The Boy Who Went to Mars

Written and illustrated by Simon James

A boy's space adventure swaps him with a mischievous martian.

3.7 Goodreads · 196 ratings

32 pages· 585 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud· 500L

$16.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

When Stanley's mom leaves town, he embarks on a space adventure, only to return as a mischievous martian. This alien doesn't follow Earth rules, causing chaos at home and school. Can Stanley's family accept this out-of-this-world behavior, or will the real Stanley return? Dive into a whimsical tale of imagination and family acceptance.

From the publisher

When Mom has to go out of town, Stanley decides to blast off to outer space. But who’s this small martian returning in his place who doesn’t follow earthling rules? On the day that Stanley’s mom takes a work trip overnight, Stanley decides to leave planet Earth. But when his spaceship touches down again in the backyard, a young martian crawls out, proclaiming to Stanley’s dad that residents of Mars don’t wash before dinner, eat their vegetables, or brush their teeth. It just so happens that martians tend to act out in school, too. . . . With whimsy and sympathy for a familiar dilemma, Simon James ushers us into the coping fantasies of an imaginative, sensitive kid – and shares the pleasure of his sheepish reunion with a most accepting family.

At a glance