A movie that sneaks under the audience’s or critic’s radar used to be called a sleeper. To an extent it still is, but movie marketing has become so bloated that it’s almost impossible to get something green-lit unless a sequel or two can be made from the initial idea. Sometimes, smaller is better, like taking a potentially complicated, cumbersome story and breaking it up into a dozen or so television episodes. I’m looking at you Eternals. Reptoids From Space! is a sleeper book in the Carlton Crumple Creature Catcher book series that sneaks up on you and is perfectly sized for eight-year-old hands.
Reptoids from Space also has the content, DIY sensibilities, humor, and flow that will keep grades three through early sixth grinning. It’s also an example of a case where the shape of the book adds to its enjoyment. The book is almost square and the smaller pages suit the pacing of the story. Had the pages been on a larger graphic novel format, they would’ve been too big and made the story feel forced.
Has your child read any of the Captain Underpants books? Even if they or you have glanced at any of the books or seen the show on Netflix you’re familiar with the comic books that George and Harold make. The style in those faux comic books is similar to Reptoids From Space!. The drawings are loaded with energy and have a look about them as if they’re being created by an actual elementary school student. ….Albeit, a very artistic and talented student, but one whose short attention and propensity to kid-friendly dinosaurs, monsters, and action take the front seat.
Reptoids From Space! is comfort reading for those elementary school students. Carlton Crumple has two adventures before this book and has established himself as quite the monster catcher. Carlton Crumple #3 starts out with him getting spooked by a scary movie on television. He looks out the window and sees a UFO. Because he’s done this before, he gives chase and ultimately catches them, only to realize that it’s a prank designed by his brother, and not a real one at all.
This lands Carlton in trouble, but only until a real UFO is spotted across town. This one is inhabited by real aliens who just want to capture their pet who has escaped. Unfortunately, their pet is a Reptodactyl, a giant, flying lizard who is just about to wake up from its very long nap.
Carlton teams up with two friends, hops on his flying sofa, and proceeds to hopefully save the day. There are many more subtle plot shifts and things that happen in the story that will have kids laughing along with it. They’ll laugh as they read it because Reptoids From Space is incredibly silly. Based on this book, the entire Carlton Crumple Creature Catcher graphic novel series, assuming the first two are like this, will be great for kids in second through fifth grade.
Some of those in that range won’t be able to read the onomatopoeias in the book, as well as, a handful of other words. If that’s the case then they’ll easily be able to follow the story based on the illustrations. The older readers in that range will be able to read all of the words and go to Reptoids From Space as graphic novel comfort food, or because they’re making their own comic book that’s akin to this. It’s in full color and is the (again) silly sort of graphic novel that some kids will pass around to their friends as they talk about who is most like whom in the book. If there was a middle-elementary school water cooler then they’d gather around, have milk coming out of their noses and goof about Carlton Crumple’s adventures also.
Carlton Crumple Creature Catcher, book 3, Reptoids From Space is by David Freemont and available on Pixel + Ink.
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