Trish's Reviews > Red Planet

The next (in publication order) of Heinlein's juvenile stories.

Humanity has colonized Mars. Jim Marlowe lives there with his family. His best friend is Willis, a creature native to Mars. One day, he is sent to school where he encounters what I can only describe as Mrs. Trunchbull's twin brother. Jim's school friend, Frank, is doing what he can to help, but the headmaster has it in for them and when he discovers Willis ...
It all gets worse when Willis, after having been confiscated by the headmaster, accidentally listens to a conversation that uncovers a plot against the Mars colonists.

Two boys and their pet friend trying to escape almost impossible odds, running across a hostile planet and racing the baddies to get word out ... it doesn't get more classic than this adventure.

Again, the structure of the story was obviously for younger readers, but that doesn't mean that Heinlein didn't once again tackle big questions. Such as immigration vs isolationalism, the intrepid spirit of some people, intolerance / disgust towards anything "different" and how stupid it is. There is more, of course, but those were the strongest themes here in my opinion.

I liked the boys' friendship but also both boys' family ties as Heinlein is very good at describing human relationships realistically (not too idealistically).

Nevertheless, this was not as good as others. But better than the last (again, if viewed in publication order) and I can absolutely see people awaiting the next one anxiously. All these ARE fun with a rather wonderful can-do spirit and I just love the many scientific fact and how the author explained things to his readers (of any age)!