Search This Blog








2023 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California (2)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (1)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Scotland (1)





2023 Build Your Library Reading Challenge







Friday, December 10, 2021
Uplifting MG Space Adventure Makes Me Smile
6:10 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Although Bell was born on Earth, he remembers nothing about life on the Blue Planet. The 11-year-old has grown up on Mars with four other kids, six adult scientists, and one cat. He knows nothing of his biological parents; he and all the children in their settlement have been raised collectively, so everyone in the colony is one big family. Despite his unique living situation, Bell's just an ordinary kid—he does chores, has school lessons, argues with his siblings, and eats casserole (made of algae, but still) for dinner. He wonders about lots of things: what it's like to live among forests and a variety of animals on Earth, what's coming in on the next supply ship (chocolate!), and what secrets the adults are hiding. Bell knows there are other settlements nearby, so why don't the humans on Mars interact with each other? Are the other scientists, all from countries other than the U.S., really as dangerous as the adults say? What are the other colonies like? Are there kids there?
When a virus hits the colony, leaving all the adults desperately ill, it's up to Bell and his siblings to save them. But how? In desperation, they risk everything to find the human settlements they've been told never to contact. What they discover shocks them. As they learn what really happened between the adults on Mars, they must use their new knowledge, plus every resource at their disposal, to help the people they love. Can Bell and his ordinary, sheltered crew of kids really save the day, let alone the planet? Maybe not, but they have to try...
Science fiction really isn't my thing, so I hesitated a little to pick up The Lion of Mars, the newest standalone middle grade novel by Jennifer L. Holm. I shouldn't have because the book really isn't about spaceships or robots or aliens—at its heart, it's about family. The setting is unique, the characters are likable, the plot is compelling, and the vibe is upbeat. While the story revolves around a scary event, the tale remains warm, uplifting, and entertaining. Many valuable lessons—about friendship, forgiveness, found family, kindness, etc.—are taught through the kids' experiences. More than any other book I've read this year, The Lion of Mars made me smile. I loved it.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. You?)
Grade:
5 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)




Reading
All the Dangerous Things by Stacy Willingham

Listening
The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
-
Pieces Of Me2 hours ago
-
-
-
Sunday Salon: February 5, 20234 hours ago
-
-
-
-
22. Baking Powder Wars10 hours ago
-
-
-
"The Prisoner" by B. A. Paris15 hours ago
-
-
Spell the Month in Books ~ February 202320 hours ago
-
A couple of library books21 hours ago
-
-
-
-
Sunday Post #4901 day ago
-
The Vaccine (by Joe Miller)1 day ago
-
FO Friday: Evermore Sweater1 day ago
-
-
-
-
Audiobook: Blood Debts1 day ago
-
Books I Read in January 20232 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Review of Matilda1 week ago
-
-
Top Ten Books of 20223 weeks ago
-
Books Read in 20234 weeks ago
-
December Monthly Wrap-up4 weeks ago
-
-
Nonfiction November 2022: New to My TBR2 months ago
-
Thinking Out Loud: Our Wives Under the Sea2 months ago
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?3 months ago
-
-
HEARTS OF BRIARWALL by Krista Jensen6 months ago
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ▼ 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
Cute! And I'm always game for a book set on Mars. :D
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun and cute MG. I might have to read this with my daughter.
ReplyDeleteLooks both cute and fun.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I might not have picked this up as sci fi really isn't my thing. But, it sounds like a lovely novel that lots of middle grade students can relate to.
ReplyDeleteI've been seeing this book around lately! It seems like a cute story! 🚀
ReplyDelete