With the evil SPHDZ in control of the Brainwave, is there any hope left for mankind…or hamsterkind? Brooklyn fifth-grader Michael K., his human friends Venus and TJ and their alien buddies Jennifer, Bob and Major Fluffy are at a total loss. They reached their goal of recruiting 3.14 million earthlings to be SPHDZ, but the chief of the Anti-Alien Agency turned out to be an evil alien. He stole the brainwave they had collected. Now, the group, along with unlikely allies Agents Umber and Hot Magenta of the AAA, DarkWave X agents Delta, Tango and Foxtrot, and Mom K., Dad K. and Baby K., lives in fear that he will use it to bllrrp the planet Gonf and then turn off Earth. They can't figure out why the chief hasn't used it yet, and they have gone through plans A through Y to try to recover it. When the chief's plan is revealed, it's going to take the whole biosphere to cut him down to size. The madcap conclusion to Scieszka and Prigmore's delusionally frenetic and fantastically silly series will delight SPHDZ across the land, but it probably isn't a great place to start this Internet-integrated, highly illustrated quartet. Start youngsters with the first, and they will be SPHDZ (and readers) for life. Secret codes…science and math tidbits…hamster-translation websites…and the odd flying whale. ULTRA FRESH! (Humorous science fiction. 7-10)

Gr 4-7 Michael K., along with his fellow spaceheadz, and the various organizations he has encountered over the past three books, have returned to foil the chief's plans of sending Earth into oblivion. By holding out his brainwave, Michael K. prevents the 3.14 million and one brainwave globe from powering the ultimate destruction device; the red hot ray. The chief, in a plot to get Michael K's coveted brain wave, sends diversions all over the globe, leaving Michael and friends to finish fifth grade alone. When the new principal starts assigning television, texting, and videogames as homework, Michael gets suspicious. The quirky plot, zippy dialogue, zany art, and abundant action will keep easily distracted readers moving at full pace. Individual pages with complimentary science are interspersed through the book for interesting, but not overwhelming, interludes. The extensive catalog of characters and winding storyline make this a tough read without prior Spaceheadz knowledge, but will make an excellent addition where the previous installments are popular. The related website is a fun supplement to the story. Devin Burritt, Wells Public Library, ME

Michael K. and his alien, human, and hamster friends return in this madcap final Spaceheadz installment. The dastardly Chief has captured the red-hot ray and is intent on turning off Earth. The agents are all over the world in search of the Chief, but are they on the right track? Meanwhile, back at P.S. 858, a mysterious new principal has given the fifth-grade class an awesome assignment involving near-constant consumption of TV, video games, and candy, but is it really that awesome? It's up to Michael K. and the Spaceheadz, as well as a few other worldwide networks, to thwart the Chief's plan, destroy the red-hot ray, save the planet, and graduate from fifth grade. Scieszka's winning combo of world-saving action and slapstick humor along with Prigmore's illustrations, particularly of the taco-disguised Agent Umber, add to the laugh-a-minute fun. Series fans will be pleased by the satisfying ending and the inevitable website tie-ins. New readers should start from the beginning of the series, but a forthcoming box set of the complete run will make that especially easy.

The evil chief of the Anti-Alien Agency's plot to destroy Earth is thwarted by fifth grader Michael K.'s unique ability to withstand the brainwashing effects of commercials. The humor and frenetic energy continue in Scieszka's wacky series; this title will only make sense to readers of the previous three books who know (and love) the cast of characters.