I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
One Giant Leap
by Ben Gartner
Published by Crescent Vista Press on February 21, 2023
Genres: Middle Grade Sci-Fi
Pages: 235
Format: Kindle
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon
"I’m pretty sure I’m about to die in space. And I just turned twelve and a half."
Blast off with the four winners of the StellarKid Project on a trip to the International Space Station and then the Gateway outpost orbiting the Moon! It’s a dream come true until space junk collides with the ISS, turning their epic trip into a nightmare of survival. Alone aboard the Aether starship, the kids have to work as a team to save the adults before the ISS is destroyed. Suit up, cadet, and launch into adventure with One Giant Leap!
One Giant Leap by Ben Gartner blasts us off into space on a remarkable journey.
Can the four winners of the StellarKid project save the day?
Even though we are following only one of the four winners, the four kids still take center stage in this journey. Finley Scott is the main character, but we are also, through Fin, following David Kalkutten, Mae Jorgenson, and Kalpana Agarwal. Each is there because they thought up something so ingenious that the man spearheading this expedition thought they were more qualified than anyone else. That and also NASA deemed that each of their ideas was more usable than anyone else.
Fin is the character who cracks the jokes and is a fun guy who pushes people into doing things they don’t want to do. David is the person who goes into jumps in without thinking it through and wants to do it right then and there. Mae is the one who tries to think things through while also giving in to any dares that are thrown her way. Kal is the one who overthinks things and is too afraid to voice what she feels until she needs to.
We find these four young teens going into various situations without help from an adult but making it out alive. I loved every minute of reading this book, and I have to say Fin’s jokes were pretty good. Well, some of them. 🙂 The others were just awful but also funny, given the situation he was faced with to crack a joke.
Five Stars
I am giving five stars to One Giant Leap by Ben Gartner and recommending it to everyone that loves space. Or even if you don’t love space, it’s still an excellent action-packed book that makes you want to keep reading to see what happens to Fin and his friends, their parents, and the actual astronauts. The great thing about Mr. Gartner is that he always supplies at the end of each book a way to keep everyone engaged. This is an excellent book for any kid who loves space or even dreams about going there one day. I liked the way that this book ended. I’m not sure it needs a sequel, as the reader can imagine what happens next for the four unlikely friends.
Don’t forget to check out my interview with Ben Gartner as well.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of One Giant Leap by Ben Gartner.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
About Ben Gartner
Ben Gartner is the author of adventure books for middle graders and thrillers for adults. His writing for both audiences shares an ability to grab readers by their neurons for a thrilling ride, maybe even teaching them something in the meantime. Ben can be found living and writing near the mountains with his wife and two boys.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2023 Goodreads RC
- 2023 Let Us Read Middle Grade
Thank you kindly for the great review! 🙂