal to send a human to Mars in the 2030s, there are no concrete space programs planned beyond further exploratory rover missions.
So while I am still not sure about the glut of recent Mars literature, I will speculate that it has something to do with increasing the PR for the space program and encouraging young people to still be fascinated with space travel. With that thought in mind, I tried to look at this book as it relates to building excitement and inquiry in a younger generation of potential astronauts and space travelers.
On the positive side, many elementary schools use National Geographic in classroom reading programs, so kids will be familiar and comfortable with the layout and style of the book. Here is the magazine:
As you can see, the colors and format are very similar to what can be found in the book (below):
There are lots of photographs included in the book, and the text blocks are kept to shorter lengths. These are appealing features to elementary age readers.
Overall though, I felt the book was confusing in its flow and intent. This is one of those books that I would question about placing in the nonfiction section of the library. The parts of the book that directly suggest you are a space traveler colonizing Mars, are clearly made up, and it wasn't really clear from formatting or transitions which parts of the book were made up and which were informational. For example, on page 55 is a section titled "The Interplanetary Spaceport." This section begins in the fictional realm by stating, "The two previous missions identified the best place to put our first spaceport," however immediately following this there is factual information about the topography of Mars and areas that would be more habitable than others. Then we switch to fiction and read, "The spaceport we're landing at will be located near the Martian equator," and then more factual information.
As an adult, I struggled with the movement back and forth between fiction and nonfiction. On page 32 the text says "when you observe Mars through our telescope here on the cycler," and I couldn't remember if the cycler was real or imaginary. I had to flip back to page 20 to remind myself that it was a concept presented by Aldrin.
Welcome to Mars wouldn't be one of the "must-have" books that I would recommend for an elementary school library. I feel that the purpose of the book is not clearly defined from the beginning for young readers and therefore gives them incorrect messages about the current state of the United State's space program as it relates to exploring Mars.
An interesting side note is that the National Geographic Kids Magazine that features "Mission to Mars" is very well done, and even includes some of the same visuals as the Welcome to Mars book. The magazine article starts out clearly stating its purpose, "It's the year 2035, and you've been selected to join NASA's newest astronaut class. Your assignment: Travel to Mars...Here's your guide to everything you need to know about surviving life on Mars." Very concise in its purpose and the information that it shares with young readers, I would highly recommend the magazine article.
October 5, 2016
If you've ever seen the episode of 30 Rock where Buzz Aldrin yells at the moon with Liz - then you understand a little bit of the wackiness that inhabits this book.
Overall, very interesting and engaging nonfiction about travelling to and colonizing Mars with great hands-on experiments and demonstrations to explain the concepts.
Would recommend to upper elementary and middle school students who are at all interested in space travel. The text is accessible, but the content is fairly sophisticated (and has an entertaining voice).
Overall, very interesting and engaging nonfiction about travelling to and colonizing Mars with great hands-on experiments and demonstrations to explain the concepts.
Would recommend to upper elementary and middle school students who are at all interested in space travel. The text is accessible, but the content is fairly sophisticated (and has an entertaining voice).
March 4, 2024
With Mars in the news so much, and the very real possibility of going there to live, this book provides excellent descriptions of exactly what needs to be done for that to happen. By the end you realize Buzz Aldrin really is a rocket scientist! It begins with a captivating cover and includes some really fabulous activities that enhance the topic. It is organized as if the reader is starting here on Earth, then traveling and approaching Mars, to the time when a habitat is built. There is an enormous air of authority coming from Buzz Aldrin. Everything is explained in an easy-to-understand manner. The maps of Mars, the colorful illustrations and photos, and the timelines (especially for making Mars green) makes this packed with useful information for the very specific task of making a home on Mars. It seems that every detail of such a mission has been considered and answered.
This book, part of the National Geographic Kids series, is a very readable and allows kids to jump around the book. It is a very interesting, super kid friendly book that will appeal to a wide audience of readers. It makes intelligent predictions about what might happen in the future. Kids can get very excited about this topic. Every page is stuffed with information about Mars making it a very useful and interactive book, and an excellent choice for science fair material. It provides excellent descriptions and attractive illustrations, photos and cover. The text makes it sound like Buzz Aldrin is talking directly to the reader, even in some captions on photos, like on page 41, where he mentions the Pathfinder leaving tracks on Mars like he left footprints on the moon.
Supportive features include a Table of Contents, Book and Websites listed for further study, Glossary, Quotation Credits, Photo and Image Credits, Index, and Afterword. The book is chock full of fabulous activities to try (p. 18-19 - activity demonstrates how Earth and Mars circle the sun), timeline of Mars exploration (p. 48-49), map of Mars (p. 50-51), timeline for making Mars green (p. 88-89), and more that a Children's Librarian like me would love for program extensions. In addition, there are many useful additional graphics (p.10-11, solar system illustration shows where Mars is; p.12 - items you won't need on Mars, p. 28-29 - map of canals on Mars). This would be useful as a teacher's guide too, for the science curriculum and STEM. An introduction and conclusion are also included.
