Hey-Ho, to Mars We'll Go!: A Space-Age Version of The Farmer in the Dell (Board book)
Explore the science behind a trip to Mars, from launch to landing on the Red Planet. Set to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell," this jaunty journey follows five adorable, bobble-headed astronauts as they learn how to bathe in zero gravity, grow veggies in space, and entertain themselves on the six-month trip. Even the design of the book defies gravity, as text and art float free on the page, encouraging readers to turn the book sideways and upside-down.
Growing up, Bob Kolar was mesmerized by the Apollo missions. He is now the author and illustrator of many books for children, including Stomp! Stomp!(NorthSouth) and the Astroblast! series (Scholastic), the basis for the Sprout TV show. He is also the illustrator of The Boy and the Book; Slickety Quick: Poems about Sharks (Candlewick); and The Little Dump Truck (Henry Holt). When he's not writing and illustrating books, Bob teaches art at the Kansas City Art Institute.
—Kirkus Reviews
This picture book about a diverse team of kids traveling in a rocket ship to Mars has arresting illustrations and a wealth of information. Its subtitle bills it as “a space-age version of ‘The Farmer in the Dell’,” and the main text follows the old rhyme’s pattern and cadence, albeit awkwardly at times. For example, a spread devoted to bathing in space proclaims, “I squirt myself clean.” This makes reading aloud a particular challenge, as does a zero-gravity-inspired layout that requires the book to be regularly rotated. And a burned question posed by the kids —“How long till we get there?”—isn’t answered until the ending information page. What does come through are fascinating details about the stages of a journey to Mars, from launch through arrival and exploration, and what life is like on a rocket ship, all provided in bite-size, factual blurbs scattered throughout. The digital illustrations are gasp-inducing, and the contrast between the four children and the immensity of space is done beautifully. For space enthusiasts. —Booklist