A Rover's Story

The One and Only Ivan meets The Wild Robot in this unique and deeply moving middle grade novel about the journey of a fictional Mars rover, from the Newbery Honor–winning author of Other Words for Home.

Meet Resilience, a Mars rover determined to live up to his name.

Res was built to explore Mars. He was not built to have human emotions. But as he learns new things from the NASA scientists who assemble him, he begins to develop humanlike feelings. Maybe there’s a problem with his programming….

Human emotions or not, launch day comes, and Res blasts off to Mars, accompanied by a friendly drone helicopter named Fly. But Res quickly discovers that Mars is a dangerous place filled with dust storms and giant cliffs. As he navigates Mars’s difficult landscape, Res is tested in ways that go beyond space exploration.

As millions of people back on Earth follow his progress, will Res have the determination, courage, and resilience to succeed…and survive? 

• A Heartfelt Friendship Story: Follow the moving bond between Res, a lonely rover, and Fly, his cheerful drone companion, as they face the dangers of Mars together.
• An Emotional Robot Story: What happens when a machine built for logic starts to feel? This novel explores big questions about loneliness, connection, and what it truly means to be alive.
• Perfect for STEM-Loving Kids: Packed with fascinating, accessible details about NASA, Mars exploration, and robotics that will inspire curiosity in young readers.
• A Tale of Perseverance: When faced with giant cliffs and terrifying dust storms, a little rover must live up to his name, Resilience, to complete his mission and survive.