Packing for Mars for kids

Mary Roach

Book - 2022

"What is it like to float weightlessly in the air? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a spacewalk? How do astronauts go to the bathroom? Is it true that they don't shower? Can farts really be deadly in space? Best-selling Mary Roach has the answers. In this whip-smart, funny, and informative young readers adaptation of her best-selling Packing for Mars, Roach guides us through the irresistibly strange, frequently gross, and awe-inspiring realm of space travel and life without gravity. From flying on NASA's Weightless Wonder to eating space food, Packing for Mars for Kids is chock-full of first-hand experiences and thorough research. Roach has crafted an authoritative and accessible book that is perfectly pitched ...to inquiring middle grade readers"--

Saved in:

Bookmobile Children's Show me where

j629.45/Roach
0 / 1 copies available

Children's Room Show me where

j629.45/Roach
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
Bookmobile Children's j629.45/Roach Due Mar 29, 2024
Children's Room j629.45/Roach Checked In
Subjects
Published
New York, N.Y. : Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company [2022]
Language
English
Main Author
Mary Roach (author, -)
Item Description
"Adapted from Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void"--Title page verso.
Includes index.
Physical Description
136 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
Audience
Ages 9-12.
ISBN
9781324019374
  • Introduction
  • 1. Gravity Rules
  • 2. What It's Like to Fly
  • 3. Barfing on the Ceiling
  • 4. Toilet Training for Grown-ups
  • 5. Strange Dinners
  • 6. Life Without a Bath
  • 7. Roommates for Very Small Rooms
  • Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Index
  • Picture Credits
Review by Booklist Review

Best-selling, popular-science writer Roach ditches her usual audience (adults) for that of the middle-grade kid (her true kindred spirit) in this entertaining young reader's edition of Packing for Mars (2010). Streamlined to a cool seven chapters, Roach's book digs into the fun, the gross, and the unexpected challenges of space travel with a level of detail not typically seen in kid's books. The text is driven by Roach's genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for the information she imparts, and grounded in science without ever getting didactic. The majority of the book is devoted to astronauts' experiences, both in training and in space, and the science and engineering required to keep them alive and healthy. Readers will delight in the serious attention paid to bodily functions: throwing up in your helmet poses real dangers, and the chapter on space toilets (and the dreaded fecal bag) is a thing of wonder. Also covered are the challenges of showering in space, astronauts' food, and living in tight quarters with others. Photos and snippets from conversations between astronauts and mission control jazz up chapters, but the real boost comes from Roach's engaging tone and active role in what she's reporting. She doesn't just talk about parabolic, anti-gravity plane flights and spinning chairs for motion-sickness testing; she takes a ride on both. Kids will eagerly join her every step of the way.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.