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The Mars Challenge
Travel to deep space and back again with The Mars Challenge, a nonfiction graphic novel for teens about the science and logistics of a manned mission to Mars.
Nadia is a teen with a dream: to be the first woman on Mars. But to get there, she's got to learn all she can about the science of spaceflight. It's a good thing her friend Eleanor is an Attitude Determination and Control Officer—basically, she pilots the International Space Station!
Eleanor takes Nadia on a conceptual journey through an entire crewed mission to Mars, and explains every challenge that must be overcome along the way; from escaping Earth's gravity well, to keeping the crew healthy as they travel through deep space, to setting up a Mars base, to having enough fuel for the trip home!
In The Mars Challenge, writer Alison Wilgus and artist Wyeth Yates bring the reader on a thrilling interplanetary voyage and clearly illustrate the scientific concepts and complex machinery involved. Humans can reach Mars in our lifetime—this book explains how it can be done.
Nadia is a teen with a dream: to be the first woman on Mars. But to get there, she's got to learn all she can about the science of spaceflight. It's a good thing her friend Eleanor is an Attitude Determination and Control Officer—basically, she pilots the International Space Station!
Eleanor takes Nadia on a conceptual journey through an entire crewed mission to Mars, and explains every challenge that must be overcome along the way; from escaping Earth's gravity well, to keeping the crew healthy as they travel through deep space, to setting up a Mars base, to having enough fuel for the trip home!
In The Mars Challenge, writer Alison Wilgus and artist Wyeth Yates bring the reader on a thrilling interplanetary voyage and clearly illustrate the scientific concepts and complex machinery involved. Humans can reach Mars in our lifetime—this book explains how it can be done.
208 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 2020
5 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
September 11, 2020
Absolutely chocked full of information on the challenges of space flight, the limitations of the human body, the geology and chemistry of Mars, as so so much more...
The book is targeted at teen audience, and yet it is pretty dense in form, even in the graphic format. It is all conveyed through expository dialogue between an intrepid teen (wants to be the first woman on Mars!) and a scientist who works for NASA as they hike around a desert landscape on Earth.
Traditional panel format of comics with some full page spreads. Great art and visuals, and I also appreciated the representation - both the mentor and the student were women and BIPOC.
Veers into didactic lecturing frequently. Even in the graphic format, I wanted a more *showing* than *telling*. Still a great addition to graphic nonfiction in the sciences, and will no doubt spark interest.
The book is targeted at teen audience, and yet it is pretty dense in form, even in the graphic format. It is all conveyed through expository dialogue between an intrepid teen (wants to be the first woman on Mars!) and a scientist who works for NASA as they hike around a desert landscape on Earth.
Traditional panel format of comics with some full page spreads. Great art and visuals, and I also appreciated the representation - both the mentor and the student were women and BIPOC.
Veers into didactic lecturing frequently. Even in the graphic format, I wanted a more *showing* than *telling*. Still a great addition to graphic nonfiction in the sciences, and will no doubt spark interest.
September 21, 2020
A highly informative and entertaining look at how hard it is going to be to put humans on Mars and return them safely to Earth. It takes the form a dialogue between an aspiring astronaut and a knowledgable space advocate -- both women of color -- as they hike through some rough terrain on Earth that morphs as their discussion wanders from the International Space Station to Mars itself.
The mentor is very realistic about the challenges to be surmounted and how a mission to Mars will build upon what has come before, from Martian probes to our manned Moon missions. The problems to be solved are daunting, but the describing of them excited me more for the how great the accomplishment will be when it occurs.
Mostly, this book made me want to read Andy Weir's The Martian again, probably my favorite book of the last ten years.
The mentor is very realistic about the challenges to be surmounted and how a mission to Mars will build upon what has come before, from Martian probes to our manned Moon missions. The problems to be solved are daunting, but the describing of them excited me more for the how great the accomplishment will be when it occurs.
Mostly, this book made me want to read Andy Weir's The Martian again, probably my favorite book of the last ten years.
October 18, 2020
Book blurb: Travel to deep space and back again with The Mars Challenge, a nonfiction graphic novel for teens about the science and logistics of a manned mission to Mars.
I would have loved this as a teen, and I loved it as an adult. Getting humans to Mars is hard - especially if you are planning a round trip - and it's one of the things that annoys me about most stories about humans on the planet - there is so much to be worked out, and most stories gloss over the challenges.
I loved that the history and future of human spaceflight was explored in this format. There is no dumbing down of the science, but it's clearly explained. I also loved that the device of learning this topic via two women of color - Nadia a teen who has a dream of being the first woman on Mars, and Eleanor who pilots the ISS. So dang cool. The illustrations are good, and while there's a lot of text, it is really well done.
There are things I had forgotten, and things I learned, while being highly entertained. I'd highly recommend this for both teens and adults.
I would have loved this as a teen, and I loved it as an adult. Getting humans to Mars is hard - especially if you are planning a round trip - and it's one of the things that annoys me about most stories about humans on the planet - there is so much to be worked out, and most stories gloss over the challenges.
I loved that the history and future of human spaceflight was explored in this format. There is no dumbing down of the science, but it's clearly explained. I also loved that the device of learning this topic via two women of color - Nadia a teen who has a dream of being the first woman on Mars, and Eleanor who pilots the ISS. So dang cool. The illustrations are good, and while there's a lot of text, it is really well done.
There are things I had forgotten, and things I learned, while being highly entertained. I'd highly recommend this for both teens and adults.
July 8, 2020
Mars is hard.
In fact, just the prospect of humans missions to Mars is so hard that even talking about why Mars is hard can be hard because, well, it’s hard.
Alison Wilgus and Wyeth Yates’ The Mars Challenge is a shockingly good book on this topic.
