Captain Raptor and the Moon Mystery
Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 4–An action-packed science-fiction romp starring a cast of dinosaur characters. When a mysterious object lands on one of Jurassica's moons, Captain Raptor and his crew set out in their spaceship to investigate. After narrowly escaping several dangerous situations, they land on Eon's surface and discover that an unfamiliar vessel has crashed nearby. During a tense confrontation between the dinosaurs and the newcomers, the alien leader is suddenly swept away by a winged "pteraspikadon." Captain Raptor quickly engages his blastobooster, rockets into the sky, and saves him. After properly greeting the human visitors and helping them get under way, the crew returns to theMegatoothand heads out for another adventure. Presented in comic-book style, this story blends an eye-catching layout with a quick-moving plot, tongue-in-cheek humor, and an imaginative setting. The text has a melodramatic tone that suits the tale perfectly. While much of the watercolor and gouache artwork consists of sequenced rectangles, occasional single- and double-page paintings open out the format and highlight important moments. The dinosaurs, who wear funky-looking space gear and have an endless supply of gadgets, are a blast. The bespectacled Professor Angleoptorous is part beast and part robot, while toothy Captain Raptor, in his shiny and spiky armor, has a real hero's elan. Sci-fi fans and dinophiles will eat this book up, and it might also capture the interest of reluctant readers.–Joy Fleishhacker, School Library JournalCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.