Zita the Spacegirl
Author(s): Ben Hatke
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Zita's life took a cosmic left turn in the blink of an eye.
When her best friend is abducted by an alien doomsday cult, Zita leaps to the rescue and finds herself a stranger on a strange planet. Humanoid chickens and neurotic robots are shocking enough as new experiences go, but Zita is even more surprised to find herself taking on the role of intergalactic hero. Before long, aliens in all shapes and sizes don't even phase her. Neither do ancient prophecies, doomed planets, or even a friendly con man who takes a mysterious interest in Zita's quest.
Zita the Spacegirl is a fun, captivating tale of friendship and redemption from Flight veteran Ben Hatke. It also has more whimsical, eye-catching, Miyazaki-esque monsters than you can shake a stick at.
Review(s):
“For no reason at all, a little red button crashes to earth while Zita and her pal Joseph are out cavorting around. Of course, no one could resist pushing a mystery button, which pops open an interdimensional portal that whisks Joseph away. Zita follows and lands on a delightfully bizarre alien planet, where she sees Joseph being captured by a tentacled, scuba-headed creature. She makes some allies, takes off after him, and zany mishaps and dashing adventures ensue. Any story in which one can escape prison with a tube of "doorpaste" (just like toothpaste, except that it makes magic doors appear when smeared on a wall) obviously puts more stock in wowing imaginations than satisfying logic, and it needs solid cartooning chops to back it up. Fortunately, Hatke's got them, and he doles out an increasingly loony and charming array of aliens, robots, and unclassifiable blobs and hairy things for Zita (herself a cross between Ramona Quimby and a Matt Phelan waif) to encounter. It's fun, plenty funny, and more than a little random. Kids will love it.” —Booklist
“A headstrong young girl makes a hasty decision and finds herself in a galaxy far, far away in this graphic-novel shining star. Confident Zita finds a strange device in a meteor crater while playing with her more timorous best friend, Joseph. Impetuously, she accidentally activates the device, and before they can say "lift off," the duo ends up on an ill-fated planet, with Joseph about to be sacrificed by an alien doomsday cult and Zita determined to save him. Hatke's skill shines: His characters are richly imagined and portrayed, from the loyal, bumbling Strong-Strong (resembling a cross between a golem and an Uglydoll) to the menacing Screeds, an arachnid-like mechanized device that serves an evil purpose. The giant speechless Mouse, who communicates via ticker tape, is especially ingenious. Hatke takes a page from epic adventures like Jeff Smith's Bone and Kazu Kibuishi's Amulet and throws in a dash of intergalactic zest for a winning combination, sure to captivate young graphic-novel aficionados. Be prepared to blast off; this debut is truly out of this world.” —Kirkus, Starred Review
“While exploring a meteoroid crater, young explorers Zita and Joseph discover an unusual device featuring a conspicuous red button. Zita's curiosity compels her to press it, only to discover that it summons an alien creature that instantly abducts Joseph. The fearless heroine follows him to a planet inhabited by Scriptorians, who intend to use him as a ritual sacrifice to prevent the destruction of their planet. In her quest to save her friend, Zita assembles a cadre of unusual cohorts: a giant mouse that she rides; an oversize bloblike creature named Strong Strong; a Heavily Armored Mobile Battle Orb known as One; and Robot Randy. Together they head off to the Scriptorians' castle to rescue Joseph. Along the way, she meets Piper, a fellow earthling traveling through space who becomes an important player in the story. Aptly named, he is part Pied Piper and part inventor but always a smooth talker who alternately assists and sabotages the mission. In order to save her friend, Zita must ultimately risk her own chance to return to Earth. With echoes of The Wizard of Oz, this charming, well-told story has a timeless "read to me" quality that makes it perfect for one-on-one sharing. Adults will enjoy the subtle humor and inside jokes, and children will love intrepid Zita and her adventures. The art is simply delightful: a realistic heroine surrounded by a world of bizarre creatures. Fans of the Flight anthologies (Villard) will cheer for the return of Zita.” —School Library Journal
Winner NYPL Book for Reading and Sharing (2011), SLJ Online Best GN of the Year (2011), New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award Master List (2013), Long-listed Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List (2012), Winner CYBIL Award, Kirkus Best Book of the Year (2011), Long-listed SD Prairie Pasque Children's Book Award ML (2014), Long-listed IRA-CBC Children's Choices (2012), Long-listed Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award ML (2014), Winner Texas Bluebonnet Award (2012), Long-listed School Library Journal Best Graphic Novel of the Year (2011), Long-listed IRA-CBC Children's Choices, Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award Maser List (2013), Long-listed New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award ML (2013), Nominated Kiddo Award Nominee (2012), Long-listed Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award ML (2014), Long-listed Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award ML (2013), Long-listed Texas Maverick Graphic Novels List (2012), IRA-CBC Children's Choice List, Washington Sasquatch Reading Award Master List (2014), Long-listed Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year (2011), Long-listed ALA Notable Children's Books (2012), Long-listed Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice A. ML (2014), Winner NYPL Book for Reading and Sharing, Long-listed Amelia Bloomer Project/Feminist Task Force (2012), Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Master List (2014), Long-listed Washington Sasquatch Reading Award ML (2014), American Library Association Notable Children's Books (2012), Long-listed School Library Best Books of the Year (2011), Winner Capitol Choices Noteworthy Titles for Children and Teens (2012), Winner Texas Bluebonnet Award, Long-listed Texas Maverick Graphic Novels List, South Dakota Prairie Pasque Children's Book Award Master List (2014), ALSC Notable Children's Book, Winner CYBIL Award (2011), Long-listed ALA Notable Children's Books, Nominated Kiddo Award Nominee
ISBN: 9781596436954