Jennifer Holm
Penguin, 2021
251 pages
Grades 4-6
Science Fiction
Bell has lived nearly his entire life on Mars. As the youngest member of the American settlement, he often feels left out of whatever the four teenagers are up to or the busy adults, who work hard to keep the space colony up to snuff. Bell loves his old cat and relies on the friendship of the elderly botanist who grows the algae on which they sustain themselves, but often feels lonely. There are other colonies belonging to other nations in the neighborhood but, ever since a tragic accident years ago, Commander Sai has forbidden contact. When a deadly virus threatens to overtake all of the adults in the colony, the young people must work hard to keep it going. When all begins to look hopeless, Bell and his former best friend, now turned crabby teen, escape to try to find help. They have never met anyone outside their own colony. Will the folks from the other countries be nice and helpful or dangerous and antagonistic, as the commander has always led them to fear?
Jennifer Holm is certainly an eclectic writer. With three Newbery Honors under her belt for historical fiction, she broke out and started to write popular graphic novels (Baby Mouse/Sunny series). And now she is writing science fiction, this being her second in this genre. I love that the entire book takes place on Mars. With the landing of the Perseverance, everyone has Mars fever and this book will prove timely. Also making it current is the onset of a crazy and deadly virus that attacks the adults and not the children. Holm explains in an author's note that she had no idea that this pandemic was going to happen when writing the book, but what a crazy coincidence! Kids will identify with Bell and experience life on a Martian colony without ever leaving their chairs. There is plenty of action and suspense to keep the readers turning pages. Memos from the commander to earth between chapters add interest. I feel like readers (including myself) are tired of contemporary problems novels and are looking for an escape. This title is just the ticket!
No comments:
Post a Comment