A Rover's Story
HarperCollins, 2022
294 pages
Grades 3-6
Realistic Fiction
Resilience is a little rover who is trying to make sense of the world. His whole life takes place in a sterile environment with scientists working on him and sending code wearing hazmat suits. He calls the humans "hazmats" and they all are the pretty much the same except for two humans who become like friends. The one special human brings her daughter Sophie and alternate chapters consist of letters that Sophie writes to Resilience over the years. The rover makes friends with a neighboring rover named Journey and they assume that they will make the trip to Mars together. Resilience is surprised and saddened to discover that once he makes the trip, Journey is not there. Luckily he has his little drone Fly, who becomes a buddy, and eventually makes friends with the satellite that coaches him from above. Resilience has many adventures on Mars and makes several important discoveries, finally suffering a terrible accident and going offline. Were his discoveries important enough for NASA to retrieve him? Meanwhile, we see the highs and lows of Sophie's life and the connection that her family shares with the little rover with a big heart.
This story is a departure for Warga, who's other books for children concentrate on contemporary realistic Muslim experiences. She is an excellent Newbery honor winning author and manages to perfectly give a voice to a rover realistically and believably. I not only accepted Resilience's narration, but fell right into it, loved him as a character, and became emotionally invested in his mission. The Sophie character was a great addition. The human child added some levity to the story and gave readers someone to whom to relate. As the years pass for Sophie we understand how long Resilience is on Mars, as well as other context, and also become attached to her as a character. I found myself getting emotion in a couple of spots, which I did not expect in a children's book about a rover. Fans of the Wild Robot are the obvious choice, but it is a very different book. Though takes place in space, I would not call this Science Fiction because it is happening now. It is a perfect choice for kids interested in reaching for the stars and anyone who loves a good story. One of my favorite books of 2022!
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