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There’s Nothing to Do on Mars

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There’s Nothing to Do on Mars Overviews

When Davey Martin’s family moves to Mars, he discovers that there’s nothing to do–at least until he and his robot dog Polaris learn to seize the spirit of adventure. It’s not until they’ve zipped around the planet on his flying scooter–climbing Martian “trees,” digging up “fossils,” dancing in Martian rain dances–that they discover a treasure that finally piques Davey’s interest–a source of water on the red planet!

Chris Gall’s new picture book plays on the themes (and ironies) of a complaint parents have heard from their children a thousand times: “There’s nothing to do!” The book also offers a deeper lesson to our stationary, convenience-driven society: If you’re creative and look carefully, you’ll be amazed at what you find!

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There’s Nothing to Do on Mars

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There’s Nothing to Do on Mars CustomerReview

While the other reviewers noted the charm of this book in general ‘fun and nice for a child’ ways, I have a different slant. Being a child of the Apollo days and growing up when the idea of going to another planet was the only thrill that could be imagined I’ve become a bit empty over the decades noticing that that excitement is no longer a major force in our children’s lives. Politicians talktalktalk about Education (the industry) while they slashslashslash the budgets of programs that actually make children have a reason to want to learn anything.

But on I hope.

My son is now four and I have looked several times for space oriented books but have overwhelmingly found only science books targetted at 10+ kids (and even then the mentions of Humans on other worlds are depressingly tinged with the yellow of it all having happened three generations in the past, making the excitement level about as high as hearing about Columbus; Mildly important but not anything that that seems like something that they can grow up to do themselves and definitely not something that a little kid can ponder doing right now in their current little bodies).

While poking through the store shelves, with a copy of SkippyJohnJones in my hand I spotted this… luckily far away from the science books and instead “where the fun books are, daddy”

The artwork (amazingly *Hand-Engraved* out of clay covered board, it explains in very tiny print on the copyright page) is like a mix of 30′s pulp scifi but with a touch of atomic age, and the simple text, not more than a handful of sentences on each page, made it really jump out as being quality but also easy for a little guy or girl. These lush, but also simple, pictures span both pages and the story takes up just a sliver down either side; Absolutely perfect for the Story Times at a preschool (I join my son sometimes in such a circle when I can pick him up early enough and have observed that this kind of format is something that the teachers prefer because it seems to work well).

And about that story… it is the little things that make it so special. There is no banging the kid over the head but there is actual learning in the words.

Point one: The “treasure” that Davie and Polaris were looking for – and that they dug up; That “the treasure” Is there just a bit below the surface (as we adults now know for a fact) and that it makes all the difference to Mars and to people on Mars is presented so well.

Point two: Something that my son just asked about all by himself tonight – on one page the boy builds a fort(!) and it’s really easy for him to build a great one because on Mars he can pick up big rocks all by himself; my son said “why can he do that, daddy?” and I could say casually ‘because on Mars things weigh less and little guys can do big, strong things there’ I saw his mind turning that one over for a little while (After all, doing big strong things is important to little people who often feel powerless, isn’t it?)

Point three: That last page that other reviews have mentioned is more than just a cute little twist. Once Mars is ours some Humans with desire will be looking even higher for more worlds to explore.

Now, you might think me some nut Father, trying to push my child into something… maybe so but I do try to not press, I just want to expose my child to the excitement of possibilities beyond just one already-explored-and-known place. And it’s so hard to find those possibilities expressed in ways that he can understand.

Chris Gall does it with this book.

Maybe, maybe some child who has a parent or grandparent read it to them will get a spark and maybe turn that spark into a real space exploration again (or even grow up to be a politician who can think beyond next week’s polls and actually do a big thing instead of just talking big … I have faith that that can happen too … call me a romantic ), but at the very least if only for a few minutes this book will make your child aware of the fact that other planets aren’t just pictures that lifeless robots take for us watch-it-on-tv comfortzoners, that they are places that real people can go and do special things that even a kid would want to do.

I got the book at the store that night (along with SkippyJohnJones)… and tonight after my son picked the book out himself from the shelf and asked me to read it to him I came to Amazon to buy a copy for his school.

A kid has to dream that he can make a difference, right?

Excellent in every way – Greg J. Lovern –
We’ve had this book for about a year and a half now, and it has been a strong favorite the whole time. My kids love to have it read to them, and I’m always glad when one of them picks it for bedtime reading.

The illustrations are fantastic — both at first glance, and on careful scrutiny. Many of them have interesting details that you don’t notice at first. The story is fun and engaging. There are real learning opportunities while reading it. Both the story and illustrations are interesting for both kids and adults, for repeated readings.

I give this book my highest recommendation.

Have read it to my little guys countless times! – David Casteel – Rancho Santa Margarita, CA United States
Beautifully illustrated and story line leaving plenty of room for a young imagination to fill in. We love this book and have read it nearly every night since we purchased it!

Exciting attraction, especially for reluctant readers. – Midwest Book Review – Oregon, WI USA
Davey is bored even though his move to Mars from Earth should be exciting. He and his robot dog find adventures easily – until curiosity leads to a big discovery. Large-size drawings provide a read suitable for those moving from picturebooks to the next level, while an adventure-packed space story adds exciting attraction, especially for reluctant readers.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored:Aug 11, 2010 17:28:40

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