Mara the Space Traveler

From author An Leysen who made the breathtaking and magical retellings of classic fairy tales such as Brave Thumbelina, Baba Yaga, Beauty and the Beast and more.Mara's biggest wish is to become an astronaut - to discover new planets. Sometimes dreams and wishes come true . . . She lands on the most beautiful planet she has ever seen. But the planet is in trouble and only Mara can help. A wonderful space adventure about a small girl with big dreams and a big heart. For astronauts and explorers ages 6 and up."As a child I was obsessed with fairy tales and think I've never outgrown them. In fairy tales anything is possible, even the unthinkable.In that way Mara the Space Traveler is a sort of fairy tale too. Not a classic, like Snow White, Little Red Riding-Hood or Thumbelina, but a modern fairy tale in a contemporary setting and with a topic that's closer to the experiences of young children today.The villain is not a scary wolf or a mean witch but the heat of the sun destroying all life. And you have this young and strong heroine, who travels through space in a self-built spaceship to discover new planets. But above all, it's a story about friendship: how Maura conquers her fears and saves her new friends and finds a solution to avert the fiery look of the sun king from the beautiful garden.In the end, the reader keeps wondering whether or not this adventure really happened. Maybe it was all a dream? But then whose paw print is in the back of the dream diary?I want to leave room for imagination, and inspire the (young) readers to dream and make wild plans, and let them believe that they can come true.I hope this fairy tale may be an open door to a magic world . . ." - An LeysenGuided Reading Level N