Skating on Mars follows 12-year-old Mars, a nonbinary figure skater who hasn’t had the easiest of lives. Still struggling to come to terms with their father’s recent passing and the fact that they never got to share their nonbinary identity with him, they spend as much time as possible on the ice where they feel truly free. That is, until their triple toe loop draws the attention of a high school boy who challenges them to compete head-to-head. The only thing is that the competition doesn’t offer spots for nonbinary individuals and just for men or women, meaning that if Mars wants to compete, they’ll have to fake it. As Mars begins to second guess whether there’s a place for them on the ice, they also learn what it means to be true to themself—no matter what others may think of them.
I keep telling myself I won’t cry while reading children’s books, but then people like Huntoon write stories like Skating on Mars and here I am again, sobbing because my heart is so full of love and acceptance.
Skating on Mars shines bright because of its main character. Mars is a delight to follow as they struggle with coming out to their family and at school, and as they stand up for themself time and again. There is also a big focus on grief and how to deal with it, which is so important to speak about. I adored their quick wit, their inner monologue on what it means to be neither girl nor boy, and how that affects how they see the world and how others see them. I loved how much we get to see Mars shine because they feel good in their own skin and happy with their nonbinary label.
The setting of competitive ice skating offered so many opportunities to talk about the world’s antiquated binary thinking and I think Huntoon hit the perfect balance of showing readers what a truly open, inclusive world looks like without ever preaching down to anyone reading the novel. Thus, Skating on Mars proved to be both a delight and a powerful reminder that the world is a vast place of magic if only we try to capture it.
Without spoiling too much, I also want to point out that this has one of the best storylines surrounding friends making mistakes and growing from them that I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading in middle grade. There was so much honesty and maturity in how Mars dealt with the situation when a friend does something wrong which I absolutely loved and just shows how important emotional learning truly is.
A poignant reminder to be yourself and not let others decide who you are, Skating on Mars is a wholesome tale of ice skating, queer pride, friendship, and the beauty of following your own heart.
Skating on Mars is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of
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Synopsis | Goodreads
A heartwarming debut from author Caroline Huntoon about a young figure skater discovering who they are on and off the ice.
Life isn’t easy on twelve-year-old Mars. As if seventh grade isn’t hard enough, Mars is also grappling with the recent death of their father and a realization they never got to share with him: they’re nonbinary. But with their skates laced up and the ice under their feet, all of those struggles melt away. When Mars’ triple toe loop draws the attention of a high school hot shot, he dares them to skate as a boy so the two can compete head-to-head. Unable to back down from a challenge, Mars accepts. But as competition draws near, the struggles of life off the rink start to complicate their performance in the rink, and Mars begins to second guess if there’s a place for them on the ice at all.
Skating on Mars is a tender examination of grief and a hopeful middle grade tale of self-discovery.
Looks funny!