Akiko on the Planet Smoo by Mark Crilley is a great foray into the land of science fiction.  Akiko is a strong female character whom those from other planets look up to so much that they take her from her home on earth in order to utilize her great leadership skills.  Akiko is baffled that she be the one chosen for this role, and plays into it both tentatively and with renewed confidence in herself.

The eclectic and humorous cast of characters (Poog -the mute balloon head being our family favorite)  can't quite carry this adventure through to the end. There wasn't quite enough development in each character, making it difficult to connect with any of them.  The conclusion seems much less inspired than the rest of the book.  My son, and his 2nd grade compadres were candid when talking about the book's cover art, but lost their enthusiasm when it came to discussing any actual content.

This is the first in a series of Akiko's adventures.

IRL 4.5

2.5 out of 5 stars