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Il leone di Marte
Bell ha undici anni e come tutti i ragazzi della sua età adora le avventure, i dolci e gli animali. Ma Bell abita su Marte e l'unico animale che conosce davvero è il suo gatto, Leo. È arrivato sul pianeta rosso con la Squadra Spedizione e Insediamento degli Stati Uniti ed è abituato a una vita con molte responsabilità e rigide regole stabilite da Sai, il comandante della missione. La legge fondamentale è Niente contatti con i Paesi stranieri, mai. A seguito di un misterioso incidente, infatti, gli americani hanno deciso di interrompere i rapporti con gli abitanti delle altre colonie straniere sul pianeta.
Ma quando un grave virus colpisce gli adulti dell'insediamento, per i ragazzi arriva il momento di infrangere le regole. E tocca proprio a Bell scoprire la verità e riunire l'umanità del pianeta per salvare i suoi cari.
Una storia di crescita in un mondo lontano ma così vicino al nostro e alle sue recenti fragilità. Per scoprire che, anche nelle circostanze peggiori, aprirci agli altri e collaborare è la risorsa più potente che abbiamo.
Ma quando un grave virus colpisce gli adulti dell'insediamento, per i ragazzi arriva il momento di infrangere le regole. E tocca proprio a Bell scoprire la verità e riunire l'umanità del pianeta per salvare i suoi cari.
Una storia di crescita in un mondo lontano ma così vicino al nostro e alle sue recenti fragilità. Per scoprire che, anche nelle circostanze peggiori, aprirci agli altri e collaborare è la risorsa più potente che abbiamo.
285 pages, Hardcover
First published January 5, 2021
272 people are currently reading
2905 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer L. Holm
121 books1,722 followersJennifer L. Holm is a USA TODAY and NEW YORK TIMES-bestselling children's author with more than 9.8 million books in print She is the recipient of three Newbery Honors for her novels OUR ONLY MAY AMELIA, PENNY FROM HEAVEN, and TURTLE IN PARADISE and a Scott O'Dell Award for her novel FULL OF BEANS.
Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on three bestselling graphic novel series -- the Eisner Award-winning Babymouse series, the SUNNY series, and the Squish series. SQUISH is now an animated tv series on YouTube!
For more information, visit her website at www.jenniferholm.com.
Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on three bestselling graphic novel series -- the Eisner Award-winning Babymouse series, the SUNNY series, and the Squish series. SQUISH is now an animated tv series on YouTube!
For more information, visit her website at www.jenniferholm.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 828 reviews
January 19, 2022
This was a bit slow for me. I liked the relationship of the older man and the protagonist and enjoyed some of the world building .The narrator sounds younger than 11 and the adult not finding out the truth about the accident didn’t make sense except to force the tension in the plot. I thought the girls were stereotypical. Science fiction can be hard for young readers and this is accessible. It’s not too complex.
January 2, 2021
Jennifer Holm has an uncanny way of delivering a science fiction novel that makes even a science-fiction-averse reader such as myself fall in love with it.
The Lion of Mars takes place on...Mars. Bell has grown up there and knows no other existence. A virus outbreak leaves it's children wondering why they have been isolated from other colonies and they are left to take action and save the adults and their future.
Reading a book like this during a pandemic makes the "science-fiction" all the more real. What stands out to me is the power of this book to become more than a "science-fiction" story, rather than an incredible book about family.
The Lion of Mars takes place on...Mars. Bell has grown up there and knows no other existence. A virus outbreak leaves it's children wondering why they have been isolated from other colonies and they are left to take action and save the adults and their future.
Reading a book like this during a pandemic makes the "science-fiction" all the more real. What stands out to me is the power of this book to become more than a "science-fiction" story, rather than an incredible book about family.
August 12, 2022
8/7/22 This was a fun reread. What would it be like to be one of the first kids to grow up on Mars? The adults may have memories of Earth, but the young people only know what it's like to be on Mars.
