PLUTO ROCKET

Pluto Rocket is on a secret mission to “find out what life is really like here on…‘the neighborhood.’ ”

Joe Pidge, a cocky pigeon with a penchant for coining phrases, is the perfect guide for Pluto, a magenta rocket who has landed on Earth. But first, Pluto must change her hat because it is identical to Joe’s “super-flavio look.” After rejecting several ridiculous alternatives, Joe decides Pluto’s natural magenta- and purple-striped antennae are amazing and encourages her to refuse to blend in. Joe then takes Pluto to taste the best taco, but when they find Taco Terry’s closed, Pluto “formulate[s]” an alternative “out of thin air.” Wowing the neighborhood with her tacos, Pluto gets too much attention for someone on a secret mission, so Joe creates a pigeon disguise for her, but she still stands out. A jealous Joe tries to regain his status as the most outstanding pigeon. Although he is again super-flavio, Joe is sad that Pluto will return home at the end of her mission and recognizes that friendship, sealed with a hug, is what matters most. The story ends with a promise of a sequel when someone on Pluto’s planet wonders where she is. Uncluttered, colorful cartoon art helps tell this sweetly funny story of the eager adventurer Pluto and her guide, Joe, who transforms from braggart to best friend.

Humor and dynamic characters create a tale of cooperation, sharing, and friendship.