To say The Mars Challenge gets it right is an understatement.
The prospect of sending humans to Mars is daunting, and the reasons for that get very technical very quickly. Try to explain it, and you start talking about things like the rocket equation and orbital mechanics and EDL, and the specter of complex mathematical formulas starts quickly drawing near like a gathering storm.
It becomes very easy to let the technical become so technical that the average person, or, for that matter, a decent number of fairly technical people who haven’t immersed themselves in this particular deep dive, get overwhelmed.
On the other end of the spectrum, there can be a temptation to try to make the topic accessible by watering down the technical to the point where you’re not really doing it justice.
The Mars Challenge does neither of these. It lunges bravely directly into the very real technical challenges of a human mission to Mars and then deftly unpacks them so that a lay reader can understand.
Oh, and did I mention The Mars Challenge is a graphic novel?
The framework for the book is a conversation between a teenager with dreams of dirtying her boots with Martian regolith, and her space professional mentor all too aware of the hurdles that must be overcome to make that happen.
In Wilgus’ hands, that mentor speaks the language of spaceflight with a realism worthy of an insider, but lovingly translates it into human in a way a teenager could believably understand.
Ably assisted by Yates, the creators overcome another substantial challenge to tell the story – keeping what is essentially a 200-page comic book consisting solely of two people having a conversation from becoming tedious. Both the writing and the artwork, replete with visions of the past, present and future of space exploration, are lively and engaging.
The Mars Challenge takes an admirably even-handed approach devoid of agenda – unlike many books on the subject, it eschews “all you have to do is” editorializing in favor of an honest analysis.
The book is a perfect primer for teens who feel the call to boldly go – or build the ships for those who do – and is a quick and accessible read for adults who’d like an overview of how space exploration works.
Mars is hard, but it’s doable, and The Mars Challenge is an inspirational tool for equipping the next generation of explorers for the challenges ahead.
In fact, just the prospect of humans missions to Mars is so hard that even talking about why Mars is hard can be hard because, well, it’s hard.
Alison Wilgus and Wyeth Yates’ The Mars Challenge is a shockingly good book on this topic.
To say The Mars Challenge gets it right is an understatement.
The prospect of sending humans to Mars is daunting, and the reasons for that get very technical very quickly. Try to explain it, and you start talking about things like the rocket equation and orbital mechanics and EDL, and the specter of complex mathematical formulas starts quickly drawing near like a gathering storm.
It becomes very easy to let the technical become so technical that the average person, or, for that matter, a decent number of fairly technical people who haven’t immersed themselves in this particular deep dive, get overwhelmed.
On the other end of the spectrum, there can be a temptation to try to make the topic accessible by watering down the technical to the point where you’re not really doing it justice.
The Mars Challenge does neither of these. It lunges bravely directly into the very real technical challenges of a human mission to Mars and then deftly unpacks them so that a lay reader can understand.
Oh, and did I mention The Mars Challenge is a graphic novel?
The framework for the book is a conversation between a teenager with dreams of dirtying her boots with Martian regolith, and her space professional mentor all too aware of the hurdles that must be overcome to make that happen.
In Wilgus’ hands, that mentor speaks the language of spaceflight with a realism worthy of an insider, but lovingly translates it into human in a way a teenager could believably understand.
Ably assisted by Yates, the creators overcome another substantial challenge to tell the story – keeping what is essentially a 200-page comic book consisting solely of two people having a conversation from becoming tedious. Both the writing and the artwork, replete with visions of the past, present and future of space exploration, are lively and engaging.
The Mars Challenge takes an admirably even-handed approach devoid of agenda – unlike many books on the subject, it eschews “all you have to do is” editorializing in favor of an honest analysis.
The book is a perfect primer for teens who feel the call to boldly go – or build the ships for those who do – and is a quick and accessible read for adults who’d like an overview of how space exploration works.
Mars is hard, but it’s doable, and The Mars Challenge is an inspirational tool for equipping the next generation of explorers for the challenges ahead.
February 21, 2021
Detailed but very readable discussing about what is needed to get humans on Mars.
October 26, 2020
Full of everything we know so far on what it would take to get humans to Mars, both what we have and what we still need to figure out, explained in an entertaining and accessible way.
It doesn't pull punches on the issues of what's holding us back, but still manages to be both realistic and optimistic.
June 8, 2020
This was the most clear, concise, and colorful guide on space exploration I have yet to read. The author spent a huge amount of time researching and it definitely shows.
I had to read this in chunks even though it's a fairly short read just because of how dense the information is (for someone who's not a space expert). The book consists of two people, a teen and scientist, walking around a Mars-like landscape discussing what exactly it would take to get us to Mars and back, but the landscape eventually morphs into the locations they discuss--inside the spacecraft, the surface of Mars, etc. It's a graphic novel, so the use of visual guides and graphs to explain information feels natural and helps clarify the science, while the back-and-forth conversation between the characters answers any questions that arise about confusing topics. The dialogue is also very light-hearted, which keeps it entertaining and possibly more accessible to reluctant teen readers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and would love to reread it to soak in more of the information. For anyone interested in space exploration, I highly recommend this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.
I had to read this in chunks even though it's a fairly short read just because of how dense the information is (for someone who's not a space expert). The book consists of two people, a teen and scientist, walking around a Mars-like landscape discussing what exactly it would take to get us to Mars and back, but the landscape eventually morphs into the locations they discuss--inside the spacecraft, the surface of Mars, etc. It's a graphic novel, so the use of visual guides and graphs to explain information feels natural and helps clarify the science, while the back-and-forth conversation between the characters answers any questions that arise about confusing topics. The dialogue is also very light-hearted, which keeps it entertaining and possibly more accessible to reluctant teen readers.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and would love to reread it to soak in more of the information. For anyone interested in space exploration, I highly recommend this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.
