Read this when
The Martian
Stranded alone on Mars, his plan is: fix one thing, crack one joke, repeat. Honestly works for a Monday too. 🥔
Who it's for
Mark Watney faces literally impossible odds, and his log entries break them into small, solvable problems (water, food, air, distance), a concrete model of problem-focused coping that overwhelmed readers can borrow.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Andy Weir's science fiction novel was first self-published as a serial on his blog in 2011 and released by Crown in 2014. In 2035, astronaut Mark Watney is stranded on Mars after an accident on the Ares 3 mission leads his crew to believe he is dead.
Where to find it
In print (Crown / Del Rey; a classroom edition with reduced profanity exists); widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain. Film adaptation (2015).
Before you start
Heads up: Frequent profanity and near-death peril.
Age: Ages 12+
Our life is frittered away by detail.Henry David Thoreau, Walden, “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For”