12/31/21 3⭐s for the first half, 5⭐s for the last half. What would it be like to grow up on a Mars space station? Find out in this story about Bell and friends that starts slow as we are introduced to the characters and their daily lives and picks up speed when the kids & teens find themselves taking care of daily tasks and survival on their own.
A story that celebrates the importance of other people, working working together for a common cause and cooperation, this could be a good class read-aloud. Or give it to those who are looking for stories that take place in outer space or other planets.
12/31/21 3⭐s for the first half, 5⭐s for the last half. What would it be like to grow up on a Mars space station? Find out in this story about Bell and friends that starts slow as we are introduced to the characters and their daily lives and picks up speed when the kids & teens find themselves taking care of daily tasks and survival on their own.
A story that celebrates the importance of other people, working working together for a common cause and cooperation, this could be a good class read-aloud. Or give it to those who are looking for stories that take place in outer space or other planets.
January 3, 2022
Fast-paced and fun! Great for young readers.
January 29, 2021
In my high school creative writing class the teacher said the mark of a good science fiction story is that it is first a good story in a science fiction setting. This is that story. This is a story from the near future set on Mars. There is plenty of coping with life on Mars and what that would be like for science fiction fans, but the story, at its core, is a coming-of-age story. Bell, has spent his life on Mars and it is through his eyes that the story unfolds. He is curious, obedient, and in many ways an average human boy - he loves cookies and cats and worries about changing friendships. He succumbs to peer pressure. Yet, he is a boy who has never seen a river, ocean or tree. When a disaster occurs, he finds strength he didn't know he had, makes new friends and deals with grief. Well written, with well-developed, very human characters this is a heartwarming story that will be popular with science fiction lovers and non-lovers. I might add that this a great addition to the small, but mighty, elementary school aged science fiction collection.
January 8, 2022
No matter in which time period a book is set, a good story about kids having adventures, solving problems independently, and realizing that adults are human is always welcome. The Lion of Mars takes place 70 years in the future, a time in which different countries have set up colonies on Mars. Something has taken place in the US that has resulted in the existence of a state called "New California," but there's no background on whether the colonies are for purely scientific exploration or because of problems on Earth. But whatever issue brought the colonists to Mars, it doesn't loom large in their lives.
We see life in the colony through the eyes of Bell, an 11-year-old boy. The personalities of and relationships between the children are familiar and comfortable. Kids will be able to see themselves in at least one of the characters. The relationships between the children and adults is less familiar, however, in that the children do not have a parental relationship with any particular adults. They follow the philosophy of "it takes a village," or in this case, "it takes a colony." In fact, I'm not sure if there is even a biological relationship between any of the adults and children.
Most of the story in Life on Mars revolves around a crisis within the Earth colony. The kids have to use bravery, smarts, and a willingness to break the rules to solve the problem. Books in which kids are the heroes, acting autonomously to help adults and/or clean up messes created by adults, are usually quite popular with children. Especially if the adults are presented as whole and realistic characters (i.e., not one-dimensional dunderheads). The kids are also realistically drawn, with diverse personalities. There's even a goth girl (apparently that's still a thing in 2092!). Although the kids are presented in an overall rosy light, they aren't perfect, which keeps them interesting.
An interesting feature of the characterization is that the issue of race does not really arise. Bell describes himself as being in the middle of a range of skin tones. That's pretty much the only mention of race or ethnic heritage. I have to say I was suprised that the characters all appeared to be cisgender. There were no characters specifically described as binary or transgender. Also the romantic relationships were all heterosexual. And the characters pretty much remained within traditional gender roles. There is a female captain in one of the other colonies, but that's not so unusual these days; and she has a much softer personality than the male captain. I would have thought that 2092 would have more LGBTQ representation and more diversity in gender roles than 2021. I suspect that this may have more to do with the targeted age range (8-12 yrs) than the author's actual vision of the future.
