#470 - How to Reach Mars and Other (Im)possible Things

by Menaka Raman and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe

“How to Reach Mars and Other Impossible Things” by Menaka Raman and illustrated by Rajiv Eipe. Published by Penguin. A delightfully motivating book to learn about changing what seems to be impossible to possible through the example of the scientists of ISRO.

Rabia is a curious girl full of questions. She loves asking them and exploring the answers too when people fail to do so for her. Her favourite class in school is science as the teacher Madhu Sir allowed her to ask all her questions. One particular day he announced that grade 6 which was their class would be taken for a field trip on National Science Day next week to U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bangalore. He gave them a homework to draw a scientist. When Rabia came up with her drawing of a woman scientist, she was made fun of by some of her classmates who felt that it was all wrong. They said that women can’t be scientists.

Rabia couldn’t help but think of what her classmates felt about women was right after all. Full of doubt, she went on the field trip. While others were busy looking at the exhibits on display at the satellite centre, she decided to look for the scientists and what they really looked like.

Luckily she bumped into Dr. Mary who worked in ISRO as a physicist. Dr Mary was working on a daring mission to Mars which would be India’s first attempt. Rabia figures out everything about the mission and the people behind it with Dr Mary patiently answering all her questions. And then starts her wait for Mangalyaan to take off. Join Rabia as she walks through ISRO and later follows the progress of the Mars Orbiter Mission.

This is a beautifully conceptualised book. I read it along with my nine year old son after watching the landing of Chandrayaan 3. He was in high spirits and wanted to know what this book was about.  He found the walk through ISRO in the narrative so relatable since he had just watched the telecast of Chandrayaan 3.  Both of us thoroughly enjoyed the book. Rabia’s excitement and curiosity were quite infectious. We felt like we we were going around with her and Dr Mary as we read the book. The way the story has been woven around the themes of space, ISRO, Mangalyaan, gender bias and curiosity with the facts seamlessly fitting in is just fabulous. As if this isn’t enough, the amazingly detailed illustrations are a feast for the eyes. They not just complement the narrative but add small stories of their own. Like the spread showing Rabia’s room with a wall full of photographs of women scientists from space as well as different fields.

We had recently read another book on the Mangalyaan mission called “Mangalyaan : A Journey to Mars”. That had explained the details of how the mission worked. This book gave this information with the addition of a lovely story around it and also went on to introduce some of the people who played an important role in the mission. The two books therefore work so well with each other. The narrative drives home the message strongly that nothing is impossible except licking your own elbow, as Dr Mary tells Rabia, sparking her imagination and giving wings to her dreams of becoming a scientist. And, yes, my boy tried to lick his own elbow much to my amusement as he wanted to ascertain for himself whether Dr Mary was right. Overall this is a “MUST READ” for everyone.

P.S - Another book by the same author on India’s first rocket launch that we have read and enjoyed is “Topi Rockets From Thumba”.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 6/7 and above.

Disclaimer - We received this book from the publisher, Penguin India, for review. Thank you to Mansi, from Penguin, for sending across the book!