The Return of Zita the Spacegirl

May 1, 2014

Gr 3-6-Hatke wraps up this delightful series by neatly tying together all three books. While each volume can be read independently and thoroughly enjoyed solo, the experience of reading the trilogy nicely frames the wider story arc. Zita, now stripped of her possessions, including her signature green cape, remains spunky and feisty. Relegated to a dungeon for her alleged crimes, she meets two unlikely cellmates: a pile of rags, and a rotting skeleton who intones "Eye-spy with my little socket." Cinematic influences are evident throughout, from the opening panoramic scenes to the Evil Dungeon Lord with powers reminiscent of the Sith. The author's wit and comic timing sparkle in this adventure. His motley collection of characters is an absolute delight, and each of their humorous exchanges are spot-on. Readers will be amused by their foibles, and by the text's humor that is gentle, and never vicious. Kids will revel in the wordplay; clever use of language abounds, especially in a discussion on the use of "hallway" vs. "corridor" and when one evildoer explains that the hand signals for quotation marks are the "Universal sign for 'you're actually supposed to kill her." Fans of the young heroine will undoubtedly cheer for this continuation of Zita's saga and eagerly hope that the final page signals further episodes. Back matter including artwork and the story's origins are a bonus.-Barbara M. Moon, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2014
Grades 3-6 *Starred Review* The adventure started in Zita the Spacegirl (2011) comes full circle in this trilogy finale. As no good deed goes unpunished, Zita is sent to the mines of Dungeon World for the crimes of saving a planet from an asteroid and keeping an entire species from being gobbled up by enormous cosmic meanies. There she meets a long-lost friend, performs a few daring escapes, and eventually saves the day with the kind of heroic pluck that's garnered her so many admirers, both in her universe and ours. Although Zita is a great, cheerworthy lead, Hatke has always had a particular knack for surrounding her with crazy-inventive oddballs, from cuddly rocks and wisecracking rag piles to broken-down battle orbs and limeJell-Oblob leviathans. And the villains! There's no mistaking the pure-evil tentacle bots or the pistol-faced hulks for what they are, and they're just vanquishable enough to make the action really zing. As this fine adventure comes to its final pages, Hatke leaves the door just a bit ajar for more interstellar exploits. An afterword supplies fans with the history of Zita's character, from doodle to webcomic to the heroine fans know and love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)