Astronautical!

Gr 3-5–Decades before our story begins, planet Zephyr suddenly explodes into hundreds of floating pieces. The people and buildings are okay, though they are now separated by large gaps of empty space, with everyone surviving on their own chunks of earth. We meet our young heroes on one of those floating pieces. Adopted brothers Max and Lari are picking up a few essentials at a floating shop when their spaceship is attacked and their dad is taken prisoner. Suddenly alone, 13-year-old Max quickly takes charge, planning to follow the fox soldiers to rescue their dad. Lari isn’t convinced this is the best plan, preferring to lie low at the local floating amusement park instead. Max has always been the leader though, and convinced that he knows best, he and Lari start a whimsical quest that leads to conversations with sentient stars, traveling by sky whale, and lessons for both about taking—and losing—control. This graphic novel will particularly appeal to young readers who enjoy whimsical adventures that have high stakes but move at a slower pace. While the adventure is touching and fun, the art particularly stands out here, building a cohesive universe filled with characters of all shapes, sizes, and species.