Mousetronaut

Mousetronaut by Astronaut Mark Kelly and Illustrated by C.F. Payne

(Based on a partially true story)

Meet Meteor who is a hardworking friendly mouse. He is about to take his first trip to the moon with a bunch of astronauts. Unbeknownst to Meteor he actually saves the entire mission when a computer key gets stuck on the monitor. Read how Meteor saves the day and is declared a hero. He is presented with his very own mouse suit and his very own title of Mousetronaut.

This is a cleverly and charming story written by a four-time veteran of the space shuttle, Mark Kelly. This story is based on his experiences and of course his imagination while up in space. The illustrations, which are done in mixed media, are just truly fabulous because they really evoke the emotion of the mouse while traveling up into space. They are lively yet really show a story of courage and perseverance.

The author has included an Afterword and there a fabulous Bibliography, which includes games, videos and informational links. This story is based on the space shuttle Endeavor as mice were trained alongside the astronauts and accompanied them in the 2001 mission.

I loved this story and believe it to be an inspiration to young readers, especially those looking to travel to space.

A great gift for the holidays or better yet check it out at your local library!

Grades K-2