Rating: 
Summary: Better for yesterday's kids than for today's
Review: Apart from the kitchy title, this book represents a modest effort from Heinlein. The acknowledged master of juvenile science fiction isn't really at his best here, but longtime fans will certainly enjoy this sample of his work. After winning a used space suit in a contest, young Kip Russel is not long in finding a use for it, as bizarre coincidences and intergalactic invaders conspire to take him on a wild adventure to the Moon, Pluto, and beyond. Kip has just graduated from high school (a favorite age for the hero of a juvenile) and is trying to figure out how to pay for college, when he is captured in his own backyard by extraterrestrials. He meets a fellow prisoner, Peewee, who is a very typical Heinlein grrl: boyishly skinny, terribly spoiled, and absurdly intelligent. Despite her genius IQ, however, it always seems to come down to Kip's courage, determination, and perhaps most of all, his suit, to save the day. Heinlein takes great pains to describe the suit in loving detail, explaining the repairs needed to make it serviceable, how the various controls work and why they're needed, what manner of improvements Kip made to the design and why and how he paid for them, what sort of items were supposed to be kept in it and how he obtained them, or what he used in their place, etc... Of course this novel was written well before the development of modern space gear, and there's no doubt that some of Heinlein's suggestions were considered by the scientists who designed the real article; but for today's young readers, a space suit is probably a lot less interesting in and of itself than Heinlein makes it out to be. This book seems long for a juvenile, too, although things move fairly quickly except for a few slow patches: Kip's wearying moon trek, his very tedious imprisonment, and the whole last third of the book, after the real action is already over. More tellingly, the story is packed with melodramatic unpleasantness, as Kip and Peewee seem to be constantly near death or worse. Perhaps Heinlein thought that younger readers wouldn't see just how far over the top he was going with this book, but for a more realistic look at the dangers and discomforts of space travel, read his survival epic Tunnel in the Sky, or the superb colonial novel, Farmer in the Sky. Like so many of Heinlein's gems from mid-century, this book works better for readers who were kids in 1950 than for those who are kids today.
Rating: 
Summary: Still a Wonderful Adventure
Review: At the beginning of Have Spacesuit Will Travel, Kip is just an ordinary boy who'd like to go into space. The story is placed in the near future when the moon has a colony and tourists. The nearest Kip thinks he can get to the moon is by winning an old spacesuit in a contest. The whole opening of the book is his cleverness and resourcefulness in figuring how to win the spacesuit and then in repairing the old spacesuit. Heinlein has a lot to say here about the importance of independence, resourcefulness and initiative. The lesson the book gives is that if you want something, go for it. Heinlein gets in some real swipes at the public school system that are as valid today as when it was written. His solution, if you feel you're not being educated in school, continue to attend school but educate yourself. Read, look up information. This doesn't mean the book is dull. All I've mentioned only begins the adventure. Having fixed up his spacesuit to the point that it's spaceworthy, Kip one night wears his spacesuit and turns on its radio, intercepts a call for help, tries to rescue a kidnapped girl who is fleeing her captors, gets kidnapped himself, gets his wish to go into space in a way he never dreamed of and suddenly the rest of the book is non-stop action. The scope of the book suddenly takes a giant leap out into the universe, a universe filled with alien races who frankly don't think much of the humans from earth. In a very moving scene, it's up to Kip to present a defense of the human race, with his life and the life of humanity hanging in the balance. It's a wonderful story and as good today as when it was written. If you have preteens who are ready to "graduate" from reading Harry Potter, this is the perfect book.
Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: One of Heinlein's better juvenile novels, 'Space Suit' holds no thematic surprises: Right-thinking, clean-living, and hard-working intelligent young man is in the Right Place at the Right Time to save the world. 'G'-rated without a doubt.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: Hard science fiction lovers, here is a book for you! Even for those who don't understand most of the science in the book, the story is so good, the characters so appealing and funny, you'll read it as fast as you can. Finish feeling as if you've been everywhere the characters have, then wish you had more Heinlein to read right away.
Rating:
Summary: But not for adults
Review: A great read for younger readers - 14 and below, I'd say - and an acceptable one for older readers who like their SF "light".
It's a great adventure story, and gives the protaganists (and the readers) many opportunities to try to think and act their way out of several fixes, and it takes itself seriously enough to engross the reader.
My favorite chapters are the last few. The book closes strongly, with a defense of the human condition, and its history and potential, to an alien court, with the fate of the world at stake. Even as an adult, that section of the book is still quite a read.
Rating: 
Summary: Atrocious!
Review: The worst book by Heinlein by far (I have read at least 10!). One of the worst sci-fi books I have read in my life! Incredibly childish, primitive and boring! It's really hard to believe that such a great writer came up with this.
Rating:
Summary: The Best of Heinlein's "Young Adult" books
Review: I first discovered this book as an 8 year old in the public library in Benton Harbor, Michigan. The title reminded me of "Have Gun, Will Travel" and the line drawing on the cover intrigued me. I read it once, checked it out again, and re-read it countless times throughout the years. As a child, I paid no attention to the author; then as a teenager, I found out that the author of "Stranger in a Strange Land" and "Glory Road" was also th eauthor of my beloved childhood friend. I defy you not to get the heebie-jeebies from the Wormfaces, or be haunted by Heinlein's description of a forced march on Pluto, or be moved when Kip has to defend the entire human race against destruction... This book Started Me Thinking about the world around me at an early age. It is also gently subversive about American education and conformity, and carries the wholesome message that it's ok to be different...I envy anyone reading it for the first time.
Rating:
Summary: A Children's Novel, But Entertaining Nonetheless
Review: Due to how much I absolutely loved Stranger In A Strange Land, I picked up this little novel. Unfortunately, it's a kid's book. Not that this novel was not interesting because it was, just that it was no where near as good as Stranger In A Strange Land. The story is about a boy who wins a real spacesuit. He unwillingly must save mankind. It started off pretty slow and childish I thought, but then you really get into it. It becomes and adventure novel with Kip (the boy) getting whisked into space and having all types of adventures. I can't say I didn't like this one.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I've ever read!
Review: This is the best book i've ever read! It has a great plot and charactors! I didn't care wether it was "dated" or not! It also has lots of facts in it that make it realistic.
Rating:
Summary: In the beginning....
Review: This is the first science fiction book I ever read. And is still one of the best. Every 5-7 years I pull it out and read it again. Down to earth and written in everyday language. Kip is like the boy next door. Even today, it criticizes public schools, commercials, and the government. One of Heinlein's best!
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