A quirky read that takes the reader along a journey of a lil' guy who is in love with space and rocketry. He's totally independent and thinks most every detail through before he takes any action. Alex fixes his mom a weekend's worth of food.. trots down to the train station and after the kindness of another young man.. Is soon on a journey to go and shoot off his rocket with the aid of his dog, Carl Sagan.

A delightful read! Quirky, quirky, quirky! This is good book for those who've forgotten what it's like to be a kid. The story of Alex's journey from start to finish is filled with fun surprises, sadness, and at times.. very painful. A child who says what he's thinking.. and is more grown up than most adults. This is not so much about space.. but.. a journey into adulthood and finding out that secret.. that most adults have no idea what the hell they're doing.. but, making it up as they go along too!

An 11-year-old's insight into his life, the universe and many other things

This is the story of Alex going to launch his rocket in New Mexico at a rocket festival. With a dead father, uncaring mother and absent brother, he has learnt to deal with life on his own. The book is a journey in which Alex makes new friends and makes discoveries about how people behave.

Reasonably entertaining, this fits into this new genre of young adults telling their stories in a “charming” or “heart-warming” manner. It works well and is relatively engaging and well-written.

Alex's idol is Carl Sagan, the astronomer who sent a golden record into space, and he is trying to emulate him by recording observations about earth and everyday life on a golden iPod. Alex lives with his mum, who has 'quiet' days and often takes off for long walks on her own, and his dog Carl Sagan. His older brother has moved out and Alex only talks to him by phone. Alex's adventures begin when he travels to a rocket convention alone, narrating all the way to his iPod.

Alex's journey towards a more stable family life is heartwarming and the 11 year old is an engaging, endearing character. He makes friends easily and forms a relationship with his hitherto unknown half sister very quickly. I have the impression that Alex is probably somewhere on the autism spectrum but this is never referred to in the book. An enjoyable, thought provoking read for middle grade readers.

See You In The Cosmos by Jack Cheng

This is the story of 11 year old Alex (13 in responsibility years) told as a series of audio recordings made on his golden iPod in the hope it will, one day, be heard by extraterrestrials.

Obsessed by rockets, he has built his own and planned his trip to SHARF. His dad is dead, his mum is having too many quiet days and his brother lives and works in LA, so he's going to have to go it alone. But that's ok, he's cooked enough food for his mum while he's away, packed his bags – including his 2in1 shampoo/conditioner - arranged to meet with his internet friends from RocketForum, booked his train tickets and with his dog, Carl Sagan, he's ready for his adventure…

His story touches on big issues; mental health, being a young carer, loss, grief, internet safety, stranger danger, all of which are handled with a hopeful sensitivity. So many aspects of Alex’s story are jaw-droppingly awful to read as an adult, a child neglected by his mother and brother, not that he ever sees it that way. While in many ways he is so much older than his years, his voice is full of childhood innocence. When he's happy, he laughs; when he's upset he hurricanes from his eyes.

A quirky, debut full of adventure for children, that asks big questions, and Alex does his best to answer.“What if the times when we feel love and act brave and tell the truth are all the times we’re four-dimensional…”

I really want to love this book, but the recordings style didn't work for me. I never really found myself immersed in Alex’s world, except during a few conversations. I do think, however, I'd adore it as an audiobook. That said, it's a matter of personal preference, and the story is as delightful as it is disturbing, and it's one I'll be recommending.

Proof courtesy of Penguin Random House courtesy of Netgalley.

A short sweet read. Suitable for older children. From the first page you will fall for eleven year old Alex and the different characters he meets on his journey to send his golden iPod into space!

This book is so lovely! I adored Alex right from the beginning, he's an incredibly inquisitive 11 year old who's especially into science. He's also possibly the sweetest child I've ever read about. He's so trusting and wonderful in every way. His dedication to Carl Sagan was lovely too.

The other characters are brilliant too. Zed was probably my favourite <spoiler> especially when he broke his vow of silence for Alex's benefit </spoiler> because he was just so accepting of Alex and his situation. I found it impossible not to love him.

