Life On Mars

Young children are curious and creative in their quest to understand the universe, and Jon Agee has drawn an absolutely charming story of the ageless question, “is anybody out there?” 

In LIFE ON MARS, a young astronaut lands on Mars in search of life. Our fearless little explorer sets off from his spaceship with a box of cupcakes (a gift for whomever or whatever he might encounter) and starts his trek across the beautifully drawn, desolate landscape of the red planet.

As he hikes along, what he can’t see is the tall, pointy-eared Martian hovering in the background, and we are “in on the joke” as it follows the boy on his quest. The next details of the story include a yellow flower and the aforementioned cupcakes, however, if the two meet is for you to discover! 

Obviously, evidence does not support the presence of a giant cuddly creature on Mars (or yellow flowers) and that may be a problem for some. Yet evidence did not support the veracity of the adventures of Buck Rogers or the fantastic voyages of Jules Verne, which inspired many of the early astronauts and NASA engineers to pursue the stars.

For myself, I love the whimsical adventure story – particularly the lovely detail of our voyager packing cupcakes to offer in greeting. The book also subtly delivers the message that there is power and satisfaction in pursuing the answers to your most important questions, which if instilled early, can inspire a life-long learner.