Reviewed by Shannon Jackson
1st/2nd Teacher
In this century humans will certainly be traveling to Mars. Franklyn M. Branley, co-founder of the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out series of science books, shows us how we might travel to Mars, how we might explore the planet, and where we would stay. This is the perfect book to enhance teaching or researching about Mars.
Written for children in the primary grades, this book uses children's natural enthusiasm to support informational reading. The book is loaded with facts about Mars, including new knowledge from the thousands of pictures scientists have taken of the planet. The author includes a website to find out more about research on Mars and the Mars mission. In addition, there are activities at the end of the book for extending the reading.
The illustrations are colorful and help illustrate aspects of a hypothetical mission to Mars. I found the detailed diagram of the Mars Station especially interesting. The 300-million mile trip is also shown in fantastic detail. The author explains that this trip would take over six months to travel in a curved path from Earth to Mars.
The author of more than 150 books, Franklyn Branley was dedicated to explaining science to young children in a manner that was inviting and exciting. This book more than meets that objective, and it would be a great addition to a primary classroom library.
Review posted on 6/6/2003
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