Mike Stellar

June 22, 2009
Even though he lives in the year 2174, Mike Stellar is a fairly normal preteen: good-humored, slightly disgruntled when it comes to schoolwork and a bit of a troublemaker along with his hyper best friend Stinky (“the human embodiment of the word 'staccato’ ”). When his scientist parents announce that the family is moving to Mars without providing a reason, Mike’s detective work begins. He puts on a brave face (“I wanted to meet my fate like a man. Even if just a hyperventilating man in a shiny jumpsuit”), but is shaken by the changes and the sudden appearance of his parents’ assistant, creepy Mr. Shugabert, who watches his every step. As their spaceship Sojourner
approaches “the Fold” in which the last shuttle was presumed destroyed (and Stinky’s brother lost), Mike and his odd new friend Larc gather clues and analyze who they can trust. Holt’s children’s book debut whizzes by at warp speed—the suspenseful plot and the precocious yet complex hero combine for a fun ride with a satisfying resolution. Ages 9–12.

November 1, 2009
Gr 4-6-Mike Stellar does not have nerves of steel. In fact, he doesn't have much right now but his best friend. Then his parents announce that they are taking part in a Mars mission and he has to join them. Now Mike has to spend the next few years on a small spaceship with his mother and fatheroh, joy. Suddenly, strange things begin to pique his curiosity, among them his parents are distracted and don't even get upset when his sister goes missing back on Earth, and his mother's assistant seems to be following him everywhere. Maybe they're tied to the previous doomed mission that destroyed his parents' reputation. Maybe he's losing his mind. Maybe Mike can find his nerves of steel. Sadly, the story line seems more like aluminum, thin and shaky. It jumps around too much and readers get lost trying to see what happened and why. Because the plotting is chaotic, it becomes difficult to connect with the characters. Bruce Coville's "My Teacher Is an Alien" (S & S, 1990) and M. T. Anderson's "Whales on Stilts!" (Harcourt, 2005) are better choices for readers requesting humorous science fiction."Saleena L. Davidson, South Brunswick Public Library, Monmouth Junction, NJ"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2009
After the failure of a previous space mission, Mike and his family set off to help establish a new human colony on Mars. However, Mike suspects his parents of sabotage, leaving him to save the day. The plot pushes Mike along from adventure to adventure. Though he's sometimes wrong, there's never any doubt he'll ultimately succeed, sapping the story's tension.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)