(3) K-3 Illustrated by Goro Fujita. This follow-up to Your Alien inverts the original story with the boy joining his alien for a playdate in space. When the boy gets homesick, the alien brings him home. Again relying on atypical second-person narration gives the brief but emotional story--about friendship, love, and belonging--an appropriately otherworldly quality. The richly colored illustrations are full of personality and adventure.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) 4-6 Robots Rule series. Illustrated by Goro Fujita. After saving Terabyte Heights from the evil Dr. Micron, George Gearing is rewarded with a robotics apprenticeship. But as TinkerTech prepares to release its latest gadget, a series of accidents leads George to suspect that Micron has returned with another scheme. Cartoonish villain aside, the quirky character dynamics are enhanced by a surprise twist about George's long-lost parents. Black-and-white spot art illustrates the story.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 Robots Rule series. Illustrated by Goro Fujita. George Gearing discovers that his presumed-dead parents are still alive as computer data. He reluctantly agrees to break villainous Dr. Micron out of prison in exchange for his help fixing the device that can restore them to human form, but Micron has his own plans. Despite a rushed conclusion, this series-finale provides plenty of high-tech gadgetry, action, and humor for returning fans.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Goro Fujita. An alien comes to live with a little boy but gets homesick, so the boy helps him return to his family. The unusual second-person narration gives an appropriately otherworldly quality to the warm story about homesickness and the comfort of family. The illustrations, many on nighttime backgrounds with striking rendering of light, adeptly capture the alien's wistfulness and the boy's compassion.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(4) 4-6 Robots Rule series. Illustrated by Goro Fujita. In Terabyte Heights most robots just work for humans, but George Gearing's Jackbot is his best friend. After Jackbot is hit by a car, George rebuilds his companion with cutting-edge parts that grant him artificial intelligence--a discovery hijacked by megalomaniac Dr. Micron. Despite a transparent villain, the offbeat humor, endearing characters, and frequent spot art make for a lighthearted series-starter.

Reviewer: Russell Perry