The story ticks a lot of genre boxes. It takes place in the future, so we have science fiction. There are elements of conflict and adventure when the kids have to solve the problem, and there's some mystery surrounding the relationship of the US colony to the other colonies. The mystery and the story are tidily -- and rather quickly and easily -- wrapped up. Jennifer Holm is an always reliable and popular author, and Lion of Mars does not disappoint.
We see life in the colony through the eyes of Bell, an 11-year-old boy. The personalities of and relationships between the children are familiar and comfortable. Kids will be able to see themselves in at least one of the characters. The relationships between the children and adults is less familiar, however, in that the children do not have a parental relationship with any particular adults. They follow the philosophy of "it takes a village," or in this case, "it takes a colony." In fact, I'm not sure if there is even a biological relationship between any of the adults and children.
Most of the story in Life on Mars revolves around a crisis within the Earth colony. The kids have to use bravery, smarts, and a willingness to break the rules to solve the problem. Books in which kids are the heroes, acting autonomously to help adults and/or clean up messes created by adults, are usually quite popular with children. Especially if the adults are presented as whole and realistic characters (i.e., not one-dimensional dunderheads). The kids are also realistically drawn, with diverse personalities. There's even a goth girl (apparently that's still a thing in 2092!). Although the kids are presented in an overall rosy light, they aren't perfect, which keeps them interesting.
An interesting feature of the characterization is that the issue of race does not really arise. Bell describes himself as being in the middle of a range of skin tones. That's pretty much the only mention of race or ethnic heritage. I have to say I was suprised that the characters all appeared to be cisgender. There were no characters specifically described as binary or transgender. Also the romantic relationships were all heterosexual. And the characters pretty much remained within traditional gender roles. There is a female captain in one of the other colonies, but that's not so unusual these days; and she has a much softer personality than the male captain. I would have thought that 2092 would have more LGBTQ representation and more diversity in gender roles than 2021. I suspect that this may have more to do with the targeted age range (8-12 yrs) than the author's actual vision of the future.
The story ticks a lot of genre boxes. It takes place in the future, so we have science fiction. There are elements of conflict and adventure when the kids have to solve the problem, and there's some mystery surrounding the relationship of the US colony to the other colonies. The mystery and the story are tidily -- and rather quickly and easily -- wrapped up. Jennifer Holm is an always reliable and popular author, and Lion of Mars does not disappoint.
January 25, 2021
It’s March 5, 2091, and Bell shares his experience of being raised on Mars. Later in the story, we learn that any time a new adult made the journey to Mars, they were required to bring an orphan with them to live among the Americans. Bell was such an orphan, but he now has a Mars family. Holm’s description of their living conditions, as well as the relationships between the children and adults, made this unputdownable. From their food production to their daily jobs to their view of Earth (as place they had no memory of) — I was completely enamored by the complexities found in such a small book. And there were emotional scenes that made it quite obvious that no matter where we live, we’re still human. We still love. We still get scared. And we still yearn for approval.
I really enjoyed The Fourteenth Goldfish series a couple years ago, so I suppose it should be no surprise that Holm grabbed me, yet again, with The Lion of Mars. Is this not part of a planned series? Please tell me this isn’t the end!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
“Bell,” Sai said, “Trey told me what happened on the train. It was very, very brave of you to walk through the tunnel by yourself to get help.”
But he was wrong. I hadn’t been brave.
“I almost gave up. I was scared the whole time,” I confessed.
His eyes met mine and he nodded.
“That’s what bravery feels like,” he said.
I really enjoyed The Fourteenth Goldfish series a couple years ago, so I suppose it should be no surprise that Holm grabbed me, yet again, with The Lion of Mars. Is this not part of a planned series? Please tell me this isn’t the end!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
April 3, 2021
The twins didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the Fourteenth Goldfish. Without going into spoilers, the "political situation" between colonies on Mars felt stretched to me, and I would give this book a full additional star if it weren't for the use of "digi" as a prefix for normal things: digi-pics (pictures) digi-reel (videos) digi-slate (tablets) digi-monitor (uh, monitor) etc, etc, etc.
