Last of the Sandwalkers

February 23, 2015
A journey of discovery for a family of scientist-beetles becomes a journey of survival in Hosler’s entomological adventure, an intriguing look at life from only a few millimeters off the ground. Leading the team is Lucy, a resourceful “sandwalker,” and a keen, curious observer of the world, which she discovers is much larger than she previously thought after she and her team are betrayed and left for dead, far from their colony. Along the way home they encounter unfamiliar plants and animals that enthrall Lucy (even the ones trying to make a meal out of her). It takes the group’s combined will and wit to make it back home in one piece and share their findings (specifically the bones of what they call a “hue-mon”) with their intellectually isolated brethren. Hosler (Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth) peppers real-world facts throughout the story, showcasing the wild and wonderful ways bugs have adapted to nature. With that he mingles themes of family, forgiveness, and freedom of ideas, and even manages to make big-eyed, mandibled crawlers emotive without getting too cartoony. Ages 10–up.

February 15, 2015
Entomologist Hosler offers an epic adventure that delivers an astonishing amount of information in its interstices.Impetuous, baseball-cap-clad Lucy, a rising young beetle researcher, heads the first expedition to leave New Coleopolis since its founding 1,002 years ago, when the god Scarabus annihilated old Coleopolis with a barrage of coconuts. As in any good quest novel, her band is made up of a variety of types: There's maternal Prof. Bombardier, pun-loving firefly Raef, doughty Hercules beetle Mossy, and crusty Prof. Owen, a Cape stag beetle. New Coleopolis is a beetlecentric theocracy, and Lucy's expedition poses significant threats to the status quo-which is why very early on, Prof. Owen (who is evil as well as crusty) engineers its abandonment. Lost in the wilderness, Lucy and her companions encounter spiders, birds, bats and an enormous variety of insects-even beetles-that they've never heard of. Cool bug facts are presented in infodumps (and further explained in disarmingly personal closing annotations); fortunately, they are so interesting that readers are likely to forgive the contrivance. Hosler's clean lines sometimes make foliage difficult to distinguish from characters, but he invests his beetles with tremendous personality, and the dialogue never lags. Though the novel's a trifle overstuffed, the clarity of its theme and appeal of its characters carry the day. Hosler's sincere excitement in both the pursuit of knowledge and the power of comics makes these bugs eminently memorable. (illustrated cast of characters) (Graphic fantasy. 10 & up)

May 1, 2015

Gr 5 Up-New Coleopolis is a community of beetles, moths, and a few other insects. The sanctuary is protected under a palm tree. Most residents are content to live within the confines of their oasis, going to school, restaurants, museums, and other routine activities without a thought for what lies beyond. Yet there are a few independent thinkers who yearn to explore the mysterious world away from home. Lucy, in particular, is adamant about venturing out. The group of elders attempts to stop her, as they seem to already know what is out there and will do whatever it takes to keep it a secret. Eventually, Lucy and a small group head out on a grand expedition. Things go awry from the start, and the beetles will be lucky to return safely to New Coleopolis with or without any new information. Friendships and loyalties are tested to their limits as great, potentially life-altering discoveries are made. This graphic novel is reminiscent of Richard Adams's Watership Down, Brian Jacques's "Redwall" series (Philomel), and Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of N.I.M.H. Though the characters are not human, they have their own unique and individual characteristics that will resonate with young readers. The black-and-white illustrations adeptly complement the narrative and infuses each protagonist with expressive emotions and personality. The text is well written, complete with scientific information and humorous puns. VERDICT This epic graphic novel adventure is recommended for fans of animal fantasies.-Carol Hirsche, Provo City Library, UT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 Hosler convincingly proved his mastery of integrating science and entertainment in Evolution: The Story of Life on Earth (2011). Now he makes entomology the foundation for a sprawling, fully realized mythology with a complexity that rivals Tolkien (including a Tolkien-worthy 12 pages of annotations and 3 pages of references). Facts like how beetles store water and why fireflies are luminous become unobtrusive details within the story of a scientific expedition of beetles who, though from a fundamentalist society, seek to expand their understanding of the world. The chief scientist, Dr. Owen, makes an effective symbol for the fraught relationship between science and religion and proves a terrifically hateful villain by stranding the other expedition members in terra incognita. Lead by the idealistic and never-say-die Lucy, the team plunges into an adventure of danger and discovery through a painstakingly realized natural environment. Hosler's cartooning is no less meticulous than his writing and similarly retains a sense of animated energy and humor, engaging readers with characters that are far from human, but filled with humanity.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)