August 7, 2020
Thorough and well-researched, The Mars Challenge describes the state of the art of work toward sending human astronauts to Mars through a dialogue between a woman who desperately wants to be among the first astronauts, and another woman who explains the technology we'll need and problems we haven't solved yet. There are a lot of challenges, and it's daunting. In the end, the wannabe astronaut almost loses hope, but delivers a stirring speech: "When we talked about building space stations back in the 1950s, people like Wernher von Braun came up with these sleek, gorgeous designs. Shining silver wheels in orbit with simulated gravity. What we got is a chain of cans and trusses. An orbiting jumble of compromises. But you know what? It's up there. We did it." I recommend this book to any kid who dreams of being an astronaut. It's good to dream, and it's good to face reality. The two aren't incompatible.
Full disclosure: I was one of two fact-checkers on this book. Wilgus took all my recommendations to heart.
Full disclosure: I was one of two fact-checkers on this book. Wilgus took all my recommendations to heart.
February 11, 2024
The Mars Challenge: The Past, Present, and Future of Human Spaceflight is a short explanation of the difficulties of traveling to Mars, presented in a graphic novel format. While I was aware of most of these challenges already, to see them assembled in one place and explained in a concise, clear manner drove home just how difficult and dangerous a trip to Mars would be for humans. It is hard enough to send rovers on one way trips to the red planet, but humans, with their pesky need for life support systems, plus the requirement that they be returned safely to Earth, dramatically increases the scope of such a trip.
The Mars Challenge imagines an enthusiastic young woman named Nadia who wants to be the first woman to walk on the surface of Mars. Her friend Eleanor is a scientist who is well versed in all of the hazards of space travel. But before they discuss the obstacles, Nadia and Eleanor first talk about the justification for sending humans in the first place. A scientist on the surface of Mars can survey his environment, and spot something interesting and immediately go investigate. A rover must carefully navigate even short distances, a rover can be thwarted by the simplest obstacles, such as a boulder field or a ditch, which a human could traverse without thinking. A human could dig into mountainsides or dried lake bottoms, and immediately pursue new lines of investigation if something curious pops up. There is no doubt a trained scientist could do 100x the field work of even our best rovers.
But getting a small crew to Mars is hard. First big challenge is building a spaceship large enough to contain a small crew for the long journey. Humans need food, air, and gravity. Humans need shielding from cosmic rays. Humans need instruments and systems to handle our biological functions. All of this takes weight. Which means a lot of flights from Earth into space carrying all of the required supplies. Once the ship is built, what propels it? Humans exposed to space are at risk, so the shortest journey to Mars is the best journey. But a chemical rocket would take an incredible amount of fuel. Do we launch a nuclear generator? Hydrazine is an excellent rocket fuel, and also incredibly toxic and dangerous. Ion engines might be efficient, but they are slow and unproven.
No human has spent a sustained amount of time in deep space - the space station is in low Earth orbit, and so is protected by the Van Allen belts. But once the Mars ship leaves Earth orbit the crew will be vulnerable to cosmic particles. Mars does not have a magnetic field, so being on the Martian surface offers no protection. The human body degrades in zero-G, so even if they stick to a vigorous exercise schedule, the astronauts might arrive at Mars too weak to do anything!
The psychological challenges of such a long trip are also serious. Confined to a small space, could the crew maintain their focus? The astronauts who spend a long term on the space station say that the best way to de-stress is to stare out the window at the Earth below. On a trip to Mars, Earth would soon be lost in the distance. They would be entirely on their own, once the rocket launches them toward Mars, there is no aborting the mission and flying back. Any Apollo-13 style catastrophe would have to be solved on their own.
Landing on Mars is equally hard, the atmosphere is too thin for parachutes to be of much use. But it takes a lot of fuel to land a rocket, even if Mars gravity is much less than Earth's. Of course, the crew will need the rocket to return them to Mars orbit for the journey home. There are suggestions to send an advanced automated factory to Mars ahead of the arrival of the humans; this factory could process the CO2 in Mars' atmosphere to make hydrazine - but of course this idea is entirely unproven.
The dust on Mars is super sharp and corrosive - as is the dust on the moon. Without water or humidity, Martian dust is super fine grains ground down to tiny particles by eons of wind and exposure. Dust so fine that it would get into every crevice; inhaling it would scar the lungs. Without water, the dust is sharp. On the moon, the astronauts space suits were damaged by the lunar dust, and the Apollo astronauts were on the surface just 3 days.
When I finished The Mars Challenge, my first thought was: "Rats. Looks like humans won't be landing on Mars any time soon." These obstacles make the probability of going to Mars in my lifetime seem remote. Even getting back to moon is a monster challenge. I hope to live long enough to witness humans return to the lunar surface, seeing us build a permanent lunar base is perhaps too much to wish.
The Mars Challenge imagines an enthusiastic young woman named Nadia who wants to be the first woman to walk on the surface of Mars. Her friend Eleanor is a scientist who is well versed in all of the hazards of space travel. But before they discuss the obstacles, Nadia and Eleanor first talk about the justification for sending humans in the first place. A scientist on the surface of Mars can survey his environment, and spot something interesting and immediately go investigate. A rover must carefully navigate even short distances, a rover can be thwarted by the simplest obstacles, such as a boulder field or a ditch, which a human could traverse without thinking. A human could dig into mountainsides or dried lake bottoms, and immediately pursue new lines of investigation if something curious pops up. There is no doubt a trained scientist could do 100x the field work of even our best rovers.