January 14, 2021
This may be my favorite Jennifer L. Holm book. Although the book takes place entirely on Mars, it feels believable and realistic. An author’s note details what aspects of the story are based on current Mars research.
Bell is curious, funny, and caring—a very likeable narrator.
As the youngest member of the US colony, 11 year old Bell is full of questions—about Earth (he loves animals, especially cats!), about the teenagers and their moodiness (especially his best friend Trey), and about the other Mars colonies.
Why can’t they have any contact with the other colonies? What is so dangerous out there?
When a mysterious illness breaks out among the adults, Bell and the other children are forced to take charge and make difficult decisions.
Great read—full of laughter, loss, mystery, and more.
Bell is curious, funny, and caring—a very likeable narrator.
As the youngest member of the US colony, 11 year old Bell is full of questions—about Earth (he loves animals, especially cats!), about the teenagers and their moodiness (especially his best friend Trey), and about the other Mars colonies.
Why can’t they have any contact with the other colonies? What is so dangerous out there?
When a mysterious illness breaks out among the adults, Bell and the other children are forced to take charge and make difficult decisions.
Great read—full of laughter, loss, mystery, and more.
March 24, 2021
What an incredible read! 🌟 🚀
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@jenniferlholm is one of my favorite authors and this new MG did nothing disappoint! The characters are wonderful and multifaceted and the science fiction concept of living on Mars is realistic (with an explanation at the end of how it could work). I actually got fairly worried in the middle, too! Overall, this is a super fun book for grades 3-7.
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Bell has a fairly normal life...except that he lives on Mars. When all the adults get deathly ill, Bell and the other kids have to contact one of the other foreign settlements for help, which is against the rules.
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@jenniferlholm is one of my favorite authors and this new MG did nothing disappoint! The characters are wonderful and multifaceted and the science fiction concept of living on Mars is realistic (with an explanation at the end of how it could work). I actually got fairly worried in the middle, too! Overall, this is a super fun book for grades 3-7.
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Bell has a fairly normal life...except that he lives on Mars. When all the adults get deathly ill, Bell and the other kids have to contact one of the other foreign settlements for help, which is against the rules.
March 20, 2021
Experiencing life on Mars through the eyes of expressive 11 year-old-Bell, the youngest member of the U.S. colony who travels and relocates on Mars, shares convincing details about the planet, and how humans might survive in this environment. Throughout, Jennifer Holm convincingly describes life in their colony, the red fine dust on Mars' surface, types of robots, space vehicle travel, digi-slates, and lots of dishes created from algae grown in the algae farm on the ship, to name a few believable details. As the members of the colony, carefully selected for their ability to make this expedition a success reveal their personalities, the adventure becomes riviting. Although Bell is the youngest member of the team, his ability to react purposefully in times of stress, makes this story suspenseful, and full of heart. I would classify this thrilling space adventure as a realistic fiction/science fiction tale, because the characters are so convincingly depicted. Definitely a masterpiece I couldn't put down, after the most recent Mars Rover expedition, this timely tale will absolutely captivate its readers.
June 2, 2022
Awesome!! I read this is one sitting so you know it kept my attention!
Highlights of this book is that it’s easy to read, takes place on Mars so you get sci-fi, strong main character, and a really interesting premise of multiple country civilizations on the planet. This had everything from survival, dust storms, growing crops on other planets, missing rover missions, international drama, and a space cat!!
The only major downfall was the plot kind of jumped around. Sometimes it’s survival, sometimes adventure, sometimes character drama, international struggles, etc…. It hopped around A LOT which I didn’t struggle with but could see a MG reader either find extra engaging, or hard to follow.
