Fine book, presenting the exploration of Mars as a quest to answer questions about Mars's geologic development and habitability.

Published in 1999, at a time when NASA had publicly announced plans for several missions that were either scrapped or failed. The Mars Polar Lander failed, the Marie Curie, Sojourner's twin, never went to Mars, and the plan to return rocks from Mars to Earth has yet to be carried out.

The text is white on black, probably to represent the black of space, and there are numerous well-chosen illustrations. The narrative is suitable for older children or young adults. There are some dramatic illustrations of early Mars and early Earth, which have much the same style as the ancient painting of dinosaurs. ( )