Roberto's imaginary space trip to Mars requires the somewhat reluctantly granted use of his father's favorite chair for TV baseball viewing. When co-pilot father and son "take off" for worlds unknown, the wondrous experience of flying asteroids, weightlessness and a TV-less Red Planet encourages a game of catch between parent and child, bringing the reality of a loving relationship back to Earth. Despite the missed Yankees-Red Sox game that afternoon, father and son are eager to continue a new Saturday tradition of playing catch in the backyard and "on Mars." Reminiscent of Ezra Jack Keats's Regards to the Man in the Moon (1981), this Spanish bilingual family story is complete with a makeshift spaceship from odds and ends, an eager astronaut with a fanciful adventurous spirit and Rodriguez's deeply colored, realistic paintings that juxtapose the actual backyard play with the whimsy of a planetary voyage. The subtle message of the importance of a parent's role in a child's creative play blends seamlessly with the simpler theme of a son's love for his father in a traditionally American setting. (Picture book. 6-8)

PrsS-Gr 3 A bilingual story of a Bronx-based Latino family and a fathers reluctant engagement with his sons extraordinary imagination. The book realistically portrays a boy piecing together a spaceship from a wooden barrel and other household objects. Robertos father is anything but impressed and is displeased to see his favorite chairthe one about to be commissioned for viewing the Yankees v. Red Sox gameusurped by his son for his haphazard journey. Nevertheless, with his moms encouragement, his dad agrees to accompany the boy on his engineless trek. Through it all, readers learn how a simple game of catch between father and son can become an event of cosmic proportions. Here, it is the father who comes of age, learning the value and enjoyment of time spent with his son. Rodriguezs color illustrations add flavor and dimension to this familys newfound love of the game and their growing appreciation of one another. A satisfying read-aloud in either English or Spanish. Michael Shapiro, WebJunction/OCLC, Dublin, OH