The Mars Challenge (Promotional Sampler)by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 6 Nadia wants to be the first woman on Mars. Eleanor is a pilot for the International Space Station, and she takes Nadia on a conceptual journey that explains all science and the challenges that must be overcome.This review is of a promotional sampler; it looks too be chapter two. The full comic comes out in June 2020. The comic reminds me some of the Science Comics series that First Second also publishes, only this is thicker chunks of math and science (it is for ages 13-18). The fact that it's more math and science to chew on is somewhat laughed off by the characters as Eleanor explains it in a way Nadia (a teen) can understand. And it IS interesting stuff, if you're into spaceflight. However, there's no real hint of story here. Instead, it just appears to be using the graphic novel format to teach a specific set of science and math. The art is the characters in front of blue backgrounds for almost every panel, with the other panels showing illustrations of a grid or rocket pieces. It's more like a text book than a graphic novel. I can only hope that there's more story I the rest of the book ... but I can see it being useful or interesting to certain students in the target age range regardless. The biggest upside to this whole thing is that Nadia and Eleanor are both women of color! And it's more than just skin tone. Both have broad noses, and Eleanor has dreads. So this book has women of color in STEM, which is a dose of representation we need more of. Written: January 25, 2020
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