Terra was also lovely, she gets a big shock but is so determined to help Alex she puts her own problems to one side. Ronnie was a funny one, ultimately I did like him but he made a good number of mistakes.

I didn't expect this book to cover such a range of important issues, split families, mental illness & ethnic diversity being the main three. There is a lot on mental illness in here, it's obvious from very early on that Alex's mum suffers and this is built on really well. I can't explain how important it is to show children the signs of mental illness in such an honest, age appropriate fashion.

Despite the sometimes heavy subject matter, I found myself smiling all the way through this book, it's written very authentically. Alex comes across very well as an 11 year old- not awkward as it often can be with adults writing from the perspective of children. Jack Cheng has written this book absolutely beautifully. I'll definitely be looking out for more of his work as well as keeping my ARC to give to any children I may have. I loved it so much.

Thank you very much for allowing me to read this title; I am trying to read as widely as possible ahead of the Carnegie/Greenaway nominations and awards for 2018 and your help is much appreciated.
As a Carnegie/Greenaway judge, I'm not allowed to comment about my opinions on specific titles so I can't offer an individual review on any title as I stated on my profile.

This is listed as a child's book but it has a lot to offer the adult reader as well. Seeing the world through an eleven year old boy who says he is a behaviorally mature thirteen year old is eye opening. Alex is a very serious grown up boy with his dog Carl Sagan and all he wants to to do is to launch his rocket to reach an alien planet. He is fascinated by what alien life is like, what do they look like do they behave in a similar manner to humans here. He spends his time recording on his Golden iPod what he sees as important for the aliens to know about humankind, especially our emotions. His naivety and positive attitude adds so much to the understanding of Alex. He is a very determined boy as shown by how he travels around the States to get to the rocket launching contest, meeting new friends and trying to understand what life throws at him. He has great adventures that the author describes so well. People and locations are described in such details that they come alive.. An unusual concept of watching a young child come to terms with what the adult life is really like. As an aside I loved the child corny humour that Alex uses throughout as his astronomical jokes. I would recommend this to adults as well as young adults (children) as it is humorous but oh so realistic.

This started well, quirky and original and, as a fan of Wonder and Curious Incident, it was well within my wheelhouse, but it lost me somewhat in the middle. Perhaps the plot was too slight for the length of the book? I felt as though I was constantly waiting for some sort of climactic incident or twist, but in fact it played out much as the beginning led me to believe. There was an engaging protagonist but ultimately, too little development to hold my interest throughout.

This is a unique story about 11-year-old Alex, who is raising himself in Colorado. His father has been out of the picture since he was three, and his mother is obviously suffering from mental illness. His much older brother works out of state and apparently pays the bills, but doesn't visit that often. Alex finds a dog and names him after his hero Carl Sagan. Of course, he takes care of the dog just like he takes care of his mother.

One weekend, however, he decides he and Carl Sagan must leave his mother and go to a rocket festival in New Mexico, where he will be launching a rocket he built. The rocket will contain an iPod where Alex is describing life on Earth, in case his rocket reaches a planet with other living beings. He's also hoping to stop in Las Vegas and see if his father is possibly there, thinking he might be a victim of amnesia and can't remember his family in Colorado.

Alex is certainly an appealing character, as are all the other characters in the story; but I must confess that the yakky kid was beginning to irritate me by page 200. Maybe this book, aimed at 10 to 13-year-olds, should have been shorter than 314 pages. Moreover, I think the author should have stuck with family relationships and left out all the adult relationship stuff, especially what was confusingly going on between Terra and Steve. Was it possible author Jack Cheng was getting bored writing for children?

Sheila M. Averbuch

Review: Jack Cheng’s MG contemporary See You in the Cosmos
February 2, 2017 | Sheila Averbuch



I bet you’ll enjoy this fantastic middle grade roadtrip story even if you aren’t crazy about the movie Contact, but you’ll get even more out of it if you’re as much of a space fan as I am.

