Field Trip

July 1, 2019

Gr 3-7-Sanity and Tallulah are back with another madcap adventure through space. The two friends, along with Sanity's older sister Prudence, take an overnight class field trip to a "planetoid" in the Apis system. Trouble ensues as the group is nearly turned back, and then an asteroid wreaks havoc and sends the group into pandemonium. In true Sanity and Tallulah fashion, the girls end up far from their class on the surface of the planet, where they must fight pirates and work with rebels to save their classmates. Brooks once again engages readers with nonstop action and adventure. The anxiety and excitement of an overnight trip will resonate with readers despite the out-of-this-world setting. Sanity and Tallulah remain relatable characters, and Prudence is a strong addition to the cast. The muted reds and blues bring the outer space environment to life. VERDICT This exciting, funny sci-fi adventure will captivate fans of the first installment as well as new readers.-Ellen Conlin, Naperville Public Library, IL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2019
Following the events of their eponymous debut (2018), Sanity and Tallulah are on a class field trip to experience a scientific expedition on a real planet in the Apis system. Living aboard a space station, the students have never been on a real planet. Tallulah is ridiculously excited. Her best friend, Sanity, not so much, as Sanity's big sister, Prudence, is one of the trip chaperones. After landing, the class learns that their expedition site is actually a corporate mining venture run by the FootHold Corporation, a company that mass-produces a much-desired element called heavypaste. The FootHold outpost is situated in the middle of an asteroid field that's supposed to be protected--but of course an asteroid hits the planet, leaving Sanity and Tallulah stranded on an adjoining moon until they encounter a heavypaste space pirate who kidnaps the pair and holds them hostage. When local miners warn the planet is going to explode, the stranded students utilize rock-eating spacebees and their scientific ingenuity to craft an almost impossible escape plan. Though at times the science of the mission gets a little confusing, in this second Sanity & Tallulah graphic novel, Brooks successfully combines tech, humor, and a diverse cast--Sanity and Prudence are black and Tallulah's biracial (Latinx/white)--within a believable galactic adventure. Her well-paced panels keep the action ticking along. A delightful read that showcases scientific problem-solving on a female-led space expedition. (Graphic science fiction. 8-12)

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