Mousetronaut by Mark Kelly - ADVISABLE

Kelly, Mark  Mousetronaut  Illustrated by C.F. Payne  Simon and Schuster, 2012.  $16.99  PICTURE BOOK  Content: G.    

NASA is training six mice to go on an outer space mission with the astronauts.   Meteor is one of the smallest mice, but he also works hard, so he is picked to go on the mission with the other mice.  When the space shuttle takes off all of the other mice cling to the cages, but Meteor likes the feeling of weightlessness and he flouts around his cage.  The mice mostly hang out in their cages while the astronauts run their experiments in space, but Meteor finds a chance to help when a control panel gets stuck and the key falls into a slim space that the humans can’t reach.  Meteor saves the mission when he gets the key out and is honored with his own space suit when he gets home.  

This is a cute story about a hard-working and courageous mouse.  The illustrations are great and it’s fun to wonder what parts of the book are true since the inside cover claims it is based on a true story.  The back of the book has an afterword that explains which part of the story is true.  The afterword explains the involvement that mice had in space missions and Astronaut Kelly’s experience with one particular mouse that impressed him.  

EL (K-3)-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.