Sci-Fu: Vol. 2; It Takes 2

Gr 4-8–From the opening pages, readers are immersed in a blend of science fiction and hip-hop. Set in 1980s Brooklyn, the first book saw Wax, an aspiring DJ, and the residents of his building transported to the planet Discopia, where they inadvertently killed robot ruler King Chug Chug and went up against his enraged son, Choo Choo. In this sequel, Mega Hertz, girlfriend of the defeated Choo Choo, breaks out of a prison planet and swears revenge on Wax, who’s still mastering his kung fu powers. Chapter titles are rendered in a graffiti style, just one of many playful, colorful elements in Mercado’s bountiful designs. Wax punching an alien villain through a layer of ice while freestyle rapping in the middle of Shaw Bros. Supermarket is just the beginning of the spectacles to come. New readers may be caught off guard by references to preexisting character dynamics, but the family and friendships at the core of the mostly Black cast are quickly endearing.