Scan barcode
kruppam's review against another edition
5.0
M-a zguduit mai mult decât aș fi crezut. Recenzia : http://cititoriferoce.weebly.com/magia-copil258riei/prietenia-nu-are-varsta-jennifer-brown-viata-pe-marte
daisey's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fun read, and I'll be adding this book to my middle school classroom library. The characters and relationships were well developed and interesting. I really enjoyed all the random astronomy facts and stories about constellations that were included. It had a good balance of intellectual information and middle school humor. In addition to the humor, it tackled some very realistic struggles for readers about friendship, family change, and loss.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
* I received an electronic copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.
jpartlan's review against another edition
4.0
Not at all what I expected. Though I didn't read the back. There were no aliens, or martians, and the characters never left earth. But it turned out to be quite a sweet story and there was a lot of space geekiness included. So I still got my fill. I laughed and cried and looking back I really ended up enjoying the book, despite they didn't actually live on Mars.
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
Arty's family loves stars and space, so much so that they all have astronomical names. Arty's goal in life is to discover extraterrestrial life. He is hoping for Mars, and spends every night sending signals to the red planet. But when his father loses his job at the Observatory, everything changes. His family is moving to the light-polluted city of Las Vegas, far from everything Arty knows and loves. But when the grouchy old man who just moved in next door turns out to be a retired astronaut, Arty finally has someone who believes in his dream. How can he possibly move away now? Recommended for grades 5-7, particularly for space buffs and wanna be astronauts.
mmz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
soulkissed2003's review against another edition
5.0
Arty is a middle schooler whose life is going along just fine. His dad has a cool job working at an observatory. Space is a big part of his life – so big, in fact, that he and his two sisters are named after sights in the night sky! He loves his two best friends, and gets to crawl onto his roof each night and look at the stars. He daydreams about making contact with life on Mars some day.
His life, however, is about to get complicated. Dad loses his job, and finds a new one far away in Las Vegas, working on computers. Arty doesn't want to move, or change schools, or leave his best buddies. In the meantime, a strange new neighbor has moved in next door. Not only is a grumpy old man, but he heads out into the woods each night in a black hoodie, with a black trash bag in his hand. Just what is he doing out there anyway?
Most books for middle schoolers tend to dumb things down in an attempt to reach the reading level of their target audience. I love how the author, Jennifer Brown, did not do that. This reading level is set just right to be understood by kids Arty's age, while challenging them a little with information about outer space that they may not have learned before. This is a great thing, especially since the story is about changing from being a young kid to having to go through some growing pains, as we all must do.
In being forced to deal with some things he doesn't want to, Arty is also forced to mature and see things differently. Life isn't always fair, and sometimes that grouchy person you weren't so sure you liked turns out to surprise you, and have an incredible story all their own. I really enjoyed this book, and am excited to share it with my own kids. Having read a great many books geared towards middle schoolers, this one stands out from the rest and I hope it finds its way into the hands of many parents, teachers, and school librarians!
This book will be released on August 5, 2014 through Bloomsbury Children's Books. For the hardcover edition, reference ISBN 978-1-61963-252-3. Suggested retail price is $16.99 US, or $18.99 in Canada. Don't miss this one!
His life, however, is about to get complicated. Dad loses his job, and finds a new one far away in Las Vegas, working on computers. Arty doesn't want to move, or change schools, or leave his best buddies. In the meantime, a strange new neighbor has moved in next door. Not only is a grumpy old man, but he heads out into the woods each night in a black hoodie, with a black trash bag in his hand. Just what is he doing out there anyway?
Most books for middle schoolers tend to dumb things down in an attempt to reach the reading level of their target audience. I love how the author, Jennifer Brown, did not do that. This reading level is set just right to be understood by kids Arty's age, while challenging them a little with information about outer space that they may not have learned before. This is a great thing, especially since the story is about changing from being a young kid to having to go through some growing pains, as we all must do.
In being forced to deal with some things he doesn't want to, Arty is also forced to mature and see things differently. Life isn't always fair, and sometimes that grouchy person you weren't so sure you liked turns out to surprise you, and have an incredible story all their own. I really enjoyed this book, and am excited to share it with my own kids. Having read a great many books geared towards middle schoolers, this one stands out from the rest and I hope it finds its way into the hands of many parents, teachers, and school librarians!
This book will be released on August 5, 2014 through Bloomsbury Children's Books. For the hardcover edition, reference ISBN 978-1-61963-252-3. Suggested retail price is $16.99 US, or $18.99 in Canada. Don't miss this one!
jessreadsandlistens's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book over the course of a few weeks every evening with my 10 year old son. The story was wonderfully written, at times hilarious and others beautifully touching. We enjoyed this book immensely.
theartolater's review against another edition
5.0
Sometimes you look at a book and kind of brush it off a bit right off the top, but someone I trust implicitly told me that the story within was worth reading, so why not.
They were 100% right.
Life on Mars presents itself as a simple story, but it really ends up being a pretty heavy, really pleasant story about family, friendship, and learning about the things that really matter. A middle grade title that handles more mature ideas better than a lot of young adult books that try to work similar angles, this story of a space-obsessed kid from a space-obsessed family who befriends a neighbor shortly before making a move to a place no one is really excited about hits a lot of great notes.
Closer to a 4.5, but that's more nitpicky than anything else. Perfect for any reader, but especially for quirky kids who don't seem to really fit in, or for people going through a hard family change, or those who really value friendships above all, or simply for space nerds who will enjoy the bits and pieces throughout. Really a surprising pleasure.
They were 100% right.
Life on Mars presents itself as a simple story, but it really ends up being a pretty heavy, really pleasant story about family, friendship, and learning about the things that really matter. A middle grade title that handles more mature ideas better than a lot of young adult books that try to work similar angles, this story of a space-obsessed kid from a space-obsessed family who befriends a neighbor shortly before making a move to a place no one is really excited about hits a lot of great notes.
Closer to a 4.5, but that's more nitpicky than anything else. Perfect for any reader, but especially for quirky kids who don't seem to really fit in, or for people going through a hard family change, or those who really value friendships above all, or simply for space nerds who will enjoy the bits and pieces throughout. Really a surprising pleasure.