The Boy, The Stars and Mars

Written by Paul Welsh · Illustrated by Sally Payne

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An astronaut boy stands with arms wide on the surface of Mars, a rocket and flag beside him beneath a starry sky. — The Boy, The Stars and Mars
Written by Paul Welsh · Illustrated by Sally Payne

Dedication: For Elliott. — For Elliott

Once there was a little boy who loved to stare at stars. He dreamt of one day going to his favourite planet Mars. — Once there was a little boy
who loved to stare at stars.
He dreamt of one day going
to his favourite planet Mars.

The boy in star pyjamas plays in his bedroom, a star night-light projecting stars across the wall, a shelf of toys above.

The boy and his parents look out of the bedroom window at the moon and stars in the night sky.

His parents told him stories, of space, stars and the moon. He couldn’t wait to be asleep and dreaming of them soon! — His parents told him stories,
of space, stars and the moon.
He couldn’t wait to be asleep
and dreaming of them soon!

As he slept, he dreamt a rocket ship, with a star upon its side. He climbed into the pilot’s seat and strapped in for the ride. — As he slept, he dreamt a rocket ship,
with a star upon its side.
He climbed into the pilot’s seat
and strapped in for the ride.

The boy sleeps in bed, dreaming of a rocket ship on a grassy hill among trees and stars inside a thought bubble.

The rocket ship blasts off from Earth into outer space, past the moon, a star and an asteroid.

He flew up through the atmosphere and into outer-space… He set a course to the planet Mars at a super-duper pace! — He flew up through the atmosphere
and into outer-space…
He set a course to the planet Mars
at a super-duper pace!

Past satellites and asteroids, while trying to count the stars. He smiled and got excited as he finally reached Mars. — Past satellites and asteroids,
while trying to count the stars.
He smiled and got excited
as he finally reached Mars.

The rocket ship sails through space near a satellite, a green ringed planet and a cluster of asteroids, with red Mars looming.

The astronaut boy stands with arms wide on Mars beside his rocket and flag, a satellite and distant Earth in the sky.

The rocket ship descended and the boy jumped out to play. He bounced around the planet having fun all night and day. — The rocket ship descended
and the boy jumped out to play.
He bounced around the planet
having fun all night and day.

But he started feeling lonely, on this planet all alone. So he got into his rocket ship and set off back to home. — But he started feeling lonely,
on this planet all alone.
So he got into his rocket ship
and set off back to home.

A close-up of the boy on Mars looking sad, a thought bubble showing his parents and pet octopus back home.

He raced back past the asteroids, the satellites and Moon. Then, just as he was reaching Earth, he woke up… — He raced back past the asteroids,
the satellites and Moon.
Then, just as he was reaching Earth,
he woke up…

The boy wakes up in bed as his dad peeks around the door, a thought bubble showing the rocket returning to Earth. — …In his room.

Back cover: the red planet Mars on a starry night sky. — The End
The Boy, The Stars and Mars · Paul Welsh & Sally Payne