Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Miller profiles the latest Martian rover expedition, leading with the mission's scientific questions about current and ancient water on the planet. Technical and scientific information includes details about the rover and its array of tools, accounts of past and future Mars missions, and the ways in which Martian geology and climate could sustain life. Helpful photos, diagrams, and sidebars accompany the text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Voice of Youth Advocates

In November 2011, NASA sent a robot to Mars. Curiosity was named by a sixth-grader from Kansas who, in her winning essay, wrote, "Curiosity is the passion that drives us through our everyday lives." The nearly two-thousand-pound unmanned rover traverses the Red Planet, collecting data from its seventeen cameras, rock abrasion tool, and mini laboratory, sending information back to Earth about soil, atmosphere, weather patterns, and topography. In September 2013, the moment scientists were waiting for happened: water was discovered on Mars.The Curiosity Mission is a success story on every level. NASA scientists had a goal, and with very few problems, it has been a resounding triumph, putting us well on the way to sending humans to Mars. Miller's book is well written and visually appealing, skimming the surface on a lot of the information but effectively covering the history and future of Mars exploration. Teens who are science-minded and want a more in-depth account of the Mars missions and discoveries will want to go elsewhere, but this volume should satisfy the curiosity of any nonscientific thinker and perhaps lead them to seek out more.Laura Lehner.

Kirkus Reviews

A brief overview of how Curiosity, the rover NASA sent to Mars in November 2011, is making amazing discoveries suggesting some parts of Mars may have been habitable—and could be again in the future. Could life have previously flourished on Mars? Will humans be able to travel there and colonize the red planet? These are questions NASA scientists hope Curiosity will help answer and that Miller explores, covering the essentials. By gathering information about Mars' climate and geology, the rover is helping scientists uncover the secrets of the planet and its past. Curiosity has discovered an ancient streambed where water once flowed for thousands of years and analyzed rock samples proving that the surface soil on Mars still has water. Drilling into Martian rock, the rover has detected the key elements necessary for life—sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon. Curiosity's measurement of radiation on Mars shows levels similar to that at the International Space Station. All of this information, Miller explains, will help scientists decide if human travel to Mars is possible and colonization of the planet plausible. He also includes information on previous Mars missions and how the idea of life on the red planet has captured imaginations since the late 19th century. An informative, useful look at a current and ongoing mission to explore our nearest neighbor in the solar system. (source notes, glossary, further reading, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

School Library Journal (Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

Gr 7 Up-Miller introduces and details the Mars craft Curiosity in the first chapter and then chapter by chapter describes the planet, fictional and factual, and what the future might hold for it. Wonderfully illustrated with full-color maps, diagrams, and photographs on every page, this title contains material that is clearly presents and logically arranged. Especially fascinating is the discussion of the array of high-tech tools developed for Curiosity to carry out its mission of scientific exploration and discovery. Sidebars ranging in size from half to full page amplify the narrative-how Curiosity was named, why is friction a critical consideration of space travel, what is the Gale Crater, and more. In addition to defining terms in the text, a two-page glossary provides basic definitions ("atmosphere," "inert gas," etc.), and a selected bibliography recommends books (nonfiction and fiction), as well as films, magazines, websites, and relevant organizations for further exploration. The two-page index will be helpful for report writers. Packed with relevant and fascinating information, this slim entry will shine in every collection. Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA

ALA Booklist (Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

This clearly written book provides a solid, basic introduction to the Curiosity rover, which NASA launched into space on November 26, 2011. It landed on Mars in August 2012, began drilling into rocks, and has found many key ingredients necessary for life. After briefly surveying the history of Mars expeditions, the opening chapter discusses Curiosity and its technologically advanced tools for exploration and analysis. Other sections of the book discuss the planet Mars, the question of whether it supported life in the past, and the possibility of landing astronauts there in the future. Sidebars provide additional information on related topics, such as the naming of Curiosity by Kansas sixth-grader Clara Ma, the likelihood of ice beneath the surface of Mars, and the layers of the planet's atmosphere. Rather small color photos and diagrams illustrate this succinct introduction.