Out-of-this-world potty humor with heart among the toots.
A projectile toilet spells danger—and mess—for Area 51 and its residents.
Sky Patel-Baum has had a lot of firsts since moving from boring California to Area 51. The latest first: Her alien bestie’s long-lost (read: assumed dead) parents come to visit via UFO with a surprise little brother in tow. Complicated family dynamics abound, and the interstellar visitors warn that the Arthogus (an exiled alien species) are in cahoots with someone on the base to exact their revenge. Their method of destruction: launching a poop-filled space toilet at Area 51. The odds of survival? 13.875%. But who could the double agent be? Sky and friends team up once again to get to the bottom of the latest mystery—and flush the intruder out. Buxbaum’s second series entry one-ups its predecessor in ridiculousness, including a bounty of fart puns. The first-person narration allows Sky’s infectious personality to shine. Well-placed clues and red herrings help keep the mystery fresh while expanding the setting. The pseudo “Scooby-Doo gang” welcomes a new member in talented hacker Gertie, an astronaut’s daughter. Naidu’s black-and-white cartoon illustrations effectively punctuate jokes and offer occasional helpful asides. Characters are drawn in a range of skin tones; Gertie reads Black. Another cliffhanger ending makes a key revelation in addition to hinting at the next installment.
Out-of-this-world potty humor with heart among the toots. (recipes) (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: July 25, 2023
ISBN: 9780593429501
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
A pleasing premise for book lovers.
A fantasy-loving bookworm makes a wonderful, terrible bargain.
When sixth grader Poppy Woodlock’s historic preservationist parents move the family to the Oregon coast to work on the titular stately home, Poppy’s sure she’ll find magic. Indeed, the exiled water nymph in the manor’s ruined swimming pool grants a wish, but: “Magic isn’t free. It cosssts.” The price? Poppy’s favorite book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In return she receives Sampson, a winged lion cub who is everything Poppy could have hoped for. But she soon learns that the nymph didn’t take just her own physical book—she erased Narnia from Poppy’s world. And it’s just the first loss: Soon, Poppy’s grandmother’s journal’s gone, then The Odyssey, and more. The loss is heartbreaking, but Sampson’s a wonderful companion, particularly as Poppy’s finding middle school a tough adjustment. Hartman’s premise is beguiling—plenty of readers will identify with Poppy, both as a fellow bibliophile and as a kid struggling to adapt. Poppy’s repeatedly expressed faith that unveiling Sampson will bring some sort of vindication wears thin, but that does not detract from the central drama. It’s a pity that the named real-world books Poppy reads are notably lacking in diversity; a story about the power of literature so limited in imagination lets both itself and readers down. Main characters are cued White; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast. Chapters open with atmospheric spot art. (This review has been updated to reflect the final illustrations.)
A pleasing premise for book lovers. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780316448222
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
File under “laugh riot.”
A rogue spell-check program’s bid to transform all life-forms into that eminently useful office item, the paper clip, touches off a fresh round of lunar lunacy.
Predicated on the entirely reasonable premise that eliminating all spelling and grammar errors everywhere would logically lead to the necessity of exterminating carbon-based life in the universe, this third series entry combines high stakes with daffy banter and daring exploits. CheckMate—a chipper, jumped-up editing program—has invented the Transmogratron, a giant laser that will fulfill its ultimate goals in both the cyber world and “meatspace.” Facing challenges as random as prankster lunar unicorns and a disarmingly motherly Motherboard, scowling First Cat joins a motley crew of diversely carbon- and silicon-based allies, led by the pearlescent Queen of the Moon. They’re in a race to the finish—diverted occasionally by, for instance, a relentlessly punny comic-book interlude featuring a pair of literal and figurative Pool Sharks. They ultimately triumph thanks to teamwork and moxie. Following a celebratory party and toasts to “new friends…and steadfast comrades” (and, of course, “MEOW”), the story’s energetic, brightly colored panels close with a reveal of the next volume. (“I always hate it when comics end by announcing a sequel. SO CRINGE!” declares an authorial stand-in.) It can’t come too soon.
File under “laugh riot.” (Graphic science fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780063315280
Page Count: 272
Publisher: HarperAlley
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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