I highly recommend this to any 3rd grade + reader!! Super super fun and interesting read.
Highlights of this book is that it’s easy to read, takes place on Mars so you get sci-fi, strong main character, and a really interesting premise of multiple country civilizations on the planet. This had everything from survival, dust storms, growing crops on other planets, missing rover missions, international drama, and a space cat!!
The only major downfall was the plot kind of jumped around. Sometimes it’s survival, sometimes adventure, sometimes character drama, international struggles, etc…. It hopped around A LOT which I didn’t struggle with but could see a MG reader either find extra engaging, or hard to follow.
I highly recommend this to any 3rd grade + reader!! Super super fun and interesting read.
July 2, 2022
The Lion of Mars was all kinds of cute. I'm honestly not sure why I rarely dive into middle grade books because they are seriously entertaining. Now this one is set in 2091 and people now live on mars. Of course, there's always talk about us eventually living on another planet. So, it was definitely fun to jump into this little space adventure.
Bell is all kinds of adorable. I loved his mixed match family and his cat Leo. Even though I'm more of a dog fan I did find it interesting how long the cats survived on a different planet. Although, the copious amounts of algae they all eat would probably upset my stomach in some weird way.
Besides liking the characters, there's a little mystery to solve. The one thing in question is why the no one interacts with other countries on this planet. It honestly seemed odd to me because one would think that they were working to make things better on Mars. Ya know?
In the end, it was a little obvious that there was miscommunication and that's what ultimately solved everyone's problems on this little planet. Definitely enjoyed the heck out of it and will have to jump into another one of Jennifer's books soon!
Bell is all kinds of adorable. I loved his mixed match family and his cat Leo. Even though I'm more of a dog fan I did find it interesting how long the cats survived on a different planet. Although, the copious amounts of algae they all eat would probably upset my stomach in some weird way.
Besides liking the characters, there's a little mystery to solve. The one thing in question is why the no one interacts with other countries on this planet. It honestly seemed odd to me because one would think that they were working to make things better on Mars. Ya know?
In the end, it was a little obvious that there was miscommunication and that's what ultimately solved everyone's problems on this little planet. Definitely enjoyed the heck out of it and will have to jump into another one of Jennifer's books soon!
November 6, 2022
I am always happy to read/listen to anything by Jennifer L Holm.
Bell has been raised on Mars in the American compound. They live in lava tubes underground. It's a small loving community. However, they are estranged from the other colonies living there.
When illness strikes the adults in their home, Bell and another boy end up heading off to ask them for help. A new reality is opened up to them. By the time the book is done, Bell has changed relationships between the communities for the better.
Bell has been raised on Mars in the American compound. They live in lava tubes underground. It's a small loving community. However, they are estranged from the other colonies living there.
When illness strikes the adults in their home, Bell and another boy end up heading off to ask them for help. A new reality is opened up to them. By the time the book is done, Bell has changed relationships between the communities for the better.
May 29, 2021
I am giving this book 4 stars because that is what 3 classes of 6th graders said. I was hopeful for more action, but they really like this coming of age story set in Mars. I liked how Jennifer Holm explored the idea about how kids would live on Mars. I really liked her idea of people carrying orphans to Mars and raising them as a community.
As a teacher there are a few things to take into consideration. At one point in the book there is an illness. Things were very similar to COVID. My students had a strong reaction to this portion of the book and we had to talk about it. Then the children had to make a tough decision about euthanizing a pet. That was another tough conversation. The children in the story also have to deal with death of loved ones. It was just a lot to process for my students. With all that being said, it was a valuable read. I thought for sure they would not like the book. It wasn't action packed or anything. When we did our final thoughts, they loved the book. I would definitely keep is for a more mature middle grade reader.
