Book Finder

Even as a chip, the robot knew he was different which was a problem until he stumbled upon an art museum where he found his passion. Wry humor and a bit of wisdom are conveyed in illustration and understated text.

The silly fun that started in The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza returns in this latest book. Soup has poisoned the Moon Queen. Can she — and the universe — be saved before it’s too late? Soup of Doom can be read alone or as a sequel (and be prepared for another madcap adventure!)   

Meet Frank, a small alien from Xob. Frank is small, square, and green just like all of those from Xob. Frank is astonished when he visits Earth and finds such differences in the small creatures. Readers will enjoy what Frank learns and takes back to Xob in staccato text and simple but expressive illustrations that appear to be watercolor on textured paper.

This graphic novel about a dog and a robot reveals how powerful and fragile relationships are. After a Labor Day jaunt to the beach leaves the robot rusted, immobilized in the sand, the dog must return alone to the life they shared. But the memory of their friendship lingers, and as the seasons pass, the dog tries to fill the emotional void left by the loss of his closest friend, making and losing a series of friends, from a melting snowman to epicurean anteaters. But for the robot, lying rusting on the beach, the only relief from loneliness is in dreams.

When the thing from outer space visits earth, it is taken first for a trick-or-treater and then for a robot. Buddy McGee takes the thing home — only to discover it is from outer space.

Resilience, or Res, is a small rover created to explore Mars. By listening, Res comes to know humans, friendship, and emotions. Inspired by the actual Mars rovers, the author has “use[d] fiction to take something true and bring it to life in a unique and exciting way.” This unforgettable book, narrated by Res, is wholly plausible and emotionally powerful.

Yolanda (aka Yoly) and her sister Cami live in a world that has been dramatically altered by climate change and run by an authoritarian government. Can they find the solution before it’s too late? A fast pace and smart characters will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the hopeful conclusion.

When 13-year-old Tai Pham inherits his grandmother’s jade ring, he soon finds out it’s more than it appears. Suddenly he’s being inducted into a group of space cops known as the Green Lanterns, his neighborhood is being overrun by some racist bullies, and every time he puts pen to paper, he’s forced to confront that he might not be creative enough or strong enough to uphold his ba’s legacy.

A family of mechanical parts greets its newest member, baby Flange. Intricate illustrations and a lot of humor (especially for savvy readers) reminds us that a new child is always a happy event.

No one is shocked by the six-eyed alien strolling around the Universal backlot. The tourists just think he’s part of the show. It doesn’t take long for Buddy to land a role on a popular TV show, playing (of course) an alien. He becomes an overnight heartthrob and is suddenly faced with legions of adoring fans, rides in glamorous limos, and appearances at red carpet parties. But can Buddy maintain his secret identity while in the spotlight? Winkler and Oliver keep readers laughing while slipping in a lesson — accept everyone as they are, even if they have suction cups for feet.

Who said that there isn’t fact in fun? They haven’t met the heroes in this highly, hysterically illustrated space adventure. AlphaWolf, SmartHawk, LaserShark, and StinkBug explore the universe in their Thomas Jefferson Nose Rocket looking for a Goldilocks planet but find danger instead. Earth, the narrator, also provides information about climate change in this wild and witty adventure.

When the human crew goes missing, the trained space dogs — the Barkonauts — must survive on the ship, Laika. Will they find the astronauts? Can they complete the mission? This space saga moves along at a quick clip.

Only Livy sees the greenish creature when she and her family visit Gran in Australia. They see her talking to a chicken. But Bob is not only not a chicken, he’s quite special. Told from both Livy and Bob’s point of view, this handsomely illustrated and well told tale is fresh and intriguing.

It’s Victor Starspeeder’s third year at Jedi Academy and things are… weird. After last year’s security breach, Principal Marr has been demoted and replaced with Commander ZC-04, a big, scary droid. There’s a curfew, new regulations, and everyone is on edge. Told through a mix of comics, doodles, and journal entries.

Prez needs a friend and he finds one in Sputnik. Sputnik looks like a dog to everyone except Prez who realizes Sputnik is an alien in disguise. It’s a good thing that Prez is a list maker, because he and Sputnik must come up with 10 reasons why Earth shouldn’t be destroyed. The physics-defying story is fast, fresh, and fun.

Another exciting adventure with the humble rodent Ricky and his huge mechanical robot pal. The evil Victor Von Vulture and his army of Voodoo Vultures from Venus are about to take over planet Earth. Only the super-smart tricks of Ricky and his Mighty Robot can send the bad guys packing for home.

Young inventor, Frank Einstein and his friend Watson along with his walking, talking robots Klink and Klank, are back. This time, Frank has invented the ‘evoblaster’ which allows the user to evolve into other forms and then back again. Real science combines with laugh-out-loud humor in the latest installment.

Darkus finds friends, adventure, and surprises once his widowed father disappears from a closed museum room filled with beetles. The author delightfully narrates the engaging science fiction/fantasy/realistic tale just right for slightly older listeners.

Harry and Horsie may have solved the problem of how to reach the cookie jar when they create CookieBot. But building the most amazing cookie-grabbing robot ever may have created a new problem. How will they stop CookieBot from eating all the cookies in town? Delightfully illustrated with a retro-modern feel. 

Don t miss the adventures of Chuck and David, two boys who travel to the alien planet Basidium in their homemade spaceship. This timeless series (in print since the 1950s) is a classic that is sure to be read over and over again.

Factual information about weather and the water cycle is included in this comic graphic novel. Welcome to the Mad Scientist Academy, where slapstick humor and fast-paced action come together in a silly but engaging romp.

Younger children will enjoy the latest adventure of the mask wearing, monster fighting princess who attempts to take a restful vacation.

Space bunnies are back for a second installment. Can twins Joules and Kevin save their school from the ferocious fur balls? Fiercely funny, this is sure to please young readers.

With humorous allusions to a candy universe and over-the-top puns, this laugh out loud funny novel follows twins as they defeat killer space bunnies. Heavily illustrated and with a light tone, this should appeal to even the most reluctant reader.