The Way Back Home

A boy flies a single-propeller plane he finds in his closet all the way to outer space, but running out of fuel forces a risky landing on the dark, monster-rumored moon — where he meets a stranded young Martian just as lost and alone.

For the kid who turns every closet into a launchpad, this is proof that the biggest adventures start with something ordinary and end with an unexpected friend.

• Big idea: Being far from home and different from someone else matters less than being there for each other when you're scared.
• Vibes: Wondrous, quiet, a little eerie in the dark moon scenes, warm at heart.

• love outer space and rockets
• enjoy imaginative journeys that start at home
• are working on making friends with someone different from them
• respond well to quiet, thoughtful storytelling with sparse text

• Story & problem-solving: What did the boy do when his plane ran out of fuel millions of miles from Earth?
• Feelings & empathy: How do you think the boy felt landing alone on the dark moon?
• Imagination: What do you think it would feel like to find a spaceship in your own closet?
• Real-life connection: Have you ever felt scared and alone until you found a friend, like the boy and the Martian did?
• Character insight: Why do you think the boy and the Martian became friends even though they were so different?