As a teacher there are a few things to take into consideration. At one point in the book there is an illness. Things were very similar to COVID. My students had a strong reaction to this portion of the book and we had to talk about it. Then the children had to make a tough decision about euthanizing a pet. That was another tough conversation. The children in the story also have to deal with death of loved ones. It was just a lot to process for my students. With all that being said, it was a valuable read. I thought for sure they would not like the book. It wasn't action packed or anything. When we did our final thoughts, they loved the book. I would definitely keep is for a more mature middle grade reader.
December 30, 2021
"Something doesn't need to be big to have an impact," he said, and smiled. "Kind of like you."
🧑🚀
Bell has spent most of his life in a U.S. settlement on Mars and has no desire to leave, but when a dangerous virus attacks the adults in their settlement, it’s up to the kids to go for help. What they find beyond their home shocks them and has them wondering about the truth of an incident that occurred years before. Will they be able to survive on the Red Planet?
🪐
This MG scifi book is IT y’all! I feel like I’ve read a lot of science fiction books over the years with the Bluebonnet books, but this is definitely my favorite. Holm is such an amazing writer and this novel is just more proof. The Lion of Mars is not just sci-fi, it’s adventure and mystery too. Middle grade readers will love it. Great choice Bluebonnet committee!
CW: death, illness
🧑🚀
Bell has spent most of his life in a U.S. settlement on Mars and has no desire to leave, but when a dangerous virus attacks the adults in their settlement, it’s up to the kids to go for help. What they find beyond their home shocks them and has them wondering about the truth of an incident that occurred years before. Will they be able to survive on the Red Planet?
🪐
This MG scifi book is IT y’all! I feel like I’ve read a lot of science fiction books over the years with the Bluebonnet books, but this is definitely my favorite. Holm is such an amazing writer and this novel is just more proof. The Lion of Mars is not just sci-fi, it’s adventure and mystery too. Middle grade readers will love it. Great choice Bluebonnet committee!
CW: death, illness
July 17, 2022
Bell is part of an American team of children and adults working in a subterranean base on the planet Mars. There are also French, Russian and Finnish bases, but tensions back on Earth over Antarctica and the death of an American team member on Mars has suspended all contact between the settlers. When substantial problems arise and the adults get very ill and help from Earth is too far into the future, Bell and the other kids decide that the rules need to be broken and contact with the other Martian settlers in the only way to save the adults. This reminded me too much of Stuart Gibb's Moon Base Alpha series, which I preferred. 2.5 stars, rounded up.
January 1, 2022
Excellent concept! A little slow and cheesy for my taste.
January 19, 2023
If I was in charge of teaching pre-teens about the science fiction genre, I might choose this as an anchor text. Yes, it’s overly ideal and too schmaltzy for my taste, and soft on other details (like that war in Antarctica, and why the countries colonizing Mars didn’t have any communication with the US), but it was well-paced and held my interest. The book could have been twice the length, digging more into the backgrounds of the characters, and beefier with the action scenes, but I probably wouldn’t have read it if that were the case.
April 17, 2023
I decided to read this one because my sister was reading it to her fourth grade class, and it was a delight! I was surprisingly invested in a way I didn’t anticipate and found myself laughing fairly often.
I loved the real science behind the imagining of this world, and the emphasis on friendship being pivotal to a full life. I would recommend this one for sure!
I loved the real science behind the imagining of this world, and the emphasis on friendship being pivotal to a full life. I would recommend this one for sure!
April 11, 2021
Interesting, pretty fast-paced, and most of the questions I had were answered as the book went on. I would like to smack Sai, though. Moral of the story: Don't jump to conclusions.
p. 28 - "Just because everyone says something doesn't mean it's true."
p. 28 - "Just because everyone says something doesn't mean it's true."
September 29, 2024
Just could not enjoy reading this book.
June 1, 2021
The resolution was a bit quick but cute story
February 16, 2024
She does such a good job incorporating real human kid feelings with science-y fiction-y fun plots.
November 8, 2022
Plot wasn’t fantastic and the ending was rushed, but my kids loved it so three stars from me!
