Read this when
Project Hail Mary
He thinks he's a coward. He's also the only person who can save the world, and his best friend is a rock-shaped alien who says 'fist my bump'. 👊
Who it's for
Ryland Grace wakes with amnesia and slowly recovers memories that reveal something he is ashamed of: he refused the mission out of fear and was sent against his will.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Andy Weir's 2021 science fiction novel, published by Ballantine Books. Ryland Grace, a science teacher with a background in molecular biology, wakes up with amnesia aboard the spacecraft Hail Mary and finds his crewmates have died.
Where to find it
In print (Ballantine); widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain. Film adaptation (2026).
Before you start
Heads up: Crewmates' deaths and mass-death threat.
Age: Ages 12+
Tiny grass, your steps are small, but you possess the earth under your tread.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, no. 65
