This picture book about a diverse team of kids traveling in a rocket ship to Mars has arresting illustrations and a wealth of information. Its subtitle bills it as "a space-age version of The Farmer in the Dell,'" and the main text follows the old rhyme's pattern and cadence, albeit awkwardly at times. For example, a spread devoted to bathing in space proclaims, "I squirt myself clean." This makes reading aloud a particular challenge, as does a zero-gravity-inspired layout that requires the book to be regularly rotated. And a burning question posed by the kids ow long till we get there?" n't answered until the ending information page. What does come through are fascinating details about the stages of a journey to Mars, from launch through arrival and exploration, and what life is like on a rocket ship, all provided in bite-size, factual blurbs scattered throughout. The digital illustrations are gasp-inducing, and the contrast between the four children and the immensity of space is done beautifully. For space enthusiasts.

The familiar children's song is given a space-exploration twist as readers learn what a trip to Mars would entail. Kolar's blocky digital illustrations include three vertical spreads of rockets and spaceships and three spreads of cheerful child-astronauts floating in zero gravity alongside upside-down text. Each portion of the rhyme is accompanied by scientific facts, lending information to the fun. More about Mars exploration is appended. Websites.

A first-person journey to Mars, to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell," with additional space exploration facts.Through text that reads to the tune of the familiar children's song, readers join four children—all of different skin tone and hair color—as they climb aboard a rocket headed for Mars. Each verse introduces new astronautic concepts and vocabulary, from the "launch" on Earth to the exploration of Mars. Readers become crew members and take part in life on the spacecraft: "I squirt myself clean"; "We sleep on the walls"; "Our greens grow in bags"; "Cycling keeps us strong." As the children enter zero gravity and float around the page, so do the words, often requiring readers to turn the book. Lendroth includes second-person point-of-view paragraphs set in smaller type that delve deeper into astronautic facts, inviting readers' interaction and preparing them for an exciting trip into space. Kolar's detailed yet cheerful illustrations, done in his familiar, matte, graphically bold style, encourage an engaging and positive outlook on being an astronaut. Overall, the words flow well with the tune and, together with the often-upside-down illustrations, create the perspective of being in space.An amusing sing-along read-aloud to introduce space exploration and astronautics. (Picture book. 3-6)

PreS-Gr 1 —A board book version of a space-age "The Farmer in the Dell" follows four children astronauts of varying skin and hair colors on their journey to Mars, beginning with the rocket's blastoff and concluding with exploration of the planet's surface. Each jaunty rhyming verse in large black letters addresses a simple aspect of living in space, with a few longer facts and explanations interspersed in smaller non-rhyming white font throughout the story. Some of the text layout mimics the havoc that the lack of gravity plays with objects in space, turning the paragraphs every which way so that readers must rotate the book as well. Kolar's bold stylized graphic illustrations in bright oranges and blues feature friendly smiling faces, and just enough details to be engaging but not overwhelming. They perfectly complement the upbeat text, creating an exuberantly cheerful and exciting vision of space exploration. VERDICT A fun and appealing board book adaptation for reading aloud, suited to acquainting the youngest audience with space travel.—Yelena Voysey