When I saw this on NetGalley I knew we were destined for each other, like the Curiosity Rover was for Mars. Rocket enthusiast Alex and his dog (Carl Sagan) make their way improbably across the American Southwest to a launch event for amateur rocket builders, despite the fact that Alex is only 11 (“I’m 13 in responsibility years.”)

What’s heartbreaking, as is the case in a lot of the touching middle grade stories I love most, is the reason his age is older in responsibility years: a mother who’s suffering from we’re-not-sure-what, but it’s some variety of mental illness that means she’s checked out of parenting.

Told in a series of audio recordings on a golden iPod that Alex intends to send out into the universe (as soon as he’s able to make a rocket that reaches outer space),the story is ostensibly addressed to the aliens, whom Alex wants to acquaint with the strangeness of human existence.

But what we see is Alex — and the kind strangers who encounter him — slowly change as they come to understand more about humanity, and themselves.

The story’s voice, humor, and Alex’s discovery about what family really is and why persistence matters, make this one of my absolute favorite reads of the last few years. The repeated references back to the movie Contact and Dr. Ellie Arroway are just the icing on a perfect cake. “They should have sent a poet,” Alex muses more than once.

Well, they did, and his name is Jack Cheng.

By the way, I saw the PR for this compare Cheng’s book to Walk Two Moons, but I didn’t find it anywhere near as sad – it’s more in the life-affirming category of Cosmic and The True Meaning of Smekday.

Finally, if somebody doesn’t press a copy of this book into Neil deGrasse Tyson’s and Brannon Braga’s hands, it’ll be a terrible shame.

__________
See You in the Cosmos, Carl Sagan

Amazon rating: 5 stars

Published 2 March & 28 February 2017 by Puffin / Penguin Random House in UK and the US

A poignant and cleverly written novel which captures the enthusiasm and innocence of a young boy. All adults will empathise with the characters and the difficulties facing adults dealing with life and how these are interpreted by a child.

Wow talk about unlikeable characters. This kid is probably one of the most annoying characters I've ever read about.

See You in the Cosmos is a deeply original and touching novel. It tells the story of Alex, a 11-year old but 13-year old in responsibility, who wants to emulate his hero, Carl Sagan, by launching a rocket into space with sounds of Earth. I loved the format of 'recordings' on Alex's Golden iPod, rather than chapters. I loved Alex's voice. Sometimes he was a kid, and sometimes, he was such an adult! While some parts of the plot require a suspension of disbelief, I was more than happy to go along to meet Zed, Steve, Terra, Ronnie and Carl Sagan, the dog, and to travel to New Mexico, Las Vegas, Los Angeles.

This is a great book to introduce kids to the wonders of the universe. It is also a wonderful way to teach them about family, friends, love and sacrifice. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will be recommending it to my little cousins.

Alex is such a strong, likeable character who makes the reader really care about what happens to him. Despite a missing father, mentally unstable mother, and absent older brother, Alex never falters in trying to reach his goals of conquering outer space. His faithful dog, Carl Sagan, keeps the reader smiling. What a wonderul cast of characters who care about each other and put each other's needs before their own.

See You in the Cosmos is the delightful, big-hearted story of a unique boy named Alex, told in a most unique way. We get to know Alex and all of the supporting characters through his recordings on his golden iPod, which Alex hopes to launch into space to be found by intelligent beings. You don't have to love rockets, the cosmos, or anything science fictiony to love this book. If you love character-driven novels and a good story, don't miss this one! I'll be booktalking this like crazy to my middle school students.

One thing that can be said about See You in the Cosmos is its genuine portrayal of the innocence of youth. It's a charming, heart-warming story that embraces the importance of family. 11-year-old Alex Petroski is prepared to give other lifeforms an insight into what life on Earth is like as he leaves his home in Colorado and heads for Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the Southwest High-Altitude Rocket Festival - aka SHARF. Alex encounters people from different walks of life, and through his journey of discovery, he learns a thing or two about his own family.