But getting a small crew to Mars is hard. First big challenge is building a spaceship large enough to contain a small crew for the long journey. Humans need food, air, and gravity. Humans need shielding from cosmic rays. Humans need instruments and systems to handle our biological functions. All of this takes weight. Which means a lot of flights from Earth into space carrying all of the required supplies. Once the ship is built, what propels it? Humans exposed to space are at risk, so the shortest journey to Mars is the best journey. But a chemical rocket would take an incredible amount of fuel. Do we launch a nuclear generator? Hydrazine is an excellent rocket fuel, and also incredibly toxic and dangerous. Ion engines might be efficient, but they are slow and unproven.
No human has spent a sustained amount of time in deep space - the space station is in low Earth orbit, and so is protected by the Van Allen belts. But once the Mars ship leaves Earth orbit the crew will be vulnerable to cosmic particles. Mars does not have a magnetic field, so being on the Martian surface offers no protection. The human body degrades in zero-G, so even if they stick to a vigorous exercise schedule, the astronauts might arrive at Mars too weak to do anything!
The psychological challenges of such a long trip are also serious. Confined to a small space, could the crew maintain their focus? The astronauts who spend a long term on the space station say that the best way to de-stress is to stare out the window at the Earth below. On a trip to Mars, Earth would soon be lost in the distance. They would be entirely on their own, once the rocket launches them toward Mars, there is no aborting the mission and flying back. Any Apollo-13 style catastrophe would have to be solved on their own.
Landing on Mars is equally hard, the atmosphere is too thin for parachutes to be of much use. But it takes a lot of fuel to land a rocket, even if Mars gravity is much less than Earth's. Of course, the crew will need the rocket to return them to Mars orbit for the journey home. There are suggestions to send an advanced automated factory to Mars ahead of the arrival of the humans; this factory could process the CO2 in Mars' atmosphere to make hydrazine - but of course this idea is entirely unproven.
The dust on Mars is super sharp and corrosive - as is the dust on the moon. Without water or humidity, Martian dust is super fine grains ground down to tiny particles by eons of wind and exposure. Dust so fine that it would get into every crevice; inhaling it would scar the lungs. Without water, the dust is sharp. On the moon, the astronauts space suits were damaged by the lunar dust, and the Apollo astronauts were on the surface just 3 days.
When I finished The Mars Challenge, my first thought was: "Rats. Looks like humans won't be landing on Mars any time soon." These obstacles make the probability of going to Mars in my lifetime seem remote. Even getting back to moon is a monster challenge. I hope to live long enough to witness humans return to the lunar surface, seeing us build a permanent lunar base is perhaps too much to wish.
October 20, 2020
This is the kind of graphic novel I would have absorbed while in high school...
Nadia, a teen who aspires to be an astronaut in the future, and Ellie, her friend who is an Attitude Determination and Control Officer on the International Space Station, meet for a hike in the desert an mountains to discuss what is necessary to happen for an astronaut to travel to the planet Mars.
Wilgus unpacks this topic step by step, beginning with explaining what and how humans have learned about the Red Planet, the challenges that gravity presents when venturing into space, flight planning details involved, fuel considerations, what is needed for survival of humans in space, the effects of radiation, the psychological challenges, how to land a craft on and living conditions on Mars, and what will be involved when returning home again. She makes larger concepts manageable for teens. Told as a running conversation between the two women was brilliant, anticipating readers' questions with the turn of every page. Readers will see themselves in Nadia, a teenager who can see the big picture, but miss some of the smaller details. Ellie is the adult "teacher" - patient, kind, and a bit playful in her descriptions. Since Wilgus spent years researching this (and it shows in her frequent use of facts), instead of writing up a long list of sources consulted she has gathered together an annotated list of seven websites for more information (Be aware that one is Wikipedia.), early sketches of the characters, and a nine-page long bibliography.
Wyeth Yates' graphic illustrations were penciled with a blu Prismacolor Col-Erase pencil, inked with a Winsor & Newton Series 7 brush, Tachikawa Maru nibs, and Faber-Castell pens. It was colored in Photoshop. The choice to have both of these women as BIPOC is to be commended. Yates did an outstanding job of making whatever topic that Nadia and Ellie were talking about come alive behind them, as if the two were witness to each step in the process, though they had never left the desert/rocky mountains. There is an incredible dense amount of text on each page, so it reads a bit slower than most graphic novels. The illustrations add a little levity and clarity at the same time.
This book might be problematic for libraries - do you shelve it in graphic novels or under a non-fiction call number?
Give this to teens who demonstrate an interest in science, particularly in astronomy. They will eat it up!
Recommended for grades 9-12.
Nadia, a teen who aspires to be an astronaut in the future, and Ellie, her friend who is an Attitude Determination and Control Officer on the International Space Station, meet for a hike in the desert an mountains to discuss what is necessary to happen for an astronaut to travel to the planet Mars.
Wilgus unpacks this topic step by step, beginning with explaining what and how humans have learned about the Red Planet, the challenges that gravity presents when venturing into space, flight planning details involved, fuel considerations, what is needed for survival of humans in space, the effects of radiation, the psychological challenges, how to land a craft on and living conditions on Mars, and what will be involved when returning home again. She makes larger concepts manageable for teens. Told as a running conversation between the two women was brilliant, anticipating readers' questions with the turn of every page. Readers will see themselves in Nadia, a teenager who can see the big picture, but miss some of the smaller details. Ellie is the adult "teacher" - patient, kind, and a bit playful in her descriptions. Since Wilgus spent years researching this (and it shows in her frequent use of facts), instead of writing up a long list of sources consulted she has gathered together an annotated list of seven websites for more information (Be aware that one is Wikipedia.), early sketches of the characters, and a nine-page long bibliography.
