ALA Booklist (Mon Dec 09 00:00:00 CST 2024)

Blake Laser is a scientific prodigy; unfortunately, her parents don't know it. They're always too busy with work at the Interplanetary Space Control Center to see just how special she is. While on vacation in space, the family are called on by the ISCC to investigate an unknown anomaly draining the sun's energy and threatening not only Earth but the entire solar system. When her parents are captured, Blake must use her wits and her incredible inventions to save them and ultimately the world. Marantz and Brown have created a fun and heartfelt romp through space, full of realistic middle-grade emotional concerns and plenty of space-adventure action. Brown's artwork features expressive characters and fittingly otherworldly backgrounds and does a fantastic job at moving the story along. Blake's emotional growth, as she grows closer to her brother, Brody, and finally manages to get her parents to recognize her brilliance, is genuinely gratifying. This captivating intergalactic story featuring a charming cast of characters will likely have broad appeal among middle-grade comics fans.

Kirkus Reviews (Tue Dec 03 00:00:00 CST 2024)

A family vacation among the stars becomes a mission to save the solar systemIn the year 2354, 12-year-old Blake McClain is on a spaceship with her family-her mom, who reads Black, her dad, who appears white, and her big brother, Brody. They're on their way to a stellar vacation home, but their trip is sidelined when they discover that the sun is rapidly being drained. Clues point to a nearby asteroid. Hijinks ensue involving Zagbar and Karl, a pair of bumbling, blue-skinned aliens. The McClains' family dynamics are wholesome and positive, with the parents showing affection for each other and the siblings playfully teasing each other. Blake and Brody learn to combine her science and his art in a standout scene. Blake's parents are initially skeptical of her abilities, but they eventually recognize her scientific gifts and ability to handle responsibility despite her young age. Disappointingly, new classmate Sherman Klein, a chubby white-presenting boy, receives the opposite treatment, with Blake and her friend Anusha Gupta, who's cued South Asian, joking about his weight and unkindly calling him a nerd. Blake says they're "just playing," but this behavior undermines her later heroism. Despite a flat quality to the illustrations, readers looking for an adventurous girl surrounded by science-fiction tech, spaceships, and dangerous robots will be well served, but the future looks regressive for nerdy friendship.A STEM-friendly interstellar adventure.(Graphic science fiction. 8-12)

School Library Journal (Sun Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2024)

Gr 3–6— In the year 2354, Blake Laser might just be the smartest and most tech-savvy 12-year-old in the galaxy—now, if only her family would notice. What begins as a simple family vacation in outer space quickly turns into a high-stakes mission to save Earth. When Blake and her goofy, artistic older brother Brody's parents are kidnapped by a pair of bumbling, blue aliens (think Home Alone 's robbers, in space), the siblings are thrust into action. As Blake's quick thinking and leadership guide them through one intergalactic challenge after another, she gains confidence and steps into her own. This fast-paced, action-packed sci-fi graphic novel is loaded with humor, too, complete with an alien leader known as "The Ultimate Supreme Flart." Blake's family dynamics play a key role, with her mom, who is Black, and her dad, who is white, learning to appreciate their kids' strengths along the way. While the vibrant artwork draws readers in, it sometimes skimps on detail, and the character development of Blake's friends is lacking. Blake and her friend Anusha teasing their new friend Sherman about his weight and nerdiness comes off as unsavory. Despite these minor issues, this novel is sure to be a hit with fans of Ben Hatke's Zita the Spacegirl . VERDICT A perfect pick for young readers who love fearless heroines and thrilling space adventures.— Amy Ribakove