“ Buckle up, we’re headed to Mars!” 

Welcome to day two of OwlCrate Jr's Book Club! This month we are reading A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga. 

PART TWO: Launch & Roving 

Res’ journey to Florida for launch is confusing as he doesn’t know how to ask what is happening nor can he see where he is going from inside his box. What’s even more perplexing is that Journey is absent! It turns out that Journey was a test rover and was never intended to launch to Mars with Res!! Res thinks that the scientists have made a great mistake and is very anxious. What’s worse, is that he doesn’t have the landing code procedures yet and with no way to communicate to the scientists of these concerns, he and Fly are loaded into the rocket and soar off into space and begin their seven month journey to Mars.

Along the journey Res and Fly continue to communicate and bond. Since they share code Fly is also learning human emotions from Res and the two are becoming very good friends. Res continues to fret about the lack of code and instructions, (and we learn through the letters from Sophie that NASA has indeed lost contact with Res), but just in time Rania’s code comes through and Res is able to land them safely on Mars!!

Mars is beautiful and slightly overwhelming to Res, from the red dirt soil to the craggy rocky textures and the big wondrous sky! He misses Journey and his scientist friends but takes a picture of himself to send back to Earth.

A voice from above informs him he has just taken a “selfie”. This voice doesn’t belong to Fly … so who could it be? After some searching Res realizes it is a Satellite, who introduces herself as Guardian, and that she is to assist Res on his mission. But Guardian is quite bossy and looks down on Fly as a “lesser” robot, which doesn’t sit well with Res.

After oh-so-many tests and retests Res begins to, well, rove around Mars taking photos and recording sound - there is a strange noise he keeps hearing, but Guardian says it is just the wind. Res isn’t so sure. Fly is eager to take flight and find the lost rover but command hasn’t given the go ahead yet. Finally the clearance is granted and with Guardian’s guidance Res finds a good location for Fly’s launch. Res sings a little of Rania’s song to Fly to help him overcome his nervousness and then he is off - he finds Courage (the lost rover) on his very first flight! 

Meanwhile, in the letters from Sophie, we learn she is now in grade 8 and sadly struggling to fit in. She writes that scientists are fairly confident from Res’ photos that water once existed on Mars and are also very baffled by those sounds that Res is hearing and recording … what could it be??

Questions:

1. There have been so many interesting space, science and technology facts Jasmine Warga has included so far. What has interested or surprised you the most? 
   
   
2. Res is very concerned about getting back to Earth - do you think he will? Why or why not? How does that make you feel when you think of the actual Mars rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance, that this story is based on?