Wyeth Yates' graphic illustrations were penciled with a blu Prismacolor Col-Erase pencil, inked with a Winsor & Newton Series 7 brush, Tachikawa Maru nibs, and Faber-Castell pens. It was colored in Photoshop. The choice to have both of these women as BIPOC is to be commended. Yates did an outstanding job of making whatever topic that Nadia and Ellie were talking about come alive behind them, as if the two were witness to each step in the process, though they had never left the desert/rocky mountains. There is an incredible dense amount of text on each page, so it reads a bit slower than most graphic novels. The illustrations add a little levity and clarity at the same time.
This book might be problematic for libraries - do you shelve it in graphic novels or under a non-fiction call number?
Give this to teens who demonstrate an interest in science, particularly in astronomy. They will eat it up!
Recommended for grades 9-12.
June 17, 2020
The driving question in this well-drawn graphic novel is “What are all the conflicts that need to be solved before a space flight can be made to our next door neighbor, Mars?” The story is told in a series of conversations between Nadia, a teen who wants to be the first woman to Mars, and her mentor, Eleanor, an Attitude Determination and Control Officer (basically, a rocket scientist!). Eleanor guides Nadia through a hypothetical journey to the red planet. From the major difficulties of gravity and keeping astronauts alive throughout the journey and on the surface to the physics of landing the craft and the mathematics of the fuel reserves to get home, Wilgus details all the logistics of getting a huge chunk of metal with some sentient beings inside to a rock 85 million miles away…
I found it best to read this book in parts as the details can get a little thick in places, but I think the author does a great job of splitting up the parts of the journey into well-formed chapters. Each chapter builds on the previous and the reader can truly see the complicated task of building and operating the space rocket. There’s also the building of rapport between Nadia and Eleanor that illustrates how important these relationships are between young women and women in science careers. The illustrations are a mixture of straightforward panels featuring in depth conversations and large graphics that show the engineering in action.
The Mars Challenge is a graphic novel that features a complex scientific problem and an inspiring mentor-mentee pair of female scientists who are prepared to jump in with both feet.
This book helps to continue my appreciation of First Second Books. I know that I will always get the whole package with their releases. This publisher delivers dynamic artwork, well-researched and topical titles, as well as books that are always accessible to multiple audiences. It doesn’t get any better than First Second when it comes to graphic novels!
4.5 out of 5 stars.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2020/06/16/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
I found it best to read this book in parts as the details can get a little thick in places, but I think the author does a great job of splitting up the parts of the journey into well-formed chapters. Each chapter builds on the previous and the reader can truly see the complicated task of building and operating the space rocket. There’s also the building of rapport between Nadia and Eleanor that illustrates how important these relationships are between young women and women in science careers. The illustrations are a mixture of straightforward panels featuring in depth conversations and large graphics that show the engineering in action.
The Mars Challenge is a graphic novel that features a complex scientific problem and an inspiring mentor-mentee pair of female scientists who are prepared to jump in with both feet.
This book helps to continue my appreciation of First Second Books. I know that I will always get the whole package with their releases. This publisher delivers dynamic artwork, well-researched and topical titles, as well as books that are always accessible to multiple audiences. It doesn’t get any better than First Second when it comes to graphic novels!
4.5 out of 5 stars.
For my full review: https://paulspicks.blog/2020/06/16/th...
For all my reviews: https://paulspicks.blog
December 13, 2021
This was an interesting read even though the first two chapters or so were a slogged to get through, due to the math and physics involve. After that part, it got to be more interesting and went by faster. When we got to reality about the possibility of getting to Mars and ideas on how to do it, my thinking was we need to get creative and think differently. To paraphrase/quote Big Hero 6, we need to come from a different angle.
When it comes to ships to get us to Mars, my thinking is to reverse engineer the USS Enterprise. Wait! That's a fictional ship based on semi-fictional science set in the future. Yes, that's correct, but think about what technology we have now that is similar to Star Trek. We have apple watches that are similar to the communicators used by Starfleet. Some of the problems they mentioned in this book could be solved by a curved design. If you looked at the stuff in the book a lot of the designs are based on straight lines, but straight lines do not contained more surface area. Curve areas can hold more surface area. For example, our colons would be so long if they did not curve, bend, and fold.
If it's true then I believe Albert Einstein once had a quote about how creativity (maybe fiction as well) can impact science. That I think will need to happen to get us to Mars and whole lot of patience. We need to think creatively, but maybe take our cue from fiction. Fiction can help us think more about a real concept or help us by laying a foundation that we can build from there. My Dad and I do this all the time. For example, thinking about speedsters and what it will take to make it happen. It could lead to new thoughts or help you think deeper on a subject.
In related news, the concepts about space stations and closed systems made me appreciate Sanity and Tallulah a WHOLE lot more. That entire series about humans living in space, but they manage to figure out artificial gravity. Yet, this book also talks about being survivalists and the costs you take if you have shoddy workmanship.
When it comes to ships to get us to Mars, my thinking is to reverse engineer the USS Enterprise. Wait! That's a fictional ship based on semi-fictional science set in the future. Yes, that's correct, but think about what technology we have now that is similar to Star Trek. We have apple watches that are similar to the communicators used by Starfleet. Some of the problems they mentioned in this book could be solved by a curved design. If you looked at the stuff in the book a lot of the designs are based on straight lines, but straight lines do not contained more surface area. Curve areas can hold more surface area. For example, our colons would be so long if they did not curve, bend, and fold.
If it's true then I believe Albert Einstein once had a quote about how creativity (maybe fiction as well) can impact science. That I think will need to happen to get us to Mars and whole lot of patience. We need to think creatively, but maybe take our cue from fiction. Fiction can help us think more about a real concept or help us by laying a foundation that we can build from there. My Dad and I do this all the time. For example, thinking about speedsters and what it will take to make it happen. It could lead to new thoughts or help you think deeper on a subject.
