Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story (Mousetronaut #1)

In an afterword, former astronaut Kelly (who is also the husband of Gabrielle Giffords) recalls that on his first Endeavor flight, the research mice on board would have nothing to do with weightlessness and clung to the mesh of their cage for the entire mission--except one, "smaller than the rest, seemed to enjoy the experience and effortlessly floated around the cage." Inspired by this real-life mouse, Kelly's first children's book tells the story of Meteor, a lightly anthropomorphized rodent who turns his tininess into an advantage when an important key gets stuck in a crack between two monitors. The understated, quietly intense prose (" 'This isn't good, ' says the commander. 'We need that key back' ") is just right for the particular breed of hero that is the American astronaut, and the narrative stakes are just high enough for the younger end of the target audience. Payne (Hide-and-Squeak) contributes muscular, handsomely textured images and vivid portraits that make it absolutely clear that space travel is a larger-than-life adventure. Ages 4-8. Agent: Robert Barnett, Williams & Connolly. (Oct.)

K-Gr 2--In this picture book based on the space shuttle Endeavor, mice are being trained alongside human astronauts and selected to accompany the 2001 mission. Meteor is one of the smallest mice, but the most hardworking. After the suspenseful liftoff, an irreplaceable key gets stuck between control panels, and he hurls into action to save the mission. The concise, energetic writing works in tandem with the highly detailed and expressive, softly crosshatched cartoon art. The tone of the story is celebratory, but also gives an authentic glimpse into daily life on a space shuttle. Close-ups of characters reveal humorous surprise or just pure glee. The astronauts dub Meteor with the title "Mousetronaut" due to his bravery and service. Librarians will want to share the inspiration for this tale included in the afterword, an informative essay on man's quest to overcome gravity and fly. Apparently, during the duration of the flight, only one of the 18 mice onboard the Endeavor playfully and contentedly floated in zero gravity. The rest clung to the cage. The values of being small, useful, solving problems, and working hard-as opposed to being big and strong-will inspire young readers. The bibliography is outstanding as is the kid-friendly list of Internet sources featuring sites with games and videos.--Sara Lissa Paulson, American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City