Horn Book (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

This is the third novel-in-doodles featuring time-traveling, alien-slaying sixth graders Alex, Herbert, and Sammi. The trio hurtles back and forth through time to defeat AeroStar, a 111-year-old villainess using giant carnivorous plants to exact her revenge on present-day Earth. Sometimes confusing time-travel logic is offset by an energetic plot and funny black-and-white sketches.

Kirkus Reviews (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

New threats to their small town, both in the present and the future, again send squabbling frenemies Alex, Herbert and Sammi--aka the intrepid AlienSlayers--through the wormhole in Alex's backyard. It's all due to an elaborate scheme concocted by AeroStar, Sammi's embittered 111-year-old future self. On the one hand, a century from now, the friendly aliens of Merwinsville have been stranded on the dark side of the moon while giant wreckers destroy their earthly Utopia. On the other, a time-traveling alien has sown giant, ambulatory, meat-eating plants in the present town's community garden. Hurtling back and forth through time and space to the rescue puts the trio of sixth-graders in the way of a nonstop barrage of blaster fire from AeroStar's Utility Tiara, a horde of attacking MinionBots, chases, narrow escapes and reunions with previously met allies. That's not to mention poop, pizza and Sally Field jokes, practically superfluous Captain Underpants references, and multiple cascades of slime and alien vomit. Though billed as "Yet another novel in cartoons," the many line drawings more often reflect the action than add to it; most of the tale is told in short cliffhanger chapters that alternate relentlessly between then and now. The farce is frantic to the point of being labored, but there's still plenty of room in the Captain's Underpants for this gang of fellow travelers. (Science fiction. 10-12)

School Library Journal (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

BURGIS, Stephanie . Stolen Magic . 388p. (Kat, Incorrigible Series). S &; S / Atheneum . Apr. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-9451-0 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-3382-3 . LC 2011042347. Gr 5-8 BYNG, Georgia . Molly Moon &; the Monster Music . 310p. HarperCollins / Harper . Mar. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-166163-1 . LC 2012952450. Gr 46 COLE, Steve . Z. Apocalypse . 276p. Philomel . 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-399-25255-6 . Gr 69 COVEN, Wanda . Heidi Heckelbeck Is Ready to Dance! illus. by Priscilla Burris. 118p. S &; S / Little Simon . Mar. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5192-6 ; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5191-9 . LC 2011046288. Gr 13 ENGLISH, Karen . Nikki &; Deja: Substitute Trouble . illus. by Laura Freeman. 112p. Clarion . July 2013. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-547-61565-3 . Gr 14 GIFF, Patricia Reilly . Zigzag Zoom . Bk. 8. illus. by Alasdair Bright. 80p. (Zigzag Kids Series). Random / Wendy Lamb Bks. Apr. 2013. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-385-74275-7 ; PLB $15.99. ISBN 978-0-375-99075-5 ; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97703-8 ; ebook $4.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97704-5 . Gr 24 GILMAN, Charles . Teacher's Pest . Bk. 3. illus. by Eugene Smith. 176p. (Tales From Lovecraft Middle School Series). Quirk . May 2013. Tr $13.99. ISBN. Gr 68 HARPER, Charise Mericle . Just Grace and the Trouble with Cupcakes . illus. by author. 208p. Houghton Harcourt . May 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-547-87744-0 . LC 2012033824. Gr 24 HARPER, Suzanne . A Mischief of Mermaids . Bk. 3. 288p. (The Unseen World of Poppy Malone Series). HarperCollins / Greenwillow . June 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-199613-9 . Gr 36 HUNTER, Erin . River of Lost Bears . 304p. (Seekers: Return to the Wild Series). HarperCollins / Harper . 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-199640-5 . Gr 46 IGNATOW, Amy . The Awesomely Awful Melodies of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham Chang . Bk. 5. illus. by author. 208p. (The Popularity Papers Series). Abrams / Amulet . Mar. 2013. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0536-6 . Gr 4–6 JENKINS, Emily . The Whoopie Pie War . illus. by Harry Bliss. 160p. (Invisible Inkling Series). HarperCollins / Balzer &; Bray . Aug. 2013. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-06-180226-3 . Gr 2–4 JOBLING, Curtis . Nest of Serpents . Bk. 4. 494p. (Wereworld Series). Viking . 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-670-78457-8 . Gr 6–8 KLISE, Kate . Hollywood, Dead Ahead . Bk. 5. illus. by M. Sarah Klise. 144p. (43 Old Cemetery Road Series). Harcourt . Apr. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-547-85283-6 . Gr 4–6 LOOK, Lenore . Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night . illus. by LeUyen Pham. 192p. Random / Schwartz &; Wade Bks . Apr. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-375-87033-0 ; PLB $18.99. ISBN 978-0-375-97033-7 ; ebook $10.99. ISBN 978-0-375-98889-9 . LC 2012011455. Gr 2–4 MALONE, Marianne . The Pirate's Coin . Bk. 3. illus. by Greg Call. 210p. (A Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure). Random . May 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97717-5 ; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-307-97718-2 . LC 2012017540. Gr 4–6 MATT AND DAVE . Yuck's Pet Worm . illus. by Nigel Baines. 112p. S &; S. Apr. 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8150-3 ; pap. $4.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8149-7 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-8151-0 . Gr 3–4 MYRACLE, Lauren . Awesome Blossom . 384p. (A Flower Power Book). Abrams / Amulet . 2013. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0405-5 . LC 2012035668. Gr 3–6 NELSON, Peter . AeroStar and the 3 1/2-Point Plan of Vengeance . Bk. 3. illus. by Rohitash Rao. 348p. (Herbert's Wormhole Series). HarperCollins / Harper . May 2013. Tr $10.99. ISBN 978-0-06-201220-3 . Gr 3–7. O'RYAN, Ellie . The Case of the Digital Deception . Bk. 5. 160p. (Club CSI Series). S &; S / Simon Spotlight . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-7258-7 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-7257-0 . Gr 4–7 PEIRCE, Lincoln . Big Nate Flips Out . illus. by author. 224p. HarperCollins / Harper . 2013. Tr $13.99. ISBN 978-0-06-199663-4 ; PLB $14.89. ISBN 978-0-06-199664-1 ; ebook $9.99. ISBN 978-0-06-210759-6 . Gr 2–4 RIVERS, Nathan . Phoebe. Giving Up the Ghost . 160p. (Saranormal Series). S &; S / Simon Spotlight . 2013. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6616-6 ; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6617-3 ; ebook $5.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6618-0 . LC 2012938943. Gr 4–7 ROBBINS, Trina . The Bark in Space . Bk. 5. illus. by Tyler Page. 64p. (The Chicagoland Detective Agency Series). Lerner / Graphic Universe . May 2013. PLB $29.27. ISBN 978-0-7613-8166-2 ; pap. $6.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0725-1 ; ebook $21.95. ISBN 978-1-4677-0972-9 . Gr 4–7 RYLANDER, Chris /PRODU