In related news, the concepts about space stations and closed systems made me appreciate Sanity and Tallulah a WHOLE lot more. That entire series about humans living in space, but they manage to figure out artificial gravity. Yet, this book also talks about being survivalists and the costs you take if you have shoddy workmanship.
April 14, 2020
Join ambitious high schooler Nadia and her mentor, ISS Pilot Eleanor, as they discuss the main problems that are face us today in getting a manned mission to Mars. The topic is presented as a conversation between the two with various diagrams and “trips” to the International Space Station, Mars, and others as Eleanor describes the hurdles scientists and engineers have to overcome. Some of the issues include the Rocket Equation, the formula for calculating how much fuel you will need to get the mass of your rocket off the ground, how to keep humans alive in space, how to safely land on Mars, and how to return home, among others.
This is probably one of the most thorough telling of the exact problems stopping us from launching a manned mission to Mars. I learned an incredible amount from this title, and I have a passable knowledge of space flight. However, this was difficult to get through in one sitting because of the density of information. Do not approach this as a normal graphic novel that is consumed all at once. The chapters are broken up into specifics problems and it is highly advised to actually pause for a day or two at each chapter and let your brain digest the information from the previous chapter. It would also be more engaging if it wasn’t just Nadia and Eleanor talking. A lot of concepts are “told” instead of “shown”. The second half of the book has more trips and hands-on things for the characters to do, but I could have used a lot more illustration on the concepts being discussed and less focus on the faces of the characters. The art is less detailed than I would have liked for complicated concepts, leaning a little more cartoony than illustrative.
Sara's Rating: 7/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12
This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley.
This is probably one of the most thorough telling of the exact problems stopping us from launching a manned mission to Mars. I learned an incredible amount from this title, and I have a passable knowledge of space flight. However, this was difficult to get through in one sitting because of the density of information. Do not approach this as a normal graphic novel that is consumed all at once. The chapters are broken up into specifics problems and it is highly advised to actually pause for a day or two at each chapter and let your brain digest the information from the previous chapter. It would also be more engaging if it wasn’t just Nadia and Eleanor talking. A lot of concepts are “told” instead of “shown”. The second half of the book has more trips and hands-on things for the characters to do, but I could have used a lot more illustration on the concepts being discussed and less focus on the faces of the characters. The art is less detailed than I would have liked for complicated concepts, leaning a little more cartoony than illustrative.
Sara's Rating: 7/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12
This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley.
October 11, 2021
Nadia is a teenager with a dream to be the first woman on Mars. If she wants to get there, she has to learn about the science behind it and how to prepare. Luckily, She has a friend who works for NASA. The more she learns though the farther her goal seems. Will she be able to achieve her goal or even try?
I personally enjoyed The Mars Challenge because it gave good information about space travel while giving the reader interesting characters and story to go along with it. Even without opening the book you can see the plot on the back summary as it says,¨Nadia is a teen with a dream: To be the first woman on Mars. But to get there,she has to learn all she can about the science of space flight.¨ A line like that draws readers in. The graphic novel also provided resources for further research. However there were times when the plot was a little dry. The book explains most of the more complex ideas and tech well. That being said, readers would benefit more from the book if they have some background knowledge in space exploration. There are no offensive topics discussed in the book, but it does talk about dying in space in various ways. It does not get too graphic about that. Allison Wilgus and Wyeth Yates did a great job gathering information about space exploration and all its technicalities and then putting it in story with two funny characters to deliver it in a way that won´t overwhelm readers. The book is geared towards tweens and teens with its detailed explanations. All together I rated it a solid four stars.
June 9, 2023
Very scientific focused.
It did a great job of explaining the complications of traveling to Mars. I kept thinking of how fun this would be as a book for a middle school science class. The teacher could expand on the different ideas and then as the end-of-semester project, the students would have to put together their own plan for how to get to Mars and how they would solve one of the problems presented in the book.
I was a little sour on the book for the easy dismissal of a nuclear engine. I am a huge proponent of nuclear energy, I think the author didn't flesh out the pros and cons sufficiently, they just said, "Well ... it's never been tested, so we can't use that option." Nothing has ever been tested until it is tested, so why not start testing it for space?! I get so frustrated in general with how dismissive the public is of nuclear when it could solve so many of our current issues (both a cost-effective and environmentally-positive energy solution).
The other thing that got repetitive was how the author had the girl think "That's the last problem! On to Mars!" and then the astronaut woman was like "Well..." and then the girl would get mad and be all like, "Come on, what now!" If that girl wants to be an astronaut she needs to be smart enough to pick up on what's happening here.
Overall though, I liked it and I am glad I learned a lot of interesting/intriguing concepts, would love to learn more!
It did a great job of explaining the complications of traveling to Mars. I kept thinking of how fun this would be as a book for a middle school science class. The teacher could expand on the different ideas and then as the end-of-semester project, the students would have to put together their own plan for how to get to Mars and how they would solve one of the problems presented in the book.
I was a little sour on the book for the easy dismissal of a nuclear engine. I am a huge proponent of nuclear energy, I think the author didn't flesh out the pros and cons sufficiently, they just said, "Well ... it's never been tested, so we can't use that option." Nothing has ever been tested until it is tested, so why not start testing it for space?! I get so frustrated in general with how dismissive the public is of nuclear when it could solve so many of our current issues (both a cost-effective and environmentally-positive energy solution).
The other thing that got repetitive was how the author had the girl think "That's the last problem! On to Mars!" and then the astronaut woman was like "Well..." and then the girl would get mad and be all like, "Come on, what now!" If that girl wants to be an astronaut she needs to be smart enough to pick up on what's happening here.
