Back of Book:
It’s Rover’s anniversary on Mars! Time to celebrate by throwing the best party this planet has ever seen. Rover hands out invitations all over town, but it seems like he’s the only one around. Will anyone come to the party, or will Rover be all alone on his big day?
In 2013, NASA programmed their Curiosity rover to hum “Happy Birthday to You” in honor of its first year on Mars. Inspired by this anecdote, this is the tale of a lonely rover and his party, accompanied by fascinating Mars rover facts that help explain the real science behind the story. This fun birthday tale provides an accessible, kid-friendly look at one of NASA’s coolest programs.
My Review:
I received a copy of this picture book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
My students love hearing about Curiosity and they were so excited to hear a story about him throwing a party. Kristin L. Gray wrote a creative and story that combines space, science, and the importance of friendship. Rover travels all over the planet Mars sharing his invitations. The text is broken using data entries to show readers which day it is. The second half of the text shares scientific information about parts of Curiosity as well as interesting parts of Mars. Kristin skillfully shared information in an engaging, and kid-friendly way. The illustrations by Scott Magoon are truly magnificent! He captured the beauty of Mars and specific parts of Curiosity beautifully. I was amazed at the details woven throughout each page. The end of the story is a fun twist that readers will love. The back of the book shares more information and facts about Curiosity including full-color photos. This a fantastic book to share with any STREAM or space lesson. A must-have for school and home libraries.
Ages 5 and up
40 Pages
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