Olga: We're Out of Here! (Olga #2)

Gr 2-5—Olga, the grouchy protagonist from Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere, has had it. Finally fed up with all the annoying humans here on Earth, she decides to head out into space and find the planet where Meh, her beloved, one-of-a-kind pet and the aforementioned "smelly thing from nowhere," comes from. The only problem is that she still has no idea where Meh's home planet might be or even how to get into space. To make matters infinitely worse, Meh suddenly falls seriously ill. Now, it's more imperative than ever for Olga to figure out what Meh is and where she comes from. It's going to take all of Olga's scientific and observational skills to unravel the mystery before it's too late. This second installment is just as entertaining as the first book. Kids will share much of Olga's annoyance with her fellow humans and some of Olga's observations are laugh-out-loud funny. Sometimes her single-mindedness can come across as a touch mean or selfish, but it's always easy to tell that her heart is in the right place. As in the first book, this is a highly illustrated hybrid chapter book, featuring comic-style artwork, word bubbles, doodles, and interesting facts throughout. Readers will also learn about space exploration and famous women astronauts as Olga does her own research on how to get to space. VERDICT Sometimes predictable but always smart and funny, this installment will delight those who haven't yet met Olga and seasoned fans.—Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TX