Newbery honor winning author Sylvia Louise Engdahl's novel, JOURNEY BETWEEN WORLDS, has been reissued.  Since the book was first published in 1970, space exploration has changed drastically.  Yet, JOURNEY BETWEEN WORLDS seems more real than ever.  Could we wind up establishing colonies on Mars in the future?  In today's world, that seems plausible.  One may find themselves experiencing a new planet in the same manner that the heroine, Melinda Ashley, does within this novel.

Now that high school has ended, Melinda Ashley supposes she will become engaged to her high school sweetheart, get her teaching degree, and settle down near the ocean like her grandmother.  When her father makes it to her graduation ceremony, Melinda never expects to receive tickets to Mars as a present.  Though extremely hesitant, Melinda joins her father on a journey to Mars.  She expects she'll hate every minute, but her father went through all this trouble to get her the ticket.

Surprisingly, Melinda meets a young man who was born and raised in Mars.  Alex Preston loves his home and is determined to show Melinda that her feelings about Mars are all wrong.  Before long, Melinda finds herself questioning everything she has ever believed.  Could she find her heart's desires in a planet that lacks all the comforts and colors of earth?

Until I finished Melinda's story, I had no idea that the story was written thirty-six years ago.  At no time was I clued in to the fact that JOURNEY BETWEEN WORLDS was written the same year I was born.  The characters, settings, and events all seem just a short distance in the future.

JOURNEY BETWEEN WORLDS will appeal to young adult readers.  There is a touch of romance entwined in this emotional story.  Don't miss it!