The Space Between by Jess McGeachin

Max and Milo live side by side in two houses which luckily are located out in the countryside because both boys love to look up at the stars and if you have ever done this you will know the view in a very dark country sky is so much better than trying to star gaze in the city with all our light pollution.

Max and Milo enjoy their daily routines and then one day they find an old, abandoned car and their imaginations soar! This is not a car it is a rocket and with a few easy repairs it can fly them up into space. As they work on their rocket Milo says something important but Max is not paying attention:

"We'll need navigation' explained Milo, and he drew a map of the solar system. 'Now we'll always know where we are, even if we're far apart. Even if one of us has to move away ... "

The boys complete their rocket and have a fabulous evening exploring space. Grandma is waiting for their return with a pate of sliced oranges. Everything seems so perfect but ... 

Here are some teachers notes from the publisher. You can see art from The Space Between here. When you share this book make sure you spend time enjoying and laughing over the end papers!

This book "embodies all of the best parts of imaginative play". Kids' Book Review. Take a few minutes to read this detailed guest post by Jess McGeachin on Paperbark Words. He says:

It’s this capacity for imagination that I wanted to explore in the story, and the hope that there’s no problem too big to fix with some cardboard and sticky tape.

... this one has all the warmth of a cosy blanket and a mug of hot chocolate, with a lovely look at both imagination and enduring friendship. Just so Stories

This is a perfect book to open up conversations about moving house, friendship, imaginative play and the importance of our connections with one another even if we are separated. 

The CBCA judges said in their Notables report:  Strong characterisations are achieved with a light touch, and visual and textual elements combine to create a strong sense of place in the rural setting. The illustrations are beautiful, with a strong, warm colour palette that bring the story to life.

I was thrilled to see Jess McGeachin has two books on the 2025 CBCA Notables lists - this one The Space Between is on the Picture Book of the Year list and South with the Seabirds is on the Non Fiction Eve Pownall list.

Curiosity: The story of a Mars Rover by Markus Motum

This book is nonfiction at its best. An engaging first-person narrative interspersed with all the facts a curious reader needs so they can learn more about the Mars Rover named Curiosity which was launched on 26th November 2011 and after 253 days of space travel Curiosity arrived on the planet Mars which is three hundred and fifty miles away from Earth!

The latest and greatest of the Mars rovers tells its tale and explains its purpose. ... The personification adds an appealing angle to this venturesome visit to Earth’s closest planetary neighbor. Kirkus

Oversized format, with dramatic black backgrounds and futuristic geometric renderings, make this a good choice for classroom sharing, and text that allows an adult reader to charge ahead with the main information—or to linger over technical details—adds to its flexibility.  Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

You can see inside this book here. Curiosity: The story of a Mars Rover was shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2018.

Even the title is clever - the innocent little word "a" is so important because this is just one Mars Rover there have been others before and after Curiosity. I love knowing a sixth grader from Kansas - Clara Ma - gave Curiosity his/her name. This book ends with a quote from Clara:

"Curiosity is the passion that drives us through our everyday lives. We have become explorers and scientists with our need to ask questions and to wonder. We will never know everything there is to know, but with our burning curiosity, we have learned so much."

I recently read A Rover's Story. Boy oh boy I wish I had also known about THIS book - it is the perfect companion read. Every Primary library needs BOTH of these books. As I read Curiosity: The story of a Mars Rover I kept nodding my head at all the plot points Jasmine Warga included in her novel - the sterile environment where the rovers were built and tested, the naming of the rover through a nation wide competition, the inclusion of all the cameras and rock testing lab inside the rover and above all the personality of these robots - yes I did say personality!

A Rover's Story

Here is another book by Markus Motum:

A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

"I am what is referred to as a robot. Most of the other beings around me are humans. All the humans I interact with wear hazmat suits. This is to prevent microbacteria and dust particles from entering my environment. It is very important for my mission that I am kept in a sterile and clean environment."

This quote from the beginning of the book shows you that Res is a terrific observer of his world. He can view the scientists at work via his twenty-three cameras but, while they can communicate with him via code, he is unable to talk to them. 

NASA is preparing to send a mission to Mars. As readers we are given a first-hand account of the preparations through the eyes of the machine or robot that will actually be sent to Mars - a Mars Rover who we learn is named Resilience. The name is perfect but Res has little or no understanding about how or what a sixth grade student from Ohio might be even though she has somehow given him the most perfect name. 

The two scientists who interact with Res are Xander and Rania. 

