June 15, 2023
A giant robot army in space? What could go wrong? Billie Blaster is a genius. She has all the things a genius needs: genius parents, home laboratories (including a secret one, of course), a team of superintelligent animal engineers, a sassy goat sidekick, and, most importantly, a nemesis. Tiny Hector Glum, who is 4 1/2 inches tall (thanks to his Irreversible Shrinking Ray) and who's been Billie's rival ever since he came in second to her at the Kindergarten Science Fair, has set his sights on world domination and taking Billie down. Meanwhile, a robot alien arrives bearing a message of "grave galactic importance": Evil aliens from the planet Bonk are planning to take over Earth, and it's (kind of) Billie's fault! Can Billie and her ragtag band of robotic and furry friends stop the invasion? Will Tiny Hector Glum finally succeed in taking over Earth? Energetic and upbeat, this graphic novel refuses to take itself too seriously even when it touches on topics such as access and opportunity in STEM. The story, though not particularly original, is laugh-out-loud funny in places and heartwarming in others; it keeps a consistent momentum throughout. Its partially unresolved resolution gives it an episodic feeling, as though another installment is just around the corner. Bright, vibrant art adeptly underscores the movement of the narrative and brings new heights (and sewer depths) of humor to the quirky cast and world. Human characters present White. An intergalactic joyride. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)
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August 18, 2023
Gr 3-7-Ten-year-old Billie Blaster is no ordinary girl. The child of two geniuses, Billie has shown her own ingenuity via her many incredible inventions, from floating cheese puffs to RoBuRt, a robot-building-robot. But not everyone appreciates her always coming in first place at the Science Fair, especially tiny Hector Glum, her rival. When Emperor Mwahaha comes to earth in search of blasters and Hector joins his ranks, Billie and her friend, Lucy the goat, must travel to the Planet Bonk to stop them. There they must team up with Bonkers, such as a toilet-weasel, to save humanity. Homage seems to have been paid to Dr. Seuss in this book in regard to some character designs and the quirky language. The vividly colored artwork has a textured feel to it, and the slightly chaotic appearance meshes well with the zany words in the text, such as "Znort." There are a few lessons tucked into this tale, though they can be somewhat lost in the brisk pace set by the book. VERDICT Young readers who appreciate body humor and fart jokes will likely enjoy this adventure. Considering the ending, a sequel seems likely to blast off soon.-Lisa Rowland
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 31, 2023
Grades 2-5 Dodging the missiles of a pursuing spaceship, a giant robot soars through space on a desperate mission, and for the next two hundred pages, things barely slow down for a second. The robot bears a message for young human genius Billie Blaster: Earth is about to be invaded by planet Bonk with a robot army . . . of Billie's own making! Bonk's Emperor Mwahaha (picture the Grinch with tentacles for legs) shows up and recruits Billie's archrival, Hector Glum, over to the invading planet's side. And so, the chase is on, as Billie and her allies soar off to Bonk and try to foil the plans. The story honors Billie's can-do spirit and inventiveness over force and firepower, and--thanks to her sidekick, one very wise talking goat--things slow down long enough for a consideration of personal responsibility and the privileged advantages one might be taking for granted, turning one-time friends into current archrivals. The limber, witty art captures the tale's action and humor at breakneck pace.
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