Overall though, I liked it and I am glad I learned a lot of interesting/intriguing concepts, would love to learn more!
June 9, 2020
This title gives a very detailed scientific exploration of the challenges facing any potential manned mission to Mars, from launching astronauts into space and landing on Mars to bringing them back home.
The central focus of the story is a dialogue that takes place between a mission control officer, Ellie, and a teenage girl, Nadia, who hopes to someday be an astronaut on a Mars mission. The characters build a decent rapport, mixing in humor and banter among what can often be tough to understand concepts.
The illustrations are helpful in visualizing the different tech and conceptual physics involved in spaceflight, and in case you forget any of the many acronyms and scientific terms, a glossary is included in the back of the volume. It is the graphic nature of this title that makes or breaks it - the format is just more accessible than reading the same material in a textbook style.
Not every reader will have the patience to see this graphic novel through, but those who want to understand the real-world science behind some of their favorite science fiction will find this title extremely informative.
There is nothing to keep this book out of the hands of a middle school reader other than the density of information presented. It's a lot to handle in one sitting, even for an adult.
Digital ARC provided by Netgalley.
The central focus of the story is a dialogue that takes place between a mission control officer, Ellie, and a teenage girl, Nadia, who hopes to someday be an astronaut on a Mars mission. The characters build a decent rapport, mixing in humor and banter among what can often be tough to understand concepts.
The illustrations are helpful in visualizing the different tech and conceptual physics involved in spaceflight, and in case you forget any of the many acronyms and scientific terms, a glossary is included in the back of the volume. It is the graphic nature of this title that makes or breaks it - the format is just more accessible than reading the same material in a textbook style.
Not every reader will have the patience to see this graphic novel through, but those who want to understand the real-world science behind some of their favorite science fiction will find this title extremely informative.
There is nothing to keep this book out of the hands of a middle school reader other than the density of information presented. It's a lot to handle in one sitting, even for an adult.
Digital ARC provided by Netgalley.
June 15, 2020
Through the conversations of an eager teen who wants to go to Mars and an adult scientist, readers learn all the hurdles that need to be passed before humans are ready for a manned mission to Mars, from overcoming the headaches gravity poses to figuring out how to keep humans alive once they get there and everything in between.
This is like a crash course in space flight engineering, but in graphic novel form and written in a way teens can easily grasp (and even motivated tweens). The science is solid and broken down very well. I learned so much from this about why we aren’t going to Mars tomorrow, or even in the next decade most likely. But the goal isn’t to discourage, it is to encourage young minds to start thinking of ways to overcome these hurdles. Highly recommended to anyone with a smidgen of science nerd in them or who has dreamt of being an astronaut or working for a firm that designs space vehicles.
Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues (unless heck is a bad word in your community, about 4 of those). No sexual content. Fatalities in past space missions are mentioned but not graphically described. Illnesses/conditions suffered by recovering astronauts and cosmonauts also touched on briefly.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is like a crash course in space flight engineering, but in graphic novel form and written in a way teens can easily grasp (and even motivated tweens). The science is solid and broken down very well. I learned so much from this about why we aren’t going to Mars tomorrow, or even in the next decade most likely. But the goal isn’t to discourage, it is to encourage young minds to start thinking of ways to overcome these hurdles. Highly recommended to anyone with a smidgen of science nerd in them or who has dreamt of being an astronaut or working for a firm that designs space vehicles.
Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues (unless heck is a bad word in your community, about 4 of those). No sexual content. Fatalities in past space missions are mentioned but not graphically described. Illnesses/conditions suffered by recovering astronauts and cosmonauts also touched on briefly.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2020
I was given an advanced copy from the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.
First, this novel is said it is for Young Adults, I feel like it fits more in the advanced Young Readers section, regardless, it still had a great deal of information and understandable. It is just a little bit cheesy in some ways, which is why I feel it is pitched more for young readers.
This non-fiction graphic novels takes you through a conversation between a young girl and her mentor as they learn what it may take to get humans to Mars and what we have learned and where we are at as a society currently. This was quite interesting with a lot of research and information that the author did, which makes it quite interesting and I did learn a great deal. In some aspects the information was interesting and I learned a lot, at other times it seems quite dense and boring so I would maybe NOT recommend reading it all in one sitting. In the beginning it does seems quite cheesy and for younger readers, however, as it goes a long the tone changes and does not seem as being spoken down to as much. A lot of REALLY good information and I learned a lot!
First, this novel is said it is for Young Adults, I feel like it fits more in the advanced Young Readers section, regardless, it still had a great deal of information and understandable. It is just a little bit cheesy in some ways, which is why I feel it is pitched more for young readers.
This non-fiction graphic novels takes you through a conversation between a young girl and her mentor as they learn what it may take to get humans to Mars and what we have learned and where we are at as a society currently. This was quite interesting with a lot of research and information that the author did, which makes it quite interesting and I did learn a great deal. In some aspects the information was interesting and I learned a lot, at other times it seems quite dense and boring so I would maybe NOT recommend reading it all in one sitting. In the beginning it does seems quite cheesy and for younger readers, however, as it goes a long the tone changes and does not seem as being spoken down to as much. A lot of REALLY good information and I learned a lot!
August 12, 2020
This book took a while to feel like I wasn't reading a really long informational pamphlet with cartoon characters to try to make it feel more relatable. I'm still not really sold on the vehicle of the people/characters/conversation used to relate the messages, but the messages were still interesting. Learning some of this history was absolutely fascinating--and the pictures did occasionally help to understand things. When I was reading about the "space wars" and how our progress was so fast during that time, I couldn't help but think of all the animals that tragically and horribly died in the name of space progress, which wasn't mentioned in this book and maybe should have been. Every time I think about that I feel so sick.
