Moving to Mars: Building a Colony on the Red Planet

Gr 4-8–Four scientists and researchers take young readers on a journey to envision the colonization of Mars beyond science fiction stories. The authors provide information about the conditions on the Red Planet and the obstacles to be overcome. Far from text-heavy, the information is portrayed visually with appealing and accessible graphics. For example, plotting a trajectory for a spaceship to fly from Earth to Mars is compared to a football player throwing a pass to another player, who is a moving target. Then, the book outlines what a future self-sufficient settlement on Mars might look like. The concepts are based on a project designed by the Sustainable Offworld Network, consisting of underground tunnels built into a cliff, with windows along the cliff’s edge to bring in natural sunlight. The idea is quite inspiring, and the illustrations and information are sure to have readers imagining their own Martian city solutions. Back matter and lists for further reading would’ve extended its usefulness in the classroom and for student research.