(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Dave McKean. When a "crack in the sky, shaped like a V" appears above human boy Lucky's home on remote moon Phoenix, his terrified mother bundles him away on a ship with alien Axxa for a clandestine journey through the universe--and into the human-vs.-Axxa war. McKean's trippy black-and-white illustrations evoke reverence for the expansive universe and play with Said's unique, staccato text.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Dave McKean. In this cat fantasy, Varjak struggles to survive among cat street gangs. In his dreams, he finds himself in Mesopotamia, where his progenitor instructs him in the lost skills of the Way of Jalal, a martial art-like practice. Two-color illustrations provide the edgy feel of a graphic novel. Readers interested in graphic novels or martial arts may find this book right up their alley.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2003