January 28, 2023
Such a fun science fiction middle grade book! My students have been loving this Bluestem book and I finally decided to read it after our Zoom with the author, Jennifer Holm, this month. Great characters who learn the lesson of helping others, even on Mars!
April 30, 2023
I'm quite surprised by the high rating this book has received. It definitely fills a niche in a genre that's underpopulated, but the development flaws are so blatantly obvious that I just can't get behind it.
With the many Rovers that have now explored Mars and Elon Musk's talk of funding a mission, I can see kids being intrigued by a story about what it might be like to live on Mars. The story is told from the perspective of the youngest boy, 11-year-old Bell. There's two other boys, Trey and Albie, and two girls, Flossy and Vera. There's also 4 or 5 adults. The plot is limited as it mainly ends up being a day to day description of life in an underground settlement in an environmentally hostile environment, albeit not realistic. The only conflict to occur in the entire first 3/4 of the book is when the kids steal a land vehicle and end up crashing it. They go through a mild panic moment as they discuss the improbability of a quick rescue, but since they are rescued in relatively quick order, it ends up being anticlimactic.
Here's the big mystery. France, Russia, China and Finland have also established colonies on Mars, but the Americans have cut off ties with all of them after a death involving one of their colleagues. Towards the end of the book, a situation occurs with the adults that forces Bell and Trey to take the underground railway to seek help. They're surprised to learn they've been misinformed. Their Mars neighbors are not only helpful, but quite fun as well.
The only conflict in the story is the misunderstanding about what led to the death of one of the American colleagues. The reason, which is not explained until the last 10 pages, is so unlikely it's laughable. This is a settlement on MARS. They're a 9 month journey from Earth. The chances of longterm survival realistically are nil. There's no way a commander would cut ties with the only other humans on Mars without doing an investigation. I can only describe that as weak story building. Everything is so contrived. All the tidbit facts about life on Earth are forced rather than developed into anything meaningful. I mean seriously. Carrot cake. Let's just grow some carrots and voila, we can have carrot cake. I felt like a frog aimlessly jumping around on lily pads knowing it would eventually hit land. If I'm going to read a book about what would be a hard existence, I want either well thought out truth or total satirical laughs.
Although there are kids who will read this and like it because of the Mars intrigue, there are also kids who will get bored and not finish. I'm not taking the chance, so I'll pass.
With the many Rovers that have now explored Mars and Elon Musk's talk of funding a mission, I can see kids being intrigued by a story about what it might be like to live on Mars. The story is told from the perspective of the youngest boy, 11-year-old Bell. There's two other boys, Trey and Albie, and two girls, Flossy and Vera. There's also 4 or 5 adults. The plot is limited as it mainly ends up being a day to day description of life in an underground settlement in an environmentally hostile environment, albeit not realistic. The only conflict to occur in the entire first 3/4 of the book is when the kids steal a land vehicle and end up crashing it. They go through a mild panic moment as they discuss the improbability of a quick rescue, but since they are rescued in relatively quick order, it ends up being anticlimactic.
Here's the big mystery. France, Russia, China and Finland have also established colonies on Mars, but the Americans have cut off ties with all of them after a death involving one of their colleagues. Towards the end of the book, a situation occurs with the adults that forces Bell and Trey to take the underground railway to seek help. They're surprised to learn they've been misinformed. Their Mars neighbors are not only helpful, but quite fun as well.
The only conflict in the story is the misunderstanding about what led to the death of one of the American colleagues. The reason, which is not explained until the last 10 pages, is so unlikely it's laughable. This is a settlement on MARS. They're a 9 month journey from Earth. The chances of longterm survival realistically are nil. There's no way a commander would cut ties with the only other humans on Mars without doing an investigation. I can only describe that as weak story building. Everything is so contrived. All the tidbit facts about life on Earth are forced rather than developed into anything meaningful. I mean seriously. Carrot cake. Let's just grow some carrots and voila, we can have carrot cake. I felt like a frog aimlessly jumping around on lily pads knowing it would eventually hit land. If I'm going to read a book about what would be a hard existence, I want either well thought out truth or total satirical laughs.
