Red Rover: Curiosity on Mars by Richard Ho, is one of those books that is cool. Yet I still feel lackluster about it. There was something missing.
Katherine Roy’s illustrations are a combination of realistic and a hint of whimsy. The text itself, however, has a more artistic then “serious” scientific element, but still has all the information needed. As we explore the planet of Mars, we learn about the planet and the machines that came before Curiosity. This information will grab the space nut but is not for the casual lover of space. It also could grab the attention of kids who like vehicles and machines. But obviously there is not a lot of variety.
Over all the whole book is a book awkward for a casual reader period. It would probably work best for a first or second grade classroom if you are studying space, Mars or the vehicles used to explore the planets. The lack of interaction with anything but the planet is dull. The colors are mostly reds, browns and obviously representing Mars, but they blend into each other making the images seem the same. And yet, there is something about them that can be endearing.
I think my biggest issue is the environmental impact we have. What happens when the machines die or the new one/a better one goes up? What happens to the old one? This is not addressed. If this is an issue for the reader, that could make a good jumping off point to do more research. With all of that said, I did not dislike this book. I probably would recommend it to people, but I know it will not be on my top best list this year.