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Bethany Straker
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A Curious Robot on Mars! Hardcover – Illustrated, October 1, 2013

by James Duffett-Smith (Author), Bethany Straker (Illustrator)

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Far off into space—186 million miles to be precise—a fearless robot rover travels all by his lonesome. He is on a crucial mission from Earth, eagerly seeking to answer the much-anticipated question: Does life exist on Mars? But there is nothing to be seen on this planet except miles of rocks. He loses support from mission control and finds himself alone and cut off from civilization. But the curious little robot is resilient! After noticing a flash of light shining brilliantly through the crack of a rock, he instantly realizes his mission is far from over. He slowly inches towards the edge, but then suddenly falls perilously into the darkness! What will he discover?

Bethany Straker's vibrant illustrations accompany James Duffett-Smith's suspenseful tale of discovery and hope. A Curious Robot on Mars! will motivate any and all readers to strive for one's ambitions—and most importantly, to always be curious!
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  1. Reading age
    3 - 6 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 1
  5. Dimensions
    8 x 8 x 8 inches
  6. Publisher
    Sky Pony
  7. Publication date
    October 1, 2013
  8. ISBN-10
    1620879948
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1620879948
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Curiosity the robot rover has been sent by Mission Control to find evidence of life on Mars. After he finds ice and rocks, he receives a message that his mission is over. The robot begs not to be left all alone on the planet, but two-way communication has ceased. He continues to roam until he finds a huge chasm and, at the bottom, far below, piles of leaves, Laika the famous space dog, and Sputnik, the forgotten spaceship. "Earth would never know, but there was life on Mars." No one is at the control center, and then his radio battery runs out. "But he really didn't care-he loved exploring no matter what." The illustrations in this odd tale are flat and have a limited palette. An author's note states that Curiosity actually exists and is currently on Mars gathering data. While the afterword says that Sputnik and Laika are not likely to be found on Mars, it begs the question, why place them in this story at all and with the suggestion that Sputnik is a life-form? Pass on this one.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VAα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journal. LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

About the Author

Bethany Straker has illustrated ten books as well as a number of magazines. She likes to use humor to draw her audience in for both her children’s and adult books. Her work has been described as “somewhere between the stylings of a Steve Fiorilla and a Mike Judge series” (filmmonthly.com). She enjoys the little visual details that others may not notice, loves drawing the grotesque, and champions the underdog. She lives in Kent, England.

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  1. Bethany Straker

    Bethany Straker

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    Bethany Straker is an illustrator of picture books and magazines. Her work often leans towards the humorous, and has been described as "somewhere between the stylings of a Steve Fiorilla and a Mike Judge series" (filmmonthly.com). She enjoys the little visual details that others may not notice, loves drawing the grotesque and champions the underdog.

    See more on the author's page
  2. James Duffett-Smith

    James Duffett-Smith

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    Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

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