This book has an Ohio connection since author Marianne Dyson who grew up in Canton, OH .
The publication timing is unfortunate since we've gotten more information about Mars, such as water being present, since it was published. But more and more information is coming back all the time that will constantly change what we know about Mars. In the meantime, I highly recommend future scientists and astronauts reading this one.
This book, part of the National Geographic Kids series, is a very readable and allows kids to jump around the book. It is a very interesting, super kid friendly book that will appeal to a wide audience of readers. It makes intelligent predictions about what might happen in the future. Kids can get very excited about this topic. Every page is stuffed with information about Mars making it a very useful and interactive book, and an excellent choice for science fair material. It provides excellent descriptions and attractive illustrations, photos and cover. The text makes it sound like Buzz Aldrin is talking directly to the reader, even in some captions on photos, like on page 41, where he mentions the Pathfinder leaving tracks on Mars like he left footprints on the moon.
Supportive features include a Table of Contents, Book and Websites listed for further study, Glossary, Quotation Credits, Photo and Image Credits, Index, and Afterword. The book is chock full of fabulous activities to try (p. 18-19 - activity demonstrates how Earth and Mars circle the sun), timeline of Mars exploration (p. 48-49), map of Mars (p. 50-51), timeline for making Mars green (p. 88-89), and more that a Children's Librarian like me would love for program extensions. In addition, there are many useful additional graphics (p.10-11, solar system illustration shows where Mars is; p.12 - items you won't need on Mars, p. 28-29 - map of canals on Mars). This would be useful as a teacher's guide too, for the science curriculum and STEM. An introduction and conclusion are also included.
This book has an Ohio connection since author Marianne Dyson who grew up in Canton, OH .
The publication timing is unfortunate since we've gotten more information about Mars, such as water being present, since it was published. But more and more information is coming back all the time that will constantly change what we know about Mars. In the meantime, I highly recommend future scientists and astronauts reading this one.
September 16, 2015
World-famous astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, may have walked on the moon, but now he has his sights set on Mars! In Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet, Aldrin explores the very real idea of humans settling on Mars. Aldrin takes young readers on a fascinating and informative journey to the red planet and lays out his dream of one day making this awe-inspiring planet a home for humans.
Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet is full of interesting facts, inspiring ideas, and a lot of passion. Aldrin explores the ins and outs of Mars, detailing all of its amazing qualities and statistics, through age-appropriate terms and explanations. Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet, excitingly places the reader directly in the narrative, asking them to imagine they are one of the first settlers on Mars. Young readers will be absolutely captivated by this out-of-this-world journey, as they learn all about what Mars has to offer and what their could-be-home will be like. From the building of homes to the growing of food, daily life on Mars, recreational activities, and more, Aldrin covers it all.
Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet incorporates real photography and digital illustrations throughout the book. These pictures and illustrations do a wonderful job of capturing Aldrin’s passion for Mars and sparking the imagination and curiosity of young readers. There are also fun activities and experiments sprinkled throughout Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet that readers can try at home.
my final thoughts: Readers of all ages will never look at Mars the same way after reading Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet! Buzz Aldrin takes a wondrous and huge idea and explores it in a way that will inspire, entertain, and captivate.
Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet is full of interesting facts, inspiring ideas, and a lot of passion. Aldrin explores the ins and outs of Mars, detailing all of its amazing qualities and statistics, through age-appropriate terms and explanations. Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet, excitingly places the reader directly in the narrative, asking them to imagine they are one of the first settlers on Mars. Young readers will be absolutely captivated by this out-of-this-world journey, as they learn all about what Mars has to offer and what their could-be-home will be like. From the building of homes to the growing of food, daily life on Mars, recreational activities, and more, Aldrin covers it all.
Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet incorporates real photography and digital illustrations throughout the book. These pictures and illustrations do a wonderful job of capturing Aldrin’s passion for Mars and sparking the imagination and curiosity of young readers. There are also fun activities and experiments sprinkled throughout Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet that readers can try at home.
my final thoughts: Readers of all ages will never look at Mars the same way after reading Welcome To Mars: Making A Home On The Red Planet! Buzz Aldrin takes a wondrous and huge idea and explores it in a way that will inspire, entertain, and captivate.
September 10, 2015
WELCOME TO MARS: MAKING A HOME ON THE RED PLANET by Buzz Aldrin and Marianne Dyson takes an amazing look at the near-future reality of a human colony on Mars.