But mostly this was just a lot of fascinating information in an easy to digest format, and that was great. It made me think a lot, which is almost always a good thing.
But mostly this was just a lot of fascinating information in an easy to digest format, and that was great. It made me think a lot, which is almost always a good thing.
July 24, 2021
This book is absolutely packed with detailed information which manages to be both technical and digestible. I found it extremely engaging and informative.
The framing is curious, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. The challenges we face in the endeavor of sending human beings to Mars are explained in the form of a conversation between an aspiring astronaut and an expert (engineer, I think?). Concepts are illustrated, but a good deal of the art shows ... two people talking while they walk around, with varying amounts of background. And while the art is always expressive, I often find the layout, blocking and panel progression choices less than totally effective. But on the other hand ... I found it DEEPLY engaging, and the conversational style is definitely part of the accessibility. So ultimately, I can't say it's not successful (very successful even) as a comic, even though I kept seeing things I'd design differently.
The framing is curious, and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. The challenges we face in the endeavor of sending human beings to Mars are explained in the form of a conversation between an aspiring astronaut and an expert (engineer, I think?). Concepts are illustrated, but a good deal of the art shows ... two people talking while they walk around, with varying amounts of background. And while the art is always expressive, I often find the layout, blocking and panel progression choices less than totally effective. But on the other hand ... I found it DEEPLY engaging, and the conversational style is definitely part of the accessibility. So ultimately, I can't say it's not successful (very successful even) as a comic, even though I kept seeing things I'd design differently.
July 20, 2020
Framed as a conversation between an enthusiastic teenager and an experienced astronaut, this book does an able job of exploring the many obstacles that stand between us and Mars. To do this at the reading and interest level of a high school student while still being incredibly informative is no small achievement. There's a lot of ground to cover, and Wilgus is able to thoroughly explain each subject (fuel, landing, etc) without getting overly technical. And although Wilgus makes it very clear that there are incredibly problems we haven't even begun to solve, they are solvable problems, and the final takeaway is that no, this won't happen next year or even this decade, but it will happen. This will, obviously, most appeal to the space enthusiasts.
October 26, 2020
This book was VERY good! I have never been a fan of graphic novels so was a little turned off by that but WOW! I loooved reading this book and I couldn’t put it down! This story is a non-fiction account of a mentoring relationship whereby the mentor discusses with her mentee the many challenges of getting humans to Mars & back safely! The main characters are female and non-white which should help inspire the next generation of diverse space enthusiasts! I will certainly be reading this book again and sharing it with students and colleagues!! Super awesome pics/drawings with excellent content. Bravo!!
July 14, 2021
This is a seemingly simple book that deals with some very big and complicated ideas. I found it fun and informative. It's well written and impeccably edited, and the illustrations provide a sort of notional trampoline--whenever you lose the thread of the sometimes technical discussion, you can drop off and then bounce back in on the strength of the pictures. Does that make any sense? I'm not sure, but I feel like a budding Mars expert now on the strength of a little book that never takes itself too seriously but never gives up hoping for the best either, so I'm going to go with it. Nice work from Alison Wilgus and her collaborators!
March 22, 2020
The Mars Challenge is a graphic novel with two characters conversing on how to get people to Mars. It is very science heavy and would be a good read of HS and up as some of the topics are maybe a bit above an average middle school student, however, I wouldn't discourage middle grade student to pick it up. The graphic were great and the info is fabulous if you want to learn more about space exploration and the challenges facing getting humans to Mars or any where in space.
I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
February 13, 2022
the science is really cool, this book gives a really nice overview and defines all of the silly acronyms (EVA, EMU, lol) and it covers a lot of interesting topics... including how many different life support systems we'll need to be self sufficient and mars. i hope to contribute to mars exploration in the future!!
my only nitpick is that the character art could be better? idk. though to be fair this isnt about the characters its about mars lol. and i feel like the artist did not need to draw like 5000 rock landscapes, though the technical objects were drawn really well
my only nitpick is that the character art could be better? idk. though to be fair this isnt about the characters its about mars lol. and i feel like the artist did not need to draw like 5000 rock landscapes, though the technical objects were drawn really well
September 14, 2021
Geared to a teen audience, this graphic non-fiction book presents a lot of good information about the technical challenges of sending humans to Mars, all in 200 pages, including cool graphics. I thought the book was very well done and did a great job of covering pretty complicated technical issues in a way that was very understandable. I would highly recommend this to any teen that's interested in STEM, or spaceflight in particularly. At that age, I would have LOVED a book like this!
July 23, 2022
I started this graphic novel thinking it would be a carefree story about getting to Mars. What I got instead was a throughly researched and realistic guide on Mars missions and life as an astronaut. The author does a great job of introducing new concepts and describing challenges for getting to Mars. I'm glad that the book didn't just brush past these obstacles but address them in the most realistic way possible.
March 8, 2020
Well, I really did like this, but I think it would be more engaging if it weren't just . . . a conversation between two people? I did myself find it interesting enough, but I wonder about the non nerdy population. Nicely illustrated and well done though I'd like more "story" format sections.
Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy!
Thanks to NetGalley for this review copy!
November 16, 2020
What exactly will it take for a manned crew to get to Mars, survive there and return home safely? This graphic novel takes us through every step of the way. Chock full of facts, I found it very engaging at times--and completely overwhelming at others. For readers interested in space travel, this is a good one.
December 31, 2022
Chock full of so much information and so many things I have never thought about when it comes to exploring mars. I love the graphics and the diagrams make the information that much easier and more interesting to absorb. That being said be said, know that this is just a whole lot of science and ideas getting thrown at you, there is not story or anything. It’s a tale of what ifs and possibilities.
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