Jurassic Jeff: Race to Warp Speed

Gr 2-5–Jeff, a green alien sent from the future to conquer earth, and his dinosaur friends Hungry, Spike, Carl, and Trevor, are back for another adventure in this second series installment. The new mission involves finding Jeff’s lost warp drive, a machine that allows his spaceship to travel at “supersonic speeds.” Once recovered, the friends plan to use the machine to find Hungry’s missing family. Comic obstacles ensue, including a power-hungry group of flying reptiles, a giant crustacean, and a malfunctioning translator that makes Jeff speak only in German! The friends must rely on one another to save the warp drive and find Hungry’s family. This title is full of humor and visual gags. While not all of the jokes land, there are enough laugh-out-loud moments to keep readers entertained. In one scene, Jeff and Carl must fix a “bug” in the time warp, only to find a literal bug has been trapped inside. The illustrations pop and their exaggerated, cartoonish quality fits the story. For all of the outrageous plot lines, there is a surprising amount of heart in the narrative. The characters share lessons they’ve learned from their fathers, which ultimately help them solve each crisis as it comes. The cliff-hanger ending will keep readers invested in the series.