"I like Rania's code. I always understand what she is asking me to do. The tasks are clear, like lift your arm or take a photograph with your third rear-side camera or turn your wheels to the right. But I also like that Xander talks to me using human speech."

Res feels a special connection with Rania. Throughout the story we watch as Res develops his skills and a better understanding of human behaviour. There is also another Rover in the lab named Journey. 

"Resilience, don't you understand that human feelings are dangerous? They make humans make poor decisions. You see, humans have attachments. They care about each other ... We were built to avoid the problems of humans. We were built to make good decisions."

So, will Res or Journey or perhaps both of these Rovers be sent to Mars? Then a drone arrives. Res names him Fly. And yes, Res and Fly do have a very special attachment especially after they land on Mars. The purpose of this trip is firstly to collect samples of soil and rocks but also to find another Mars Rover named Courage who has now gone offline.

Meanwhile Rania's daughter Sophia 'talks' to Res through a series of letters. We can read the letters but Res can only make guesses about Rania's daughter by overhearing their phone conversations. These letters cover Sophia's journey from Elementary school right through to the end of High school and beyond. And her relationship with her mum - the scientist working with Res. 

There are five parts to this story - Preparing; Launch; Roving; Our Mission; and (spoiler alert) Return. Once you reach Mars with Res you will really be able to feel the surface of the planet - it is described so well. I also loved the way Res stops the gaze at the stars giving us and insight into the enormity of the universe. 

I think you will add a few new words to your daily vocabulary after reading this book - Journey likes to use the phrase 'beeps and boops'; Res says 'zappedty zip'; and the Guardian says 'gruzunks'. I also love the way Fly and Res use music to keep up their spirits even though they only know one song - Twinkle Twinkle.

The Science layer of this story is also sure to appeal to readers aged 9+. I found these resources:

Mars 2020: Perseverance Rover

Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit and Opportunity

Behind the News BTN Mars Rovers

Bookseller blurb: Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name. Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop humanlike feelings. Maybe there’s a problem with his programming.... Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars’s difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration. As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage, and resilience to succeed... and survive.

The intelligences here may be (mostly) artificial, but the feelings are genuine and deep. Kirkus Star review

A Rover’s Story is perfect for fans of WALL-E, as it has the same humor and heart but in a whole new story with lovable characters. It is overwhelmingly wonderful. I’m honestly having trouble putting into words the way this book made me feel. That’s the heart of it, really. It makes you feel. From the gorgeous setting descriptions to the heart-pounding plot, A Rover’s Story is one you don’t want to miss. Paw Prints in the Sink

Fans of The Wild Robot (I am one) will adore A Rover's Story. I am not sure why I waited so long to read this terrific book. It was published in 2022 and I have seen it mentioned in lots of lists. Luckily my friend was able to loan me her copy. Harper Collins have prepared a one-page guide to A Rover's Story.

Watch this four-minute video where Colby Sharp talks about A Rover's Story - "awesome; amazing; just great; kids are going to love it; one of the most popular books of the year; fascinating; could be great for a book club; deep conversations about life; magical; I gave it all the stars."

Read here how one teacher explored this book with her book club group.

Awards

• An Instant New York Times Bestseller
• An Indie Bestseller
• An ALA Notable Book
• A Washington Post Best Book of 2022
• A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2022
• A Booklist Editor’s Choice Best Book of 2022
• Indigo Best Book of 2022
• An Evanston Public Library Best Book of 2022
• 2024 Texas Bluebonnet Award List Selection 
• 2023 Illinois Reads selection
• 2023 Vermont Golden Dome Book Award Nominee
• 2023-2024 Maine Student Book Award Nominee
• 2024 Rhode Island Children’s Book Award
• 2024 Hawaii Nēnē Award Nominee
• 2023 Ohioana Book Award Winner
• 2023-2024 Kentucky Bluegrass Book Award Nominee
• 2023 Michigan YouUper Award Nominee 
• 2023 North Carolina Children’s Book Award 
• 2024-2025 Indiana Young Hooiser Book Award Nominee
• 2024 Texas Lone Star Reading List Selection
• 2024-2025 Nebraska Golden Sower Award Nominee
• 2023-2024 New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award Nominee
• 2023-2024 Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Book Award Nominee
• 2023 Quahog Book Award Nominee
• 2023-2024 Surrey Schools Book of the Year Nominee
• 2023-2024 Volunteer State Book Award Nominee

You could also look at some of my previous posts about books that feature robots (there are so many that I have really enjoyed over the last 20+ years).

Here is a previous book I have read by Jasmine Warga:

Other Words for Home

I have added The Shape of Thunder to my 'to read' list.