In this first installment of a middle-grade steampunk series, The Jupiter Chronicles, we follow Ian and Callie Castillo as they embark on a quest to rescue their father and free the Jovians from the Martians. This was such a fun and adventurous read, but I wish it had more details to really bring the world to life for me. I enjoyed the humor of Callie’s diary entries and the farting robot. I think younger readers will get a kick out that. This was definitely written with the intention of bringing steam punk to a younger audience. It does that in spades. However, age groups 6+ might struggle with the lack of world building and character development. Altogether, a cute and fun read. I would recommend this one for younger readers.

The Jupiter Chronicles: The Secret of the Great Red Spot, is the first book in Leonardo Ramirez' Children's Steampunk series. The story opens with brother and sister, Ian and Callie Castillo living with their mother, Camilla, a single parent ever since her husband Peter left years before. The transformation of the telescope into a spaceship and Ian and Callie's trip to Jupiter was a wonderful tale. The presence of steam engines, gadgets, and planet Jupiter makes the story even more fun and interesting. It will keep you interested. The characters of Ian and Callie are portrayed and developed well and the other characters in the story also make their presence felt. Mr. Ramirez weaves numerous fun scientific facts throughout the book, and includes a few important life lessons as well, namely no matter how "awful" you think your sibling is, they're usually your best ally in life.

I received this free from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.
This book is aimed toward the middle-grades, but I can honestly say as an adult that I enjoyed it very much. It in some ways reminds me of Frank L. Baum's Oz stories. It is also steampunk, a genre that I have never really liked before, but this book has changed my mind. Definitely reading the next book in the series.

The pacing is terrible and the plot predictable. I’m shocked this got published.

This innovative historical fantasy novel delivers a family adventure of galactic proportions along with believable sibling dynamics, political chaos, and intense action for entertainment galore!