I'd seen this book pop up on other websites but never gave it much attention, so when I stumbled upon it on Netgalley, I read the blurb and thought I'd give it a try. I'm in two minds about this story. One the one hand, it wasn't my cup of tea (for many reasons) but on the other hand, I loved the content, as in the issues that were raised and portrayed, serious matters that I could relate to. I wouldn't say I got into the story right away, but I did like Alex right from the get-go. He's engaging and has quite the imagination. It's a plus that he loves science, which was something I was able to relate to. Also, his ability to see the good in everyone made him that more likable. If it wasn't for Alex and his curiosity of others and the world around him, I probably would have given up reading the book as the story didn't jump out at me. That's not to say I didn't find Alex's story compelling, I did, but I couldn't connect with it for two reasons: the first being that there were too many unrealistic situations that it suspended my belief in the authenticity of the story, and the second thing I had to contend with was the writing style. I wasn't a fan, which is strange coming from me given I'm known for my unorthodox views.

Being able to visualise a story is key for me. It helps me to connect with the story and its characters. Alex is on a journey of a lifetime and I could not engage with it as much as I wanted to, and not merely because it was being told through recordings but also because I couldn't form my own impressions of Alex and his reality. We're able to make judgements only from Alex's perspective and the information he decides is important enough to log. Yes, there are many situations he can't comprehend - like the situation between Terra and Steve - that we may have a better understanding about, but I wanted to feel as though I was right there with the character, and I wanted to be able to place myself in the character's shoes so that the story could feel real to me. Even though the characters did engage in conversation - it wasn't just Alex speaking to his ipod throughout the entire book - I didn't feel as though I was experiencing the interactions between the characters. The story never truly came alive for me.

I couldn't get over the writing style. I adapted to the style for the purpose of finishing the book, but I never fully converted. I loved the idea of a book being told through podcasts. It's definitely something I haven't come across before, and it was refreshing to see, but I feel the way it was written made it difficult for me to connect with the story. I know these are podcast recordings and Alex is quite the rambler, but he's telling his story, not writing it out, so I'm sure one doesn't have to divert from conventions to the point where the story becomes disorientating. There were so many run-on sentences that it became frustrating to read at times. The opening chapters stuck to more conventional grammar and punctuation but it didn't maintain form throughout. I'm all for authors breaking conventions, but it shouldn't be distracting or overtly noticeable, which this was, as the potential harm could be that you sacrifice the quality of the story.

The story felt too long, and it wasn't due to lack of content as there was a lot of substance thrown in, so I believe it was down to structure. Speaking of substance, there were some serious matters addressed in this story that didn't go unnoticed. I loved the topics at hand, such as Alex being the carer of his mother, who is suffering from depression, and having no emotional support, albeit they are financially supported by his brother, Ronnie, who lives out in LA. There's also the issue with him seeking out his father and discovering a lot more than he bargained for. Albeit it was arid and monotonous at times, I loved the tone of the story. I didn't so much like the voice. Alex appeared to be very observant but his lack of understanding of a situation did not match his perceptive nature, which one could tell from the choices he made throughout the book. Come to think of it, there were many moments of irrational decisions made by the characters that I found it hard to persuade myself to imagine it to be real. My belief in the authenticity of the story was the hardest thing for me to overcome. I love flawed characters but they all seemed to be on the same level when it came to nurturing Alex and making decisions that were right for him. Alex was more mature than all the other characters yet he was completely vulnerable.

Given the fact that Alex was recording his journey on his ipod, it might have had more effect on me and I may have found it more engaging had I experienced the story in audiobook format. Seeing it on page, it looked too disorganised, so much so it didn't make the experience as enjoyable as I would have liked it to have been. There is definitely great potential here, and I think it's a story with many relatable elements.

The majority of this book is narrated by Alex. It is very well told and you can imagine it being the way an eleven year old thinks. The story is well written and engaging. The whole idea of an eleven year old wanting to send an iPod into space is brilliant.

This was advertised for those who loved 'Wonder' and that is spot on - such a beautiful and thought-provoking book. Will definitely be recommending it to everyone who needs a good book to enjoy!