Mousetronaut Goes to Mars (Paula Wiseman Books) by Kelly, Mark (October 1, 2013) Hardcover

Mousetronaut

by Mark Edward Kelly

Meteor the mousetronaut returns to outer space in this exciting story from #1 New York Times bestselling author and retired NASA astronaut Commander Mark Kelly and renowned illustrator C.F. Payne.3-2-1…blast off! The smallest member of the team, a mouse named Meteor, is back on board and ready to come to the rescue on an interplanetary adventure! With lively illustrations by award-winning artist C.F. Payne, this charming new mousetronaut adventure will inspire imaginations of all sizes! Includes detailed scientific back matter.

Genres: Picture Books, Space, Animals, Science, Childrens, Adventure, Juvenile

Unknown Binding

First published October 1, 2013

About the author

Mark Edward Kelly is a retired American astronaut, engineer and U.S. Navy Captain. He is the husband of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, an author, political activist, and aerospace executive and consultant.

A naval aviator, Kelly flew combat missions during the Gulf War. He was selected to become a NASA Space Shuttle pilot in 1996 and flew his first mission in 2001 as pilot of STS-108. He piloted STS-121 in 2006 and commanded STS-124 in 2008 and STS-134 in 2011. STS-134 was his final mission and the final mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour.

His wife was the target of an attempted assassination in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011. After the shooting, in which six people were killed, both Kelly and Giffords were thrust into the media spotlight. His wife's shooting led to a broad national conversation ranging from the duties of a husband to what is acceptable civil discourse.

Kelly's identical twin brother, Scott Kelly, is also an astronaut. The Kelly brothers are the only siblings to have both traveled in space. In 2015, Scott Kelly began a mission spending a year in space on the International Space Station. He returned to Earth on March 1, 2016 after 340 days in space. During and after Scott's year-long mission, the brothers were studied to find differences between living on Earth and in space

Reviews

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was written by a real astronaut!!!!!!!!

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mousetronaut Goes to Mars
FOURTH BOOK IN TEXT SET

Note: The numbers in boldface in the passage below identify the correspondingly-numbered opening moves listed at the end of the passage.

“This book is called Mousetronaut Goes to Mars. Let’s all say that word, ‘mousetronaut.’ (children repeat word). (1) Remember when we read that book called Astronauts, and we learned what the word “astronaut” meant? It’s made up of two Greek words, astro and nautes. Who remembers what these mean? (children respond). That’s right, astro means ‘star’ and nautes means ‘sailor.’ So a ‘mousetronaut’ would be a ‘mouse sailor.’ That’s funny! Like the astronauts, though, the mousetronaut in this book isn’t traveling in a boat; he’s traveling in a spaceship! Look at that little guy in his special mouse space suit. (points to cover picture) His name is Meteor. Let’s find out a little bit about him (reads from p. 3): ‘Meteor watched everything they did. Each day, he looked over the astronauts’ shoulders as they studied, sat under the table and listened while they ate, and kept a notebook of the flight plan and procedures.’ So Meteor can read and write and understand human language. (2) What do you think, is this a nonfiction book? Why not? (children respond) How about a realistic fiction book, like Max Goes to the Space Station? (children respond) You’re right, it’s neither of these. True, Max and Meteor are both animals that go up into space, so they're sort of the same that way, but Max and Meteor are different, too. Meteor can read and write, which isn't real, but Max acts like a real dog. So this is a fantasy book - an animal fantasy book - because the animals can talk and think and do things like humans. In this book, Meteor goes to Mars. Mars! (3) I wonder what it’s like there. How long does it take to get there? What would it be like to live there? Why would people want to go to Mars? While I read, I want you to think about these questions, and afterwards we’ll talk about where YOU would like to go if you ever get to travel in space.

Opening Moves used:
(1) Prompt children to make connections to a previously-read text.
(2) Remind children of genre comparisons.
(3) Raise questions to spark curiosity.


Rationale for selecting:
Mousetronaut Goes to Mars is the culminating book in this text set, and as such, students will be able to use all of the knowledge they gained from the previous books to help them more fully understand and appreciate the concepts and themes this book raises. Mousetronaut Goes to Mars is about more than a little mouse who has a space adventure; instead, it is about curiosity, preparation, dangerous situations, meeting challenges, problem-solving, exploring the unknown – and going to MARS!! Each of the previous books builds the knowledge necessary for them to “get” this: to realize how truly exciting and extraordinary space exploration is, and (hopefully) to inspire them as they grow up to keep pushing out past our planet – to the ISS – to Mars – and beyond!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astronaut Mike Kelly has written two nice picture books about Meteor the Mousetronaut. The first is called "Mousetronaut: Based On a (Partially) True Story." I read this second one with a group of five- and six-year-olds. It effectively integrates some facts about Mars into an adventure story. Children who want to know more about Mars, and NASA missions to the Red Planet, can read the afterword with their grown-ups.

I added this to the diversity bookshelf because it shows male and female astronauts from various racial and ethnic groups. It's a great way to show kids (and mice!) of all backgrounds that they can reach for the stars.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meteor the Moustronaut is excited about the upcoming mission to Mars. He's been preparing for weeks. But Meteor is devastated when he learns he's not on the list of astronauts to go. But have no fear! He will stowaway!

That turns out to be a good plan as when they get to Mars the astronauts find that the Rover can't carry an adult human. Meteor to the rescue!

Story includes historical info.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meteor, the mousetronaut, returns to space. This time he is joining a mission to Mars. Meteor helps the astronauts by exploring the surface.

A follow-up book to Mousetronaut. Cute and informative. Good picture book for space loving kids.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice picture book about a mouse stowaway on the spaceship to Mars. The mission almost fails, but Mousetronaut saves the day. So he gets the opportunity to walk on the planet. And come back a hero!

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, fictional, and fun. Alena and I like the Mousetronaut books.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meteor, the pint-sized hero of “Mousetronaut,” returns, this time with the NASA astronauts preparing for a trip to Mars aboard the Galaxy Rocket. Naturally, Meteor plans to make the trip, but he is not included in the crew named by NASA for the mission. Disappointed, Meteor climbs the launch tower and stows away under the commander’s seat.

Meteor only comes out when the crew is asleep so they do not discover their stowaway until six months later when they are in orbit around Mars. An unexpected problem looks as if it will keep the astronauts from completing their mission. Can Meteor save the day?

An afterword provides readers with information about Mars, the possibility of a manned Mars flight, and facts about living in space. The realistic story and lifelike illustrations bring this heartwarming story to life, delighting readers young and old as, once again, the power of the small is celebrated.

Highly recommended.

[Illyra Vote · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a mouse named Meteor that sneaks onto the spaceship named Galaxy which is headed to Mars. During the long Journey he stays hidden and is very worried that NASA will send him back home since his name was not on the list to board the Galaxy in the first place. But as they prepare to go to the surface they find the lander engines aren't working and lucky for the astronauts, Meteor is there to save the day and fix the engines! This is a very cute book with great pictures, perfect for forth graders, I would definitely read this in class out loud to my students. The language is very easy to understand and the setting is worldly and very interesting to young children who are interested in space.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meteor, our mouse hero, travels to Mars. After a technical glitch makes it impossible for the humans to visit the red planet, Meteor pops up to volunteer to be the first to set foot on the planet. I'm not a huge for an of the book -- the mouse is a bit too personified for my taste and I wish the book included a bit more information about traveling to Mars. The afterward provides extensive and fairly kid-friendly information about what traveling to Mars actually entails. This is an appropriate and fun story to use as part of a space unit; just be sure to follow up with more facts and information for students.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

4 1/2 for me! I love the fact, I love the mouse element. I love the learning about Mars. This is my second "Mars" book in the last few weeks and both have been fascinating on the what if, hows and why?

After reading the story, read the back two pages of information.

Things I learned from this book
I would weight less..on Mars
It would take 6 months to get there
And I 'duh' moment of an interesting fact, the spaceship would have to be pointed to where Mars would be in 6 months, not where it is when you lift off from earth. I think I might use this for our summer reading program about science! Really Well done book!

[Beatrice Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very charming read and especially pictures. An astronaut mouse works for NASA and goes on a stowaway journey to Mars and helps the human astronauts with their spacework. (as everyone knows all you need to do to make something scifi is add the word 'space' in front of it). It's a really fun read. The cool thing is it is written by an astronaut and the pictures show various things the astronauts do when going out into space. BUt it doesn't spend a lot of time and boring text going through these things but it just shows them in the pictures. Really like the main character. The last couple pages give some great history on the subject too.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a follow-up to the original story about a mouse that becomes an astronaut, Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story, Meteor is disappointed not to be included on the crew that plans to explore Mars. Not one to miss an adventure or a space flight, he smuggles his way onto the rocket. Luckily for his human companions, he saves the day when the engine on the landing craft fails, and he volunteers to gather samples from the planet. The mixed media illustrations are adorable and show Meteor and the other astronauts in all their glory in their space suits.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mom's Review: I asked my son to tell me about his favorite part of the book. He turned to the page that shows the mousetronaut's capsule touching down on Mars. He couldn't put his feelings about it into words yet, telling me that it was adventurous and "spaces." Reading about the astronauts preparing for their missions inspires him to learn new things. He often asks me to teach him things after reading the book.

5 Year Old's Review: Big people on the space ship, mouse is there, too. I like the mouse best. I think this is a good book to read it. Let's let everybody read it, too!

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I admit this is less scientific than the original Mousetronaut, but at least it's more up-to-date than, say, Mrs. Pickerell Goes to Mars!. For those who enjoy sharing science fiction with their children at an early age, Mousetronaut Goes To Mars doesn't disappoint. My six year old, who enjoyed the original story, also enjoyed this one and voluntarily re-read it to himself. Bonus Astronaut Mark Kelly doesn't hurt either.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mousetronaut sneaks into a space mission to Mars and becomes useful when he's just the right astronaut to set foot on the surface. Mixed media illustrations with an afterward which discusses Mars and space missions.

I liked the creativity put into this story and the serious way in which it was handled. Readers view Mousetronaut just like any of the other astronauts because he trains with them and shares their passion for the profession. PreK-5.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable illustrations and fun storyline make Mousetronaut Goes to Mars a great read aloud for elementary age students. The appendix has a lengthy and informative section about Mars's terrain, orbit, also Russian and the United States space attempts (failures and successes) throughout the years. Parents and educators can use this as additional science curriculum when covering the planets, typically in 5th grade.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Kelly has been in space and there is a lot of information shared in this fun story. Meteor the mouse stows away on a trip to mars. The illustrations give us a peak into astronauts' lives on a mission, like being strapped in to sleep. The scenes with the mouse are vey cute. The back matter provides additional information on the future of the space program. I shy away from "celebrity" authors, but Kelly does a good job, writing about what he knows.

[Liesl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as cute and informative as its predecessor Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story, even if the story is essentially the same with a few tweaks. This time around, the afterward focuses on Mars and efforts to travel there.

[Jesse Henning · Rating 3 out of 5]

a mouse stows away and goes to mars. i've seen this looney tune before but this is still pretty cute, especially for kids that really dig on space.

but the idea of using a multi-billion dollar spacecraft to lower a mouse to the surface of mars, man

[Tim Schraad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very good. The end gave a great over view of the space program and what all they do. This book may inspire some children to travel to space, I know I have always wanted to go to the great beyond!

[Elizabeth Rudolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a part of a class for elementary reading for children. I have to say that this book is very well done and seems to be very engaging. I would definitely recommend this book for any child wanting to read a fictional book about space.

[Molly Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute story about a mouse who is an astronaut whose small size becomes an advantage when he stows away on a mission to Mars. My son enjoyed the story immensely, the illustrations were lovely and the story was fun and lively. A great bed-time read.

[Holli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of mice, but this one was cute. I'm glad he was able to help the astronauts in the story. The cover is misleading though as it makes it look like the mouse was sent to Mars by himself, without the shuttle he was on with the human crew.

COYER: Walmart

[Amy Allgeier]

Some great information about Mars/space. Not my favorite book in the world, but cute with the mouse and informative.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meteor the mousetronaut saves the day when the mission to mars runs into a snafu.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mouse stowaway on NASA's first human mission to Mars becomes a hero when one of the landing craft's engines fails. Includes facts about Mars.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story, with some basic info that might intrigue younglings... also great information in the back matter.

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the illustrations and how these books always give a lot of factual information at the end.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was ok. The illustrations were a 5. Storyline a 2. We only read it once or twice.