Mars' First Friends: Come on Over, Rovers!

by Susanna Leonard Hill, Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)

Overview

From the creators of New York Times bestseller Moon's First Friends comes a new, heartwarming picture book about the little red planet who just wants a pet! One of this year's best Mars books for kids and a perfect back to school gift!

In a solar system full of planets, Mars feels all alone. All Mars wants is someone to play with, but all of the planets are just too busy. Mars can't help but wonder…will he ever get a playmate? Until one day, Earth sends her little brother Mars his first friends: the rovers Spirit and Opportunity!

Learn about Mars' rovers through this universal story about man's—and Mars'—best friends—our beloved pets! With its charming text and beautiful illustrations, this sweet solar system story and bedtime read aloud for children ages 4-7 is the perfect book for little adventurers searching for more books on pets and space books for kids.

Why readers love Mars' First Friends:

• An educational and heartwarming story about Mars' rovers told from the unique perspective of Mars itself!
• Makes a fantastic back to school book, holiday stocking stuffer, or gift for birthdays, Christmas, Easter, or any occasion!
• Educational bonus content includes out-of-this world facts about the solar system, Mars, and his real-life pets—NASA's rovers
• A sweet introduction to the solar system family makes this a great family read aloud

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728205182
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	06/02/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	423,217
Product dimensions:	10.30(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD1130L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Susanna Leonard Hill is the New York Times bestselling author of Moon’s First Friends, as well as many other award-winning books for children. She does frequent school and library visits, teaches picture book writing, and offers picture book critiques. She lives in New York's Mid-Hudson Valley with her children and two rescue dogs.

Elisa Paganelli attended the Art Institute in Modena and the illustration course at IED European Institute of Design in Turin, Italy, and has worked as a creative designer since she was a young student. Over the years, she has run a design shop and studio, received awards as a young female entrepreneur, and today works as an illustrator full time from her office accompanied by her dogs and cats.

Editorial Reviews

"A warm invitation to visitors wheeled or in boots: ‘Come on over, rovers!" — Kirkus Reviews

"Entertaining… Bright, cheerful art echoes the lively text, depicting the rovers’ mission somewhat fancifully from Mars’ perspective." — Booklist

From the Publisher

2020-02-09
Two unexpected pets, Spirit and Opportunity, perk up the bored, lonely fourth planet.

In the spirit of their Moon’s First Friends: How the Moon Met the Astronauts From Apollo 11 (2019), Hill and Paganelli send a lonely Mars to his father, the Sun, for a pet. Denied (Pluto is the whole family’s pet), the planet goes from one anthropomorphic solar sibling to another on a seemingly fruitless quest for companionship. This culminates in the violent and exciting arrival of two speedy “little spacecrafts” sent from Earth as a family gift. Fondly watching the puppylike rovers trundle about his orange surface collecting rocks, playing in a sandstorm, and snuggling together for the night, Mars both promises to make them a good home and looks forward to the arrival of future “pets.” Smiling faces on all the planets, moons, and rovers in view—which are otherwise rendered with reasonable accuracy—give the outing a cozy tone overall. Better yet, though the rovers’ missions get barely a nod in the main narrative, a substantial epilogue fills in the blanks with basic facts about the solar system in general and Mars in particular, plus profiles of NASA and the entire company of Mars rovers from 1997’s Sojourner to 2012’s still-active Curiosity (with a note about an unnamed, upcoming “new pet”).

A warm invitation to visitors wheeled or in boots: “Come on over, rovers!” (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews