Star Scouts (Star Scouts #1)

Gr 4-6--Middle schooler Avani is the new girl in town, so her father signs her up for Flower Scouts to help her make friends. The girls in Flower Scouts talk about boy bands and, well, boys; Avani likes riding bulls and roughing around. Out of nowhere, Avani is abducted by Mabel, a young alien girl who is recruiting kids from other planets to join the Star Scouts, whose members explore the galaxy and the unknown. Avani is an immediate and enthusiastic recruit. She enjoys going on adventures with her new friends, and soon she and the others are taking part in a weeklong trip to Camp Andromeda. But Avani's strong will leads to a conflict with a rival troop, and, suddenly, her membership in Star Scouts is at stake. This is a gorgeous book, with lush imagery that brings to mind Craig Thompson's Space Dumplins. However, the plot is lacking, as the rivalry at Camp Andromeda follows a predictable us vs. them--narrative. The characters have heart aplenty, but their frequent use of toilet humor relegates the book to a younger audience. Avani herself is a difficult heroine for whom to root: the story sets up readers to dislike the girls with whom Avani clashes at Camp Andromeda, yet the protagonist delivers as many insults and nasty actions as she receives.

Avani Patel has a serious case of new-kid blues, and the fact that her father has signed her up for a local Flower Scouts troupe only makes matters worse. But Avani winds up joining another group of scouts altogether after she's abducted by an enthusiastic blue alien named Mabel, who is working on her Star Scouts "collection badge."Avani happily ditches Flower Scouts to spend time in space with Mabel and her troupe, but these new friendships are challenged during a week at Camp Andromeda, where Avani accidentally ignites a rivalry between her troupe and a group of methane-breathing scouts (aka "toot-breathers"). As Avani attempts to win teleportation, jetpack racing, and other competitions, Lawrence (Muddy Max) delivers a madcap extraterrestrial adventure with no shortage of parallels to more terrestrial scouting activities. Gross-out jokes abound, from recurring gags about "xenoscatology badges" to the robots built by parrotlike Star Scout Steve, which include GOOSE ("all it does is pinch people on the bum") and the Biometric Ultra Techno Tool or BUTT. It's an exciting, laugh-a-minute story that plainly reveals the rewards of teamwork, whatever planet one calls home. Ages 8-12. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. (Mar.)

"The characters are engaging, the message focuses on teamwork, and the book is a lot of fun." —Paste Magazine, from their "10 Best Kids Comics of 2017"

"Lawrence's illustrations are bright and dynamic, driving the action across (and down, and around) each page." —Shelf Awareness, starred review

"The fact that much of this graphic novel takes place away from Earth gives Lawrence both visual and textual freedom, and the odd, nifty landscapes and madcap, unexpected camp adventures demonstrate his creative flair." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books