I liked this teenage version of the Lady Astronaut series more than I wanted to. As outlandish as the premise was, the writing and plot moved the book along quickly and I can see teenagers getting wrapped up in the ideas and situations of how the teens handled the way the adults were treating them. Would recommend for 6th -9th grade.

What a fun book! I loved Houston as the charismatic underdog of this story. I was completely rooting for him throughout the story. Can't wait for book two of the series.

Another out of this world title from Eric Walters! As the kid who always wanted to go to space camp I couldn't get enough of the adventures of Houston, Teal and Ashley as they figure out going to space is a much bigger challenge then any of them could have ever imagined. i'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I will definitely read the second book too. This was a fun read, especially if you're into space, and space travel, presented in a realistic way. Houston is a 13yo who wins a scholarship to a space camp, but then learns it's actually a top secret audition for a new Teen Astronaut Program to send teens into space to study the effects of long-term microgravity on younger humans. The story is exciting, the characters are endearing, and the facts are realistic. The build-up definitely makes us eager for book two!

Content warning to note: Underage drinking. There is one scene where two 13yo's share a flask of cherry brandy. Nothing really comes of the fact that they're drinking. Adults catch them, but just tell them to hide it and they won't report it. This aspect of that scene seemed unnecessary to the story or the characters, in my opinion, and odd that the adults didn't say anything about it. Nor did it ever come up again in the rest of the book. For me, I would still let my 13yo read this book, but use that scene as a discussion starter about alcohol.

I’ve long considered Eric Walters to be my favourite author of all-time, so I was beyond thrilled to receive an e-ARC of his upcoming middle-grade release, “Houston, Is There a Problem?” from Orca Book Publishers through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review!

Our story follows 13-year-old Houston, who receives a full scholarship to a prestigious NASA-affiliated Space Camp. While there he meets the intriguing Teal, and the troublesome Ashley, but what neither of them knows is that this Space Camp is ANYTHING but ordinary, and it isn’t long until they’re recruited into the top-secret Teen Astronauts Program. But there’s only 2 places on the Shuttle and with 3 contestants, the derision of some older astronauts, the rigorous training and the behind-the-scenes machinations of the higher-ups, getting to space is bound to be a bumpy ride.

I’ve long been interested in space and space history, and like most boys, I dreamed of being an astronaut at one point. I’ve also loved every single Eric Walters book I’ve ever read, so this book was no exception, and it really was a perfect read for me.

The concept of this book was unique and intriguing, and Eric’s writing was as engaging and accessible as it always is. I really enjoyed Houston as a main character, and it was really great to read about both his personal growth and the evolution of his relationships with Teal and Ashley over the course of the novel. I also particularly enjoyed seeing the rigours of astronaut training portrayed, without it feeling completely unrealistic or dull. Perhaps the most important thing I can say however is that, immediately upon finishing Book 1, I wanted to read a 2nd book, so I’m thrilled that this will be a series and I can’t wait to see what’s next for all of our characters!

With this novel, Eric has started his new series off on a perfect note. With each book I read by him, he further cements himself as my all-time favourite author. Whether he’s writing middle-grade or YA, he is a masterful storyteller, and if you’re looking for a fun, engaging, accessible read about space, this book will definitely deliver!

Many thanks to Eric Walters, Orca Book Publishers and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early!

I loved so much about this book! The concept, the plot, the choices each character had to make. At the same time, some of the writing felt too scripted/ forced/ unpolished. Would a kid like Houston really speak that way to his elders? Was his and Teal’s relationship written in just to make this an upper grade read? I felt the character development and dialogue could have been polished more.

13 year old Houston is used to being the smartest person in the room, bu when he's offered a scholarship to a prestigious space camp, he finds himself surrounded by the best of the best. Houston, Teal, and Ashley rise to the top of the ranks and are offered the incredible opportunity to go into space. The catch? There's only room for two of them.

One aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the detail in the training scenes and simulations. Who hasn't imagined going to space? I know as a kid that I would have LOVED the opportunity to be an astronaut - or at least the opportunity to pretend through reading. The variety of situations that the characters found themselves in were a good mix of science and adventure - the exercises themselves were realistic even if the ages of the participants weren't. (Which is the whole fun of middle grade fiction, in my opinion!)

There's also a theme of teamwork and loyalty here, which was really nice. Even in a competitive situation, the main characters realize that they need to work together and trust each other, and they routinely stick up for each other in the face of authority.

One thing that I didn't love is that there's a scene where Houston and Teal are on the rooftop, and Teal is drinking alcohol and offers Houston some. I think it was a way to establish some backstory and part of Teal's character, but I didn't think it was necessary and didn't love casual drinking being promoted for 13 year olds, especially since this is a middle grade novel. That said, it isn't enough to make me not share it with students - but if I was doing this as a read aloud for my third graders, I'd skip over that section.

This was a very solid middle grade read. In terms of reading level, I would say it's probably accessible for a typical beginning fourth grade independent reader and up. In terms of content, I would say it's accessible for third grade and up (not counting previous scene) and could really see it being enjoyed through middle school. I love the science and adventure aspects in this, as well as the inclusion of girls in STEM! As I was reading it, I could think of a few students I've had in the past who would find this right up their alley. Overall, I would recommend this and think it has a wide appeal.