Readers are invited to become Martian pioneers as they work their way the information they’ll need to journey to Mars and build a permanent home.
This visually-rich, well-organized book includes short chapters dealing with key issues related to space travel and the colonization of Mars. Numerous fun activities, author side-bars, interesting fact boxes, stunning photographs, detailed illustrations, intriguing diagrams and primary source documents add to the appeal. A timelines and map of Mars are particularly interesting. The book concludes with book and website lists, a glossary, credits, and an index.
Librarians will find an eager audience for this timely work of nonfiction. With movie The Martian coming out in October, the book is sure to be a hit. Plan an event around this interest in Mars. Pair the book with the many NASA websites featuring information about Mars.
To learn more about Buzz Aldrin, go to http://buzzaldrin.com/.
To learn more about co-author Marianne Dyson, go to http://www.mariannedyson.com/.
Published by National Geographic Children’s Books on September 1, 2015.
Readers are invited to become Martian pioneers as they work their way the information they’ll need to journey to Mars and build a permanent home.
This visually-rich, well-organized book includes short chapters dealing with key issues related to space travel and the colonization of Mars. Numerous fun activities, author side-bars, interesting fact boxes, stunning photographs, detailed illustrations, intriguing diagrams and primary source documents add to the appeal. A timelines and map of Mars are particularly interesting. The book concludes with book and website lists, a glossary, credits, and an index.
Librarians will find an eager audience for this timely work of nonfiction. With movie The Martian coming out in October, the book is sure to be a hit. Plan an event around this interest in Mars. Pair the book with the many NASA websites featuring information about Mars.
To learn more about Buzz Aldrin, go to http://buzzaldrin.com/.
To learn more about co-author Marianne Dyson, go to http://www.mariannedyson.com/.
Published by National Geographic Children’s Books on September 1, 2015.
October 12, 2015
Do you want to visit Mars? Are you curious about what it would be like to live on Mars? Buzz Aldrin, is an astronaut and the second person to ever walk on the moon. In this wonderful fact filled guide, he invites readers to travel to Mars, build a livable environment and stay there.
Readers will learn how Mars compares to Earth. A day on Mars is similar to a day on Earth. And most importantly, Mars has water. Readers will learn about how they could travel to Mars and what they would need to bring. As readers turn the pages there are plenty of activities with cool things to create. Activities with step-by-step directions show readers how gravity works, where to find the red planet and even how to build a sample home of what people might live in on Mars.
There are many photos of Mars and our recent visit, scientific diagrams, activities, glossary and resources to learn more about Mars. Parents and teachers will enjoy this guide to Mars and will want to add this to a home or school library. It’s time we started getting ready to live on Mars.
Readers will learn how Mars compares to Earth. A day on Mars is similar to a day on Earth. And most importantly, Mars has water. Readers will learn about how they could travel to Mars and what they would need to bring. As readers turn the pages there are plenty of activities with cool things to create. Activities with step-by-step directions show readers how gravity works, where to find the red planet and even how to build a sample home of what people might live in on Mars.
There are many photos of Mars and our recent visit, scientific diagrams, activities, glossary and resources to learn more about Mars. Parents and teachers will enjoy this guide to Mars and will want to add this to a home or school library. It’s time we started getting ready to live on Mars.
November 25, 2015
While I am not interested in going to Mars myself, the ideas is certainly an intriguing one. This book by former astronaut Buzz Aldrin addresses what it is likely to take to get there and survive there on a long term basis. Aldrin points out about where science is now in terms of getting there (rockets, supplies, etc). and then shares what it will probably take to allow people to live there. I found that fascinating and very intimidating. Those who go will have to depend on people from earth to keep them supplied with certain things, but will be on their own if certain things go wrong. The activities included in the book add a fun touch to the content in terms of helping young readers understand some of the challenging concepts that are presented. I also found the comparisons to the conditions on earth to be completely fascinating. This is a great book for young readers who dream of going to Mars or helping the process.
December 17, 2015
Very informative and readable non-fiction about what it would take to support human life on Mars. The information is broken into sections that make it very accessible for any reader. Lots of good illustrations as well. I found it to be fascinating and I think kids interested in space will enjoy it also.
July 10, 2016
Lots of good information here, wanted more! Looking forward to give this as a gift to my space-minded nephew.
October 26, 2015
I've always wanted to be an astronaut (who doesn't) and now you thanks to the ultimate astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, you can be a space explorer too!
September 14, 2016
Read this book to my 6 and 8 year old over a few weeks and it was a great introduction to ideas about traveling to Mars. I might pick up Mission to Mars because of this.
October 3, 2016
An interesting look on how Mars could be colonized. This book contains a nice collection of science experiments for kids.
July 23, 2016
Interesting read 3rd grade to grad school
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