A Rover's Story
by
Jasmine Warga
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
HarperCollins
Imprint
Balzer + Bray
ISBN
9780063113923
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
The One and Only Ivan meets The Wild Robot in this unique and deeply moving middle grade novel about the journey of a fictional Mars rover, from the Newbery Honor–winning author of Other Words for Home.
The tale of a small machine with a big heart.
Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name.
Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop human-like feelings. Maybe there’s a problem with his programming….
Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars’s difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration.
As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage—and resilience—to succeed… and survive?
Author’s note. Suggested resources. Black-and-white illustrations.
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
Details
Format
Page Count
320
Trim Size
8 1/2" x 5 1/2"
Dewey
F
AR
4.1: points 6
Genre
Fic
Scholastic Reading Counts
0
JLG Release
Jan 2023
Book Genres
Adventure, Science Fiction
Topics
Mars (planet). Exploration. Roving vehicles (astronautics). Space. Technology. Adventure. Friendship. Robots. Letters. Point of view.
Standard MARC Records
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Cover Art
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Praise & Reviews
Praise & Reviews
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
Library Journal
Gr 3-5-A fictional Mars Rover narrates its own journey from the robotics lab to the Red Planet. When two scientists, Rania and Xander, build a Mars rover named Resilience, neither are aware that it is paying attention to every detail. Through journal-style updates, interspersed with letters from Rania's daughter Sophie, Resilience meets robotic and human colleagues, survives a battery of tests, and travels millions of miles into outer space, all experienced through an emotional humanistic lens. The format of brief journal entries and letters is engagingly readable for even reluctant readers, and the humorous interactions between robots and machines keep the science-heavy story moving at a reasonable pace. Readers learn about becoming a Mars rover as Resilience does, turning into the expert as Resilience further learns how to be human. Warga's character development is consistent with human and nonhuman figures, particularly Rania and Sophie; their Arabic language and culture weave smoothly throughout the story and elevate the reading experience. Rania's very real challenges of being a working wife and mother in a male-dominated field round out an authentic, modern text. The arc of the story travels into the future for a happy ending that sacrifices realism for sweetness, but the overall experience is quite satisfying. VERDICT A fresh format and timely topic engage readers in this uplifting and deeply human sci-fi story.-Casey O'Leary?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Grades 3-5
Intermediate Readers
For Grades 3-5
A wide variety of novels and accessible nonfiction for younger elementary readers who love a good story comprise this category of 12 books per year. The focus in these titles is primarily on the text, though some novels may feature illustration.
12 books per Year
$236.64 per Year
Interests
Chapter Books,Fiction,Transitional Readers
Grades 3-5
Intermediate Readers
12 books per Year
$236.64 per Year
