The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian: The Fuzzy Apocalypse by Jonathan Messinger, and: The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian: The Accidental Volcano (review)

As Explorers Troop 301 from the Famous Marlowe 280 Interplanetary Exploratory Space Station, eight-year-old Finn and his pals Abigail, Elias, and Vale are allowed by their parents to visit and explore planets already deemed safe by the Marlowe's scientists, but if the first two installments of this chapter book series are any indication, those scientists have seriously questionable judgment. In Fuzzy Apocalypse, the troop meets a mind-controlling alien and a fuzzy bunny with big plans to blow up said alien's planet—it turns out, though, the bunny has a reasonable grudge against the mind-controlling Doug. In Accidental Volcano, Finn and friends are joined by the dim-witted but well-intentioned robot Voltronix, who accidentally unleashes rock monsters on a planet inhabited by cute little bubbly aliens. Despite the book's Finn-focused title, the series really has an ensemble cast, with the narrative moving among the four friends breezily, giving readers a chance to get to know each of the kids both as part of the team and as an individual. The banter between the pals is witty and warm, and the subtle pokes at sci-fi tropes temper some of the more obvious messages about the importance of working together and respecting differences. The black and white art features a diverse cast and has a cheerful effervescence that matches the book's easy humor. Readers not quite ready for Hernandez's Sal and Gabi Break the Universe (BCCB 2/19) might want to start their interplanetary journey here.