Monday, September 14, 2015

Book Review: Welcome to Mars

WELCOME TO MARS: MAKING A HOME ON THE RED PLANET by Buzz Aldrin and Marianne Dyson takes an amazing look at the near-future reality of a human colony on Mars.
Readers are invited to become Martian pioneers as they work their way the information they’ll need to journey to Mars and build a permanent home.
This visually-rich, well-organized book includes short chapters dealing with key issues related to space travel and the colonization of Mars. Numerous fun activities, author side-bars, interesting fact boxes, stunning photographs, detailed illustrations, intriguing diagrams and primary source documents add to the appeal. A timelines and map of Mars are particularly interesting. The book concludes with book and website lists, a glossary, credits, and an index.
Librarians will find an eager audience for this timely work of nonfiction. With movie The Martian coming out in October, the book is sure to be a hit. Plan an event around this interest in Mars. Pair the book with the many NASA websites featuring information about Mars.
To learn more about Buzz Aldrin, go to http://buzzaldrin.com/.
To learn more about co-author Marianne Dyson, go to http://www.mariannedyson.com/.
Published by National Geographic Children’s Books on September 1, 2015.