A Rover's Story

Starred review from August 15, 2022
Rendered with philosophical internality, this touching, fact-filled novel by Warga (The Shape of Thunder) centers the maturation of gutsy Mars rover Resilience, “built to be an unbiased observer,” alongside that of Sophie, child to one of Res’s NASA scientist creators. The narration alternates between Res’s account of gearing up for and executing a high-stakes Mars mission, and letters written to him by Sophie as she ages from sixth grader to adult. In the lab, Res’s fascination with humans results in the robot internalizing non-programmed concepts, including preferences, desire, gladness, jealousy, and trust. Paired with a drone, Fly, on the journey to Mars, Res encounters imperious satellite Guardian, treacherous dust storms, and the worrisome thought of never returning to Earth. Sophie’s letters reveal her envy of how Res’s project monopolizes her mother, but also her eventual realization of Res’s importance and the connection she feels to him. Res’s initially musing narration accelerates on Mars’s unfamiliar terrain, punctuated by funny banter as Res lives up to his name while showing that feelings are as valuable as logic. Occasional b&w artwork by Rockefeller (Poesy the Monster Slayer) emphasizes the robots’ mission; Sophie’s family speaks Arabic and has light brown skin. Ages 8–12. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group.

Starred review from September 15, 2022
Grades 4-6 *Starred Review* Fans of space exploration have eagerly followed the adventures of several Mars rovers as they roam our neighboring planet, but what if those robots could communicate their firsthand experiences? Enter a rover named Resilience, or Res for short, who gains consciousness in a sterile NASA laboratory. Res grows in knowledge and awareness with each passing day, gradually advanced by two scientists in particular. As they chat with the rover, play him music, and add endless code to Res' repertoire, the robot begins to grasp the complicated realm of human emotion--or, at least, the robot equivalent. Res can communicate with other electronics (a cell phone, a tablet, another rover) and is warned that emotions have no place in the complicated mission. Still, Res can't help viewing his existence in a new way, and when he ultimately lands on Mars, he's determined to complete his mission, make his favorite humans proud, and find his way back home. It's an endlessly inventive story, replete with gentle humor and playful pondering, offering a unique perspective on everything from music and electronics to loyalty and love. Res is written in a distinct, precise voice and sweetly countered by interspersed letters to the rover from a young girl intimately connected to his being, and both thoughtfully evolve as the years pass. A profound and poignant exploration of the universe both outside and within us all.

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Starred review from August 1, 2022
A Mars rover discovers that it has a heart to go with its two brains. Warga follows her cybernetic narrator from first awareness to final resting place--and stony indeed will be any readers who remain unmoved by the journey. Though unable to ask questions of the hazmats (named for their suits) assembling it in a NASA lab, the rover, dubbed Resilience by an Ohio sixth grader, gets its first inklings of human feelings from two workers who talk to it, play it music, and write its pleasingly bug-free code. Other machines (even chatty cellphones) reject the notion that there's any real value to emotions. But the longer those conversations go, the more human many start sounding, particularly after Res lands in Mars' Jezero Crater and, with help from Fly, a comically excitable drone, and bossy satellite Guardian, sets off on twin missions to look for evidence of life and see if an older, silenced rover can be brought back online. Along with giving her characters, human and otherwise, distinct voices and engaging personalities, the author quietly builds solid relationships (it's hardly a surprise when, after Fly is downed in a dust storm, Res trundles heroically to the rescue in defiance of orders) on the way to rest and joyful reunions years later. A subplot involving brown-skinned, Arabic-speaking NASA coder Rania unfolds through her daughter Sophia's letters to Res. The intelligences here may be (mostly) artificial, but the feelings are genuine and deep. (afterword, resources) (Science fiction. 9-13)

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October 1, 2022

Gr 3-5-A fictional Mars Rover narrates its own journey from the robotics lab to the Red Planet. When two scientists, Rania and Xander, build a Mars rover named Resilience, neither are aware that it is paying attention to every detail. Through journal-style updates, interspersed with letters from Rania's daughter Sophie, Resilience meets robotic and human colleagues, survives a battery of tests, and travels millions of miles into outer space, all experienced through an emotional humanistic lens. The format of brief journal entries and letters is engagingly readable for even reluctant readers, and the humorous interactions between robots and machines keep the science-heavy story moving at a reasonable pace. Readers learn about becoming a Mars rover as Resilience does, turning into the expert as Resilience further learns how to be human. Warga's character development is consistent with human and nonhuman figures, particularly Rania and Sophie; their Arabic language and culture weave smoothly throughout the story and elevate the reading experience. Rania's very real challenges of being a working wife and mother in a male-dominated field round out an authentic, modern text. The arc of the story travels into the future for a happy ending that sacrifices realism for sweetness, but the overall experience is quite satisfying. VERDICT A fresh format and timely topic engage readers in this uplifting and deeply human sci-fi story.-Casey O'Leary

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2022
Warga (Other Words for Home, rev. 7/19; The Shape of Thunder, rev. 5/21) imagines a sentient space rover with human emotions who is embarking on a perilous one-way trip to Mars. Resilience (Res for short) narrates much of the book and has profound conversations about life with his companion drone and a nearby satellite. Interspersed throughout are letters written to Res by Sophie, the daughter of Rania, one of Res's programmers. Res sets off on an exploration that will thrill fans of both adventure and robot stories and also provide intellectual sustenance for the deep thinkers, with the novel asking existential questions such as: where do memories and experiences go when we die? Looking at the remains of a broken-down rover, Res wonders, "Are we all going to end up just like this?" Through the character of a robot who has feelings and self-awareness, Warga probes issues of identity, attachment, and the purpose of life, offering readers an unusual but heartfelt example of the importance of staying true to yourself, quirks and all.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2022
Warga (Other Words for Home, rev. 7/19; The Shape of Thunder, rev. 5/21) imagines a sentient space rover with human emotions who is embarking on a perilous one-way trip to Mars. Resilience (Res for short) narrates much of the book and has profound conversations about life with his companion drone and a nearby satellite. Interspersed throughout are letters written to Res by Sophie, the daughter of Rania, one of Res's programmers. Res sets off on an exploration that will thrill fans of both adventure and robot stories and also provide intellectual sustenance for the deep thinkers, with the novel asking existential questions such as: where do memories and experiences go when we die? Looking at the remains of a broken-down rover, Res wonders, "Are we all going to end up just like this?" Through the character of a robot who has feelings and self-awareness, Warga probes issues of identity, attachment, and the purpose of life, offering readers an unusual but heartfelt example of the importance of staying true to yourself, quirks and all. Julie Hakim Azzam

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)