Rating: 
Summary: A delightful read
Review: I remember reading this book when I was 13 for the first time, and it was one of the books I took with me to college. What an absolute delight of a book, though I would recommend it more for young readers, it still holds my interest as an adult.
Rating: 
Summary: Old morals die hard
Review: I think a lot of readers missed a very fine point in this book. THE BOOK WAS NOT ABOUT PODDY. The book was the diary of a ditzy teen (lovable, but still ditzy) who was witnessing a very intricate political plot unfold around her. The clues are all in there for the reader to find...'cause Poddy sure ain't seeing them. And the ultimate goal in this book was not to have Poddy grow up and make more Poddys. It was to redeem Clark. Re-read the endings. In one, Clark basically shrugs off everything that has happened. Poddy was hurt, but she's gonna be okay, so he doesn't have anything to worry about. In the "new" ending (the ending as Heinlein rightly intended it) Clark is forced to wake up and smell the evil. For the first time, he must own up to his actions and start acting with compasssion for others. Re-read the book if you didn't like it. Go on. I dare you.
Rating:
Summary: The REAL Issue...
Review: I think a lot of readers missed a very fine point in this book. THE BOOK WAS NOT ABOUT PODDY. The book was the diary of a ditzy teen (lovable, but still ditzy) who was witnessing a very intricate political plot unfold around her. The clues are all in there for the reader to find...'cause Poddy sure ain't seeing them. And the ultimate goal in this book was not to have Poddy grow up and make more Poddys. It was to redeem Clark. Re-read the endings. In one, Clark basically shrugs off everything that has happened. Poddy was hurt, but she's gonna be okay, so he doesn't have anything to worry about. In the "new" ending (the ending as Heinlein rightly intended it) Clark is forced to wake up and smell the evil. For the first time, he must own up to his actions and start acting with compasssion for others. Re-read the book if you didn't like it. Go on. I dare you.
Rating:
Summary: The beginning of the end
Review: It was right around the time of this novel that Heinlein - who was a very good writer when he tried (and was properly edited) - exchanged his birthright for a pot of message. Here, Heinlein (himself childless) undertook to give a little lecture (actually, a long and not very subtle sermon) to parents of children who might turn out to be psychopaths if the childrearing wasn't done Heinlein's Way. There were touches of this patronizing attitude toward parents in some of Heinlein's previous "young adult" fiction (even in TUNNEL IN THE SKY, far and away the best of it) but as of PODKAYNE it pretty much converted the whole novel to dreck. The preachiness is even more obvious in the original ending (included). If nothing else, the publication of this original ending makes clear why Heinlein needed a good editor and why, after he got too big for the editors to edit, his later novels turned so dreary. (By the time he got around to FRIDAY, he wasn't even content just to narrate the space travels of the main character, as he does in PODKAYNE. He included many pages of discussion of ~astrogation~ - including fictional star charts. Eeeeek!) But the as-published version of the story is still readable (barely) - if you can stand to watch Heinlein trying to take on the persona of a teenage girl. It's not ~quite~ as bad as I WILL FEAR NO EVIL.
Rating:
Summary: The reason to read a book, and why we re-read them
Review: Lost amid the characteristic idiological rantings of some reviewers is the fact that this is a story about "What happened when my sister and I went to Mars" I used to hope that Clark would come back as a detective along the lines of Archie Goodwin.
Rating:
Summary: An Engrossing Read
Review: Not as intellectual as some of RAH's other books, this is a more "down to earth" story. The protoganist is a coming-of-age female who narrates the book with her engrossing viewpoints and childhood naivety. One might say this is a juvenile novel, as it is short and has the obligatory teenage lead character, but on the other hand this book is somewhat self-indulgent (consisting of a pretty big vocabulary) and has some underlying themes and preachiness (especially in the original ending) that may be lost on younger readers. What this accomplishes in the end however, is making the book where both young adults and adults will enjoy the book. Although not really suspenseful, this book does mangage to make you keep reading it, and the characters are all very nice (I especially got a kick out of Podkayne's brother, Clark). Not Heinlein's best book, but you'll like it if you're a fan. Pick it up.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book that I would recommend to younger readers.
Review: Obviously one of Heinlein's earlier works, he still hits it big with me. I have read over 20 books by Heinlein and would rate this one in the top 5. I particularly liked the ending and the contest to see which one should be used. Whether you've never read Heinlein or are an avid fan you will like this book. Keith Govednik
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC but I wouldn't give it to just ANY teen
Review: Podkayne Fries is a fabulous narrator. (I've read book reviews in which the male author is praised for writing as a woman. None of those authors can hold a candle to Heinlein.) She not only describes her journey -- from Mars to Venus en route to Earth -- but also her dreams and desires and her aversion to prejudice. She's similar to Terran teenage girls of our time. The ending (originally written or originally published, take your pick) is a bit rough for many teenagers, in my opinion. Of course, if they're reading Heinlein, they're probably not ordinary teenagers! (More's the pity!) Heinlein's got it down pat, to the cool older woman to whom Poddy looks up, to Poddy's crush on the rich heir, to the bratty yet brilliant younger brother. For a mature teenager, male or female, this book will make a great gift, and one that the young adult will re-read as a full-grown adult.
Rating:
Summary: Podkayne is my new best friend! I love her and you will too.
Review: Podkayne is probably the greatest martain girl that ever lived. I feel as though I was attached to her at the hip. I don't know how Heinlein does it, but he creates the ultimate climax of the universe with his simple words. Please read about Poddy. You won't be dissapointed. I promise
Rating:
Summary: Annoying and, well, annoying
Review: Robert Heinlein, science fiction grandmaster and creative genius though he was, had a problem with women. Let's face it. Though in some cases displaying writing skills to stand with the best of them, he never really managed to wrap his head around the idea that members of this mysterious other gender were actually human beings, capable of their own thoughts, works, and aspirations. The start of "Podkayne of Mars" might almost fool you into believing that he intended to redeem himself. The title character begins as an intelligent, strong-willed, and questioning person.
And then inexplicably morphs into a dumb, submissive pansy. I am at a loss to guess how Heinlein would justify this reverse character development. But "Poddy", who at the start explored and pushed boundaries on her own, soon starts falling into obvious traps and suffering intense inability to put two and two together. As others have remarked, Heinlein really seems more interested in her kid brother Clark, an evil genius in training. His exploits provide the few (mildly) entertaining bits of the book.
As for plot, what plot? More a series of vignettes with a thin thread running through them, we get little to care about here. The middle is filled with thoughts about the simmering grudges between the hardcore Mars-dwellers and the fat-and-happy denizens of Earth,but Heinlein coveredc that ground to greater effect in "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, or even "The Rolling Stones". Then the endings, both of them, roll in with their pointless moralizing about the proper roll of women. Finally we get a collection of letters from readers complaining about how the original publisher should have allowed Heinlein to use the ending he wanted. Soory folks, but it takes more than an obnoxious editor to rationalize away this train wreck.
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