AstroNuts Mission One: The Plant Planet

Jon Scieszka's AstroNuts Mission One: The Plant Planet is a very silly space adventure for 7 year olds about four animal astronauts who've spent more than 25 years in storage.

What happens

Meet the AstroNuts. AlphaWolf is the leader, and he'll happily tell you so (he's also very proud of his silky fur). SmartHawk does the sums. LaserShark loves food, flying and pretty much everyone. StinkBug is a nervous genius who leaks gas when he's worried.

Their job is to find a new home planet for people. The glitchy old computer in charge of them is called Command Escape, and he repeats himself/repeats himself/repeats himself.

Their rocket is shaped like Thomas Jefferson's nose. Yes, really. So when they crash-land, there's only one way out of a nose. Your reader will work it out (and then probably shout it).

The Plant Planet looks perfect at first. The giant Venus flytrap who greets them is ever so welcoming. He keeps giving his Special Guests Exciting Activities, which look an awful lot like chores. And why do Special Guests get locked in their room at night?

The best thing here is who's telling the story. It's Earth! It's been around for 4.5 billion years, it's watched T. rex take on Triceratops, and it chats to your reader directly with little jokes on the side.

Earth has something serious to say too. Right in the middle of the big battle it stops to explain climate change, step by step. People burning fossil fuels are heating the planet up, and it would like you to know. It's done with a light touch, but it's very much the point of the book. Some children will love that. Some might want to skip ahead to the fight!

It's quick and jokey, with short chapters, plenty of made-up space words and a lot of snot and gas humour. If your reader likes their science with a big side of silliness, this is spot on.

What to read next

If they want more of Jon Scieszka's science and nonsense, try Frank Einstein and the Antimatter Motor. Frank is a kid inventor with a lab in his grandad's garage, and he's using a thunderstorm to bring his homemade robot to life.