How do astronauts eat and drink in space? How do they poop and pee and bathe? Grossly fascinating, this adaptation of the author’s adult book Packing for Mars focuses largely on the lack of gravity’s impact on the mechanics of being able to do the things a body needs to do to survive, and how scientists and engineers have come up with workable—if not always appealing—solutions. Chapter titles such as “Barfing on the Ceiling,” “Toilet Training for Adults,” “Strange Dinners,” and “Life Without a Bath” hint at the author’s willingness to be up front about the complicated, messy (literally) reality in a narrative that goes all-in on the details, with plenty of quotes from astronauts supporting this not-so-starry-eyed look at space travel. A final chapter, “Roommates for Very Small Rooms,” looks at the challenges of spending a lot of time with the same person or group of people in very tight quarters. Occasional black-and-white photographs are included throughout.   (Age 9 and older)

“America’s funniest science writer” (Washington Post) asks the questions children ask in this young readers adaptation of her best-selling Packing for Mars.

What is it like to float weightlessly in the air? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a spacewalk? How do astronauts go to the bathroom? Is it true that they don’t shower? Can farts really be deadly in space?

Best-selling Mary Roach has the answers. In this whip-smart, funny, and informative young readers adaptation of her best-selling Packing for Mars, Roach guides us through the irresistibly strange, frequently gross, and awe-inspiring realm of space travel and life without gravity. From flying on NASA’s Weightless Wonder to eating space food, Packing for Mars for Kids is chock-full of firs-hand experiences and thorough research. Roach has crafted an authoritative and accessible book that is perfectly pitched to inquiring middle grade readers.