- Picture Books
- Ages 3–7
- Science Fiction
Life on Mars
A brilliantly deadpan space-search comedy about an astronaut looking for life on Mars while missing what is right behind him. Perfect for preschool and early primary readers who love visual irony, aliens and very dry jokes.
- Best for3–7
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Warm
- Absurdist
- Gentle
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
A small astronaut lands on Mars with a box of chocolate cupcakes, determined to prove there is life there. He looks everywhere and finds nothing, while the reader can see a huge, curious Martian quietly following him around. Jon Agee's comedy depends on that gap between what the character knows and what the child reader can see, making the book a strong visual-literacy pick as well as a very funny read-aloud. The art is spare, cinematic and beautifully paced, with plenty of room for children to shout, notice and feel clever. Life on Mars is ideal for children who enjoy aliens, space, absurd premises and stories where the pictures tell a different story from the words. It is playful rather than science-heavy, but it can still act as a first space-themed hook.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–7
- Read aloud · 3–8
- Independent · 5–8
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
5 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Space
- Aliens
- Visual irony
- Deadpan humour
- Preschool sci fi
Avoid if
- Wants real science detail
- Prefers text led story
- Needs emotional depth
Particularly good for children who are…
- Interested in science
- Reluctant reader
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny read-aloud where the reader spots what the astronaut misses — a giggly story-time hit, brilliant for inference and dramatic irony.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is the alien behind the astronaut — a small explorer with cupcakes convinced Mars is empty, the reader watching a huge Martian quietly follow him across every page. A four-year-old gets the satisfaction of knowing more than the character. Deadpan visual comedy at its sharpest.
- Adventure and freedom
- Secret world
- Making a difference
Why parents love it
The Jon Agee picture book where the joke is entirely in the gap between what the astronaut sees and what the reader does — a Martian visible on every page, the explorer entirely oblivious. Perfect-pace visual storytelling, strong shouting-at-the-page energy. Reliable read-aloud.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
- Bedtime appropriate
- Beautiful illustrations
About the author & illustrator
Jon Agee.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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