The Interplanetary Expedition of Mars Patel (Mars Patel #2)

by Sheela Chari (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Series: Mars Patel

Mars is on Mars! But as techie colonists and scrappy rebels clash, can Mars and his friends survive long enough to discover the planet's dark secrets? Based on Season 2 of the Peabody Award-winning podcast.

Six months ago, Mars Patel boarded a spaceship to travel to Oliver Pruitt's colony on the planet Mars, and now he's finally there. The journey gave Mars lots of time to bond with his copilots, but Mars and his new friends soon discover that Pruitt's colonists aren't the only people living on the inhospitable planet. A splinter group, led by the mysterious Fang, are desperate to go back to Earth--and they don't care who they hurt in the process. Amid the slick subterranean colony filled with rules and giant, terrifying tardigrades who poop a lot, Mars searches for answers about Oliver Pruitt's supposed plans--and the real reason the eccentric billionaire has been so invested in him all this time.

Featuring thrilling technology, a diverse cast, and a gripping plot, this extraterrestrial adventure, a follow-up to The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel, is also based on the popular and award-winning podcast.

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Kirkus

Action-packed. . . . [readers] will be drawn in as Mars has to make some tough choices while also learning the shocking truth behind why he was selected for this mission in the first place.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-7--Mars Patel is going to his namesake planet, where he'll finally find his missing friend Aurora and meet his hero-turned-adversary, Oliver Pruitt. Picking up where the first book left off, this follow-up to The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel brings Mars to Mars, where he encounters a new crew of exceptional kids who have been selected by Oliver to help him build a colony in space, away from adults and the problems that have brought Earth to the brink of collapse. There's South London's Julia, who speaks multiple languages (including three coding languages) and uses a wheelchair; Orion Acevedo, an adept space pilot and former foster kid; and Daisy Zheng, the 10-year-old Chief of Communication at the Mars Colony. But colony life is not as idyllic as Oliver and Daisy would have Mars Patel believe, and soon he is caught up in yet another life-and-death adventure, this time on the Red Planet. There is more emphasis on plot in this sequel, with many of the new characters feeling thin in comparison to the original friend group of the first novel. Still, the do-or-die space action is thrilling, and the themes of teamwork and perseverance remain strong. Mars is Indian American, while the rest of the cast varies in terms of ethnicity. VERDICT A must-read for fans of the first book. Hand this series to readers who crave sci-fi adventure and mystery.--Dana West, Nathan Hale H.S., Seattle

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Sheela Chari
Sheela Chari is the author of several critically acclaimed novels, including the Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel series, based on the Peabody Award-winning podcast. Her other titles include Finding Mighty, a Children's Choice Award finalist; and Vanished, an APALA Children's Literature Honor Book and Edgar Award finalist. Sheela is a faculty member of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA Program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She lives in New York.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781536228205
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Walker Books Us
Publication date
September 06, 2022
Series
Mars Patel
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV053000 - Juvenile Fiction | Science Fiction
JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV036010 - Juvenile Fiction | Technology | Astronauts & Space
Library of Congress categories
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