To save their world-and countless others-humans will have to be much better.Delegates of the Multiverse Allied Council are at a loss for what to do with Earth, a Dimension14 planet in such dire condition that its inevitable collapse will likely affect other dimensions. A diverse group of seventh graders from Conroy Middle School are the answer, whether they know it yet or not. On a class trip to the NASA research center where new kid Dev Khatri's dad works, Dev and his marching band friends, Maeve Greene, Lewis Wynner, Isaiah Yoon, and Tessa Hawthorne-Scott (convincingly imitating her twin sister on a dare), find themselves detoured by a quiver, the sort of seismic incident that has become a new normal on an unrecognizably polluted Earth. An impromptu jam session and malfunctioning tech transport the five tweens to Station Liminus, the Council's headquarters. The apparent demise of Dim8 taught the Council a difficult lesson about intervening in planetary issues when greed threatens the whole multiverse, and Earth isn't the first planet to suffer malevolent rulers and general ineptitude. But Earth music-in the right young hands-might prove singularly valuable. The politics of interdimensional diplomacy are mostly lost on the five, but with Caprara's brisk storytelling and smooth juggling of out-of-this-world characters and settings, the situation's high stakes are easy to grasp, and readers will anticipate how things unfold in the next entry.A smart romp that sets the stage for worlds of future adventures. (Science fiction. 10-14)

On a field trip to NASA-s Gwen Research Center in Conroy, Ohio, a quintet of middle school marching band members is transported to a parallel dimension after a mysterious portal-opening device is accidentally activated. Indian American saxophonist and physicist-s son Dev Khatri; olive-skinned, prank-playing drummer Lewis Wynner; Black, fashion-conscious mayor-s daughter Tessa Hawthorne-Scott (masquerading as her clarinet-playing identical twin sister, Zoey); anxious, gray-eyed, implied Asian trumpeter Isaiah Yoon; and dramatic white oboist Maeve Greene are whisked away to Station Liminus, a waypoint between different worlds. There, they learn that Earth is destined for destruction in 30 days unless they can convince the Multiverse Allied Council, which represents the known dimensions, to help. In this fast-paced intergalactic romp, Caprara (The Magic of Melwick Orchard) introduces an inclusive cast of memorable characters, who must deal with hostile aliens, unfamiliar customs, and the fate of the world as they know it. Elements including the sprawling cast and myriad dimensions may overwhelm at times, but Caprara successfully maintains excitement throughout this action-packed series opener, even while focusing on characters- individual issues and dynamics. Ages 8-12. Agent: Christa Heschke, McIntosh and Otis. (May)