Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover
Age 7+
Space
A stylishly illustrated non-fiction book about the search for life on Mars, told from the unique perspective of NASA's Mars rover, Curiosity.
Discover the incredible story of the search for life on Mars, told from the unique perspective of Curiosity, the Mars Rover sent to explore the red planet. Markus Motum's stylish illustrations and diagrams reveal how a robot travelled 350,000,000 miles to explore a planet where no human has ever been.
Shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize and the Royal Society Young People's Book Prize, 2018.
Resources
Creators
Markus Motum is a half-English, half-Norwegian up-and-coming illustrator. He studied Illustration at the University for the Creative Arts, graduating in 2012, and it was during his studies that he re-discovered his love of picture books. He really enjoys creating big colourful books and illustrations for readers to get sucked into. His second picture book for Walker is Ducks Overboard: A True Story of Plastic in Our Oceans. Markus is currently based in Brighton, UK.
Reviews
The Mars rover Curiosity narrates her own story in Motum’s handsome and engaging children’s book debut…The book’s large trim size and expansive scenes work in tandem to evoke the vastness of star-filled skies and reddish Martian landscapes. Originally published in the U.K., this accessible look at interplanetary exploration will appeal to a broad range of young space enthusiasts.
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Fans of the eponymous robot star of the film WALL-E will see a kindred spirit in this chronicle’s narrator…Curiosity concludes with the thought that its wheel tracks may one day be joined by footprints. Here’s hoping. The personification adds an appealing angle to this venturesome visit to Earth’s closest planetary neighbor.
Kirkus Reviews
Motum’s retro mixed-media artwork, in muted tones and stylish yet recognizable shapes, is a fantastic vehicle for this informative, inviting glimpse into an exciting STEM topic.
Booklist
Engaging in the thoughtful question, “Is there anybody else out there?”, Curiosity, the rover, goes on a 350,000,000 mile journey into the universe to find some answers. This charming personified robot tells her unique story to an audience that is sure to be captivated.
New York Journal of Books
Oversized format, with dramatic black backgrounds and futuristic geometric renderings, make this a good choice for classroom sharing, and text that allows an adult reader to charge ahead with the main information—or to linger over technical details—adds to its flexibility.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
