Candy Quackenbush of Chickentown, Minnesota, journeys to the Abarat, an archipelago filled with strange wonders, where it is revealed to her that she has been there before, and that it is her responsibility to save the mysterious place from threatening evil forces.

Readers will explore Mars' hold on humankind's imagination, early astronomical observations, and then trace the cultural history of the Red Planet all the way up to today's popular movies and books. Important details will include examinations of literature such as H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds, as well as recent books and movies such as Andy Weir's The Martian.