Bell's world is small, just the American settlement on Mars, a handful of grown-ups and kids, of which he is the youngest. He is curious about Earth and the world he will never know. He also doesn't understand why the other countries' Mars settlements are off-limits. When tragedy strikes his settlement (ironically a deadly respiratory virus), Bell breaks the rules and reaches out for help. Along the way he learns a lot about friendship and forgiveness. This was a fantastic science fiction novel, with great details about surviving on Mars as well as with others. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

. I thoroughly enjoyed this middle grade science fiction story where we get to know Bell, an 11-year-old who lives in the American settlement on Mars. Bell, the other kids, and the few adults who inhabit the settlement face obstacles such as dust storms and (eerily timely) a devastating virus. Neither of those obstacles is as dangerous as the isolation that Sai, the commander, has insisted upon. Bell and his friends grow up thinking that the inhabitants of the other countries’ settlements are dangerous and responsible for the death of a beloved member of the American team. There is something for everyone in this book: sci-fi technology, humor, romance, danger, and friendship. I can’t wait to give this to our young patrons.

Welcome to Mars! If you have ever imagined what a world on Mars might look like read this book. Told from the view of Bell, one of the children of the settlement, you will explore what it means to be a family and how humanity might respond to living in Mars with other countries. Perfectly entertaining and good for your mind and heart!!!

This seems to be such an accidentally timely story. I have loved the quirkiness of Jennifer Holm for a while and was interested to see what she would do with Science Fiction. She was able to create a world that was futuristic enough, but still believable that this is where we could be in 70 years.
This is the story of an American Mars colony that is very much alone and isolated. As the story unfolds we see how they relate (or don’t relate) to the other colonies and how they are influenced by a distant Earth leadership. We see the strength of the human spirit and the necessity to wonder and explore through the eyes and actions of the children – and Jennifer Holm writes amazing teenagers. It is a really good look at how to weigh self-sufficiency against the need to collaborate; and to find out what makes everything better for the collective whole. It also is a great reminder of how our similarities and our differences complement each other and that asking for help is not a weakness, but a strength. Especially when an unknown virus hits.
I do think there will be elements of this story that will stick with me. I’m a little bit haunted by the arrogance of the American colony being “right” and the other colonies cast as enemies, and it is just kind of accepted – until the children shake things up. We really have a lot to learn from kids about what makes a pride work.