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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
What a delightful book! Jack Cheng has created a vibrant, distinctive and charming voice with his character, 11 year Alex Petrowski. Obsessed with rockets, devoted to his dog Carl Sagan, named after his hero and suffering a somewhat dysfunctional family life, Alex decides to take his rocket to the Southwest High-Altitude Rocket Festival. He records incidents from his life on a special golden iPod that he wants to send into space. However, life has other plans for Alex, Carl Sagan and the people they encounter on their journeys. A witty, wise and lively book.
Oh my gosh when I was in fifth grade, we had this whole unit around the Newbery medal and there would be recommendations of books that were considered contenders for the Newbery, and before they announced it we would all vote which book, out of the ones we had read, would win, like at the same time as March Madness. I can't remember if I voted for this book, but I remember loving it so much, just like I loved so many other books, and Alex, and his dog, and his family. I couldn't really process that well what his family dynamic was like, but I liked his sister, even if his dad was way nicer to her than to him, and his dad was like so terrible. So anyhow, if you are a fifth grader, or want a book for a fifth grader (or maybe sixth grader), then I recommend this for you!
This is not the book I was expecting. For the first few chapters, we get to know Alex, an 11 year old boy with a dream of sending a Golden iPod into space, just like Carl Sagan did with the golden record. It starts to become obvious that something isn't quite right with Alex's home life, though, and the boy and his dog venture into the unknown to discover family, new friends, Rocket Burger, mental health issues, child neglect, romantic complications, animal control, scientific breakthroughs, what a period is, and what love and truth and bravery can do to a person. Although things don't always go right for this scattered family, Alex doesn't lose hope. He's a really likable character, and I think my students will like him too. I highly recommend the audiobook version, but if you can only find the print version, please do yourself a favor and pick it up anyway.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a cute story with some powerful messages about mental health but ultimately it fell really flat for me.
The story is told from Alex's point of view in the form of audio recordings because he plans on sending his iPod into space and I felt his point of view was really juvenile to the point where it felt unbelievable. I understand his character is 11 years old but I've seen 11 year olds form more coherent thoughts and not be so naive to things the way Alex is.
I also didn't find the story believable because it made no sense to me how an 11 year old manages to travel around to different states with ADULT strangers and no one bats an eye at it or questions his safety.
Overall while it had it's cute moments, I ended up not enjoying it by the end. I almost DNFd it but I'm self conscious about reviewing books I don't finish.
The story is told from Alex's point of view in the form of audio recordings because he plans on sending his iPod into space and I felt his point of view was really juvenile to the point where it felt unbelievable. I understand his character is 11 years old but I've seen 11 year olds form more coherent thoughts and not be so naive to things the way Alex is.
I also didn't find the story believable because it made no sense to me how an 11 year old manages to travel around to different states with ADULT strangers and no one bats an eye at it or questions his safety.
Overall while it had it's cute moments, I ended up not enjoying it by the end. I almost DNFd it but I'm self conscious about reviewing books I don't finish.
What a fun, unique, feel good book! I loved being taken on the journey of Alex and Carl Sagan! I loved the diary style format, how the nativity of an eleven year old boy is presented, and the feel-good message! I loved it!!
I think I would have rated it lower if I read it, but the audiobook recording is lovely.
emotional
fast-paced
Highly recommend listening to the audiobook!
I like the story & plot of this book, but I don’t really like Alex’s character, maybe because I don’t like kids in general. Alex just annoys me in some parts of his book and I can’t stand it. Other characters like Terra & Zed are interesting, though (I love LOVE Terra)! If this book would be adapted into a movie, 100% I will watch the movie adaptation!
I received a copy of See You in the Cosmos from Penguin Random House New Zealand to review. This is Jack Cheng's debut novel.
I loved the sound of this when I read the synopsis and it didn't let me down. I loved Alex, he was adorable and really funny. I felt bad for him from the start of the book, with his life at home being what it was. But he was such an amazing character that I was hooked to this story from the start.
The trip he went on ended up being about more than sending his iPod out to some aliens to listen to. Alex was a little too trusting of strangers for me, but then I grew up with the "stranger danger" thing drilled into my head so there's no way I would have been brave or stupid enough (depending on how you look at it) to do what Alex did. But Alex did meet some interesting people. I especially liked Terra and Zed. And I loved that Alex named his dog after his hero, Carl Sagan, and always called him Carl Sagan.
I thought Alex's brother, Ronnie, was pretty selfish at the start of the book. I guess he was trying to do his best but I'm not sure his best was really working for Alex and their mother. I really liked the ending. I think Alex deserved to be taken care of instead of being the adult for too long.
See You in the Cosmos dealt with mental illness and the affect it can have on families. Especially when they don't really tell each other everything. I thought Alex was really sweet taking care of his mother but he shouldn't have been in that situation. He was only eleven, way too young to have to be the adult or to know what was going on. But then not all families have the help they need and it's not always easy.
I loved See You in the Cosmos. Alex was such a genuinely nice, smart, funny and adorable. I wish I knew a kid like him. One of my favourite parts of the book that had me laughing out loud was when Alex was texting on Terra's phone. But he had me laughing a lot.
I'd definitely recommend See You in the Cosmos, it's such a sweet, funny and good read. Full of very colourful characters.
I loved the sound of this when I read the synopsis and it didn't let me down. I loved Alex, he was adorable and really funny. I felt bad for him from the start of the book, with his life at home being what it was. But he was such an amazing character that I was hooked to this story from the start.
The trip he went on ended up being about more than sending his iPod out to some aliens to listen to. Alex was a little too trusting of strangers for me, but then I grew up with the "stranger danger" thing drilled into my head so there's no way I would have been brave or stupid enough (depending on how you look at it) to do what Alex did. But Alex did meet some interesting people. I especially liked Terra and Zed. And I loved that Alex named his dog after his hero, Carl Sagan, and always called him Carl Sagan.
I thought Alex's brother, Ronnie, was pretty selfish at the start of the book. I guess he was trying to do his best but I'm not sure his best was really working for Alex and their mother. I really liked the ending. I think Alex deserved to be taken care of instead of being the adult for too long.
See You in the Cosmos dealt with mental illness and the affect it can have on families. Especially when they don't really tell each other everything. I thought Alex was really sweet taking care of his mother but he shouldn't have been in that situation. He was only eleven, way too young to have to be the adult or to know what was going on. But then not all families have the help they need and it's not always easy.
I loved See You in the Cosmos. Alex was such a genuinely nice, smart, funny and adorable. I wish I knew a kid like him. One of my favourite parts of the book that had me laughing out loud was when Alex was texting on Terra's phone. But he had me laughing a lot.
I'd definitely recommend See You in the Cosmos, it's such a sweet, funny and good read. Full of very colourful characters.