The Lift That Went to Mars: Orbit House

By John Ryder

Eleven-year-old Milo Moon lives in Orbit House, an ordinary-looking Portsmouth tower block where the pipes knock, the windows whistle and the lift is always breaking. One afternoon, Milo notices a mysterious red button beneath the ground floor. When his schoolbag presses it, the lift doors open onto Mars. Orbit House, he discovers, is secretly part of an ancient network of emergency accommodation for people from across the universe.

A catastrophic dust storm has destroyed the Martian settlement of Red Hollow, and families urgently need somewhere safe. The residents of Orbit House respond with blankets, food, spare rooms and the most unusual tenants' meeting Portsmouth has ever seen. But Galactic Housing Inspector Vex declares the building overcrowded and unsafe. Then the lift vanishes between worlds with three passengers trapped inside.

Milo must work alongside his fearless best friend Zara Singh, his formidable Nan Gloria, six-armed caretaker Mr Blip, grumpy robot Keith and tiny would-be conqueror Princess Squelch. To rescue the missing passengers and keep the shelter open, he will have to cross impossible versions of Portsmouth, travel through a bin-day wormhole and prove that a home is not defined only by perfect walls. It is defined by what people choose to do for one another.

Funny, suspenseful and full of heart, The Lift That Went to Mars is the first Orbit House adventure: a richly illustrated story about courage, displacement, belonging, friendship and the extraordinary power of ordinary neighbours. Written for readers aged 8-12, it is also ideal for family read-alouds, classrooms and anyone who has ever wondered where a broken lift might go next.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HFZJK8CQ
• ISBN13: 9798193873266
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"