Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Aug 04 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A Mars rover discovers that it has a heart to go with its two brains.Warga follows her cybernetic narrator from first awareness to final resting place-and stony indeed will be any readers who remain unmoved by the journey. Though unable to ask questions of the hazmats (named for their suits) assembling it in a NASA lab, the rover, dubbed Resilience by an Ohio sixth grader, gets its first inklings of human feelings from two workers who talk to it, play it music, and write its pleasingly bug-free code. Other machines (even chatty cellphones) reject the notion that there's any real value to emotions. But the longer those conversations go, the more human many start sounding, particularly after Res lands in Mars' Jezero Crater and, with help from Fly, a comically excitable drone, and bossy satellite Guardian, sets off on twin missions to look for evidence of life and see if an older, silenced rover can be brought back online. Along with giving her characters, human and otherwise, distinct voices and engaging personalities, the author quietly builds solid relationships (it's hardly a surprise when, after Fly is downed in a dust storm, Res trundles heroically to the rescue in defiance of orders) on the way to rest and joyful reunions years later. A subplot involving brown-skinned, Arabic-speaking NASA coder Rania unfolds through her daughter Sophia's letters to Res.The intelligences here may be (mostly) artificial, but the feelings are genuine and deep. (afterword, resources) (Science fiction. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A Mars rover discovers that it has a heart to go with its two brains.Warga follows her cybernetic narrator from first awareness to final resting place-and stony indeed will be any readers who remain unmoved by the journey. Though unable to ask questions of the hazmats (named for their suits) assembling it in a NASA lab, the rover, dubbed Resilience by an Ohio sixth grader, gets its first inklings of human feelings from two workers who talk to it, play it music, and write its pleasingly bug-free code. Other machines (even chatty cellphones) reject the notion that there's any real value to emotions. But the longer those conversations go, the more human many start sounding, particularly after Res lands in Mars' Jezero Crater and, with help from Fly, a comically excitable drone, and bossy satellite Guardian, sets off on twin missions to look for evidence of life and see if an older, silenced rover can be brought back online. Along with giving her characters, human and otherwise, distinct voices and engaging personalities, the author quietly builds solid relationships (it's hardly a surprise when, after Fly is downed in a dust storm, Res trundles heroically to the rescue in defiance of orders) on the way to rest and joyful reunions years later. A subplot involving brown-skinned, Arabic-speaking NASA coder Rania unfolds through her daughter Sophia's letters to Res.The intelligences here may be (mostly) artificial, but the feelings are genuine and deep. (afterword, resources) (Science fiction. 9-13)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Rendered with philosophical internality, this touching, fact-filled novel by Warga (The Shape of Thunder) centers the maturation of gutsy Mars rover Resilience, “built to be an unbiased observer,” alongside that of Sophie, child to one of Res’s NASA scientist creators. The narration alternates between Res’s account of gearing up for and executing a high-stakes Mars mission, and letters written to him by Sophie as she ages from sixth grader to adult. In the lab, Res’s fascination with humans results in the robot internalizing non-programmed concepts, including preferences, desire, gladness, jealousy, and trust. Paired with a drone, Fly, on the journey to Mars, Res encounters imperious satellite Guardian, treacherous dust storms, and the worrisome thought of never returning to Earth. Sophie’s letters reveal her envy of how Res’s project monopolizes her mother, but also her eventual realization of Res’s importance and the connection she feels to him. Res’s initially musing narration accelerates on Mars’s unfamiliar terrain, punctuated by funny banter as Res lives up to his name while showing that feelings are as valuable as logic. Occasional b&w artwork by Rockefeller (Poesy the Monster Slayer) emphasizes the robots’ mission; Sophie’s family speaks Arabic and has light brown skin. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group. (Oct.)

School Library Journal (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Gr 3–5— A fictional Mars Rover narrates its own journey from the robotics lab to the Red Planet. When two scientists, Rania and Xander, build a Mars rover named Resilience, neither are aware that it is paying attention to every detail. Through journal-style updates, interspersed with letters from Rania's daughter Sophie, Resilience meets robotic and human colleagues, survives a battery of tests, and travels millions of miles into outer space, all experienced through an emotional humanistic lens. The format of brief journal entries and letters is engagingly readable for even reluctant readers, and the humorous interactions between robots and machines keep the science-heavy story moving at a reasonable pace. Readers learn about becoming a Mars rover as Resilience does, turning into the expert as Resilience further learns how to be human. Warga's character development is consistent with human and nonhuman figures, particularly Rania and Sophie; their Arabic language and culture weave smoothly throughout the story and elevate the reading experience. Rania's very real challenges of being a working wife and mother in a male-dominated field round out an authentic, modern text. The arc of the story travels into the future for a happy ending that sacrifices realism for sweetness, but the overall experience is quite satisfying. VERDICT A fresh format and timely topic engage readers in this uplifting and deeply human sci-fi story.— Casey O'Leary