Lendroth, Susan. Hey-Ho, to Mars We’ll Go!: A Space-Age Version of “The Farmer in the Dell.” Bob Kolar, Illus. Charlesbridge, 01/2023. [28]pp. Picture Book. Preschool – 3. HIGH ADDITIONAL. Trade $ 8.99. 978-1-62354-376-1.
Ideal for storytime, this bouncy adaptation of “The Farmer in the Dell” features a rocket going to Mars: “We launch with a roar, We launch with a roar, Hey-ho, to Mars we’ll go —We launch with a ROOOOOAR!” The lyrics are in a large font, while factual information is in a smaller font describing gravity, the time it takes to travel to Mars, and other scientific concepts. In the section where the crew is in the ship experiencing weightlessness the user will need to turn the book over to read some parts of the text. The full-color graphic style artwork depicts an ethnically diverse crew at work and adds charm. Originally published in 2018, this board book edition is best suited to older preschoolers and primary graders.
Penny Peck, San Jose State University iSchool