Although there are kids who will read this and like it because of the Mars intrigue, there are also kids who will get bored and not finish. I'm not taking the chance, so I'll pass.
December 1, 2023
This was super cute.
(( Reading Olympics Fall 2023 ))
(( Reading Olympics Fall 2023 ))
December 6, 2021
There are very few really good science fiction middle grade books that don't cross over into the fantasy realm, so this one really stood out. While some of the technology probably veers a bit into "fantasy," it was a really good examination of what life on a Mars colony might be like for teens who never knew, or can't remember, Earth at all.
Bell has spent his whole life on Mars, having grown up in a colony that cut itself off from the other countries' Mars colonies a long time ago -- so long, no one in their colony, other than their leader, really knows why, and he's not talking. But as the kids reach teenager status they battle all the same things teens on Earth do.
Bell's best friend suddenly changes rooms and there's competition among the teens to be the colony's leader's assistant.
Then a shipment of supplies brings a few mice to the colony, and a virus strikes the adults. After days of caring for their aging caretakers, the teens decide to strike out on their own -- through the underground tunnel that connects the colonies to the French colony to ask for help.
And once there, they learn the truth of why their leader cut them off from the other colonies, so long ago, and how the other colonies have just been waiting to hear from them, all this time.
This is an excellent read for gift-giving to all your middle grade sci-fi dreamers!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Bell has spent his whole life on Mars, having grown up in a colony that cut itself off from the other countries' Mars colonies a long time ago -- so long, no one in their colony, other than their leader, really knows why, and he's not talking. But as the kids reach teenager status they battle all the same things teens on Earth do.
Bell's best friend suddenly changes rooms and there's competition among the teens to be the colony's leader's assistant.
Then a shipment of supplies brings a few mice to the colony, and a virus strikes the adults. After days of caring for their aging caretakers, the teens decide to strike out on their own -- through the underground tunnel that connects the colonies to the French colony to ask for help.
And once there, they learn the truth of why their leader cut them off from the other colonies, so long ago, and how the other colonies have just been waiting to hear from them, all this time.
This is an excellent read for gift-giving to all your middle grade sci-fi dreamers!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
May 15, 2021
Eleven year old Bell lives on Mars. He was brought there as a baby. He lives with his "family," which consists of several other kids and adults. He is the youngest. He describes daily life on Mars - everything from food production to chores and their underground living space. It is a wildly imaginative place that the author has created and every detail gives the reader a clear picture of what life is like there.
Bell gets along with the other kids, but lately his best friend, Trey is acting distant. There's more going on than Bell understands. For example, other countries have communities on Mars, but they are not allowed to have contact with them? Why? Are they hostile?
When a mysterious virus makes all of the adults sick, the kids radio Earth for help. But antibiotics and other supplies will take 8 months to get there! It is up to Bell and the other kids to find their courage and reach out to the other countries for help. What they uncover surprises them!
This is a unique and uplifting story that deals with the power of forgiveness. I think that kids will really enjoy this book. They will find the descriptions of life on Mars fascinating.
Bell gets along with the other kids, but lately his best friend, Trey is acting distant. There's more going on than Bell understands. For example, other countries have communities on Mars, but they are not allowed to have contact with them? Why? Are they hostile?
When a mysterious virus makes all of the adults sick, the kids radio Earth for help. But antibiotics and other supplies will take 8 months to get there! It is up to Bell and the other kids to find their courage and reach out to the other countries for help. What they uncover surprises them!
This is a unique and uplifting story that deals with the power of forgiveness. I think that kids will really enjoy this book. They will find the descriptions of life on Mars fascinating.
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