It is totally my day for adorable graphic novels -- love this -- love the spunky galactic misfits and their endless interesting adventures. Friendship, believing in yourself, taking care of each other -- good messages! ( )

reviewed from egalley (thanks to netgalley)

Children's graphic novel (less-pink girls, everyday diversity, cool sci-fi/alien badges). Terrific new series (I hope it becomes a series!) starring a Hindi girl who doesn't care for the makeup tips and decoupage topics discussed by her flower scout troup and finds something better when she is accidentally teleported by a star scout. You don't actually learn real science from the book, but it does portray STEM topics like robotics and engineering in a positive and fun way. Avani learns a lot about making friends and working together when she goes to her alien scout camp and eventually even makes some strides towards bridging the rivalry between O-twos (oxygen-breathing species) and methane-breathers.

The cover reminds me of the latter years of the Akiko series, but it's not like there's a whole lot of ethnic-looking characters on covers (yet!), and I think kids should be able to find books where the characters look like themselves, so I don't mind at all. ( )

[Based off of personal enjoyment]
+ I liked Avani's design
- a little too gross and too much fighting
- it's cool that Avani doesn't like makeup, talking about boys, or decoupage, but she just gives those "I'm not like other girls" teas. ( )

I definitely agree with Avani, I would rather be a Star Scout than a Flower Scout. This is a great book for young girls. When Avani's father enrolls her in Flower Scouts to meet new friends, it does the opposite. Most of the girls think Avani is a hick because she is not interested in boys, makeup and music from the newest boy idol. When she accidentally gets transported by Mable to her planet, she joins Star Scouts. Mabel transports her each week for meetings. When she gets the opportunity to go to Camp Andromeda for a week she meets another Star Scout and they do not get along. Can Avani learn to work with others that she may not like the best? Will she realize that her attitude may have something to do with the way others perceive her? Will her time with the Star Scouts help her to see that there are people at her school who want to be her friends?

This is a cute adventure graphic novel for young girls. It will help them to look at their attitude and how it affects others as well as the idea that you need to be a friend to make friends. A good book to have in school and public libraries.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Avani isn't happy about being the new girl in town. She's even more disappointed in the Flower Scouts troop. Unlike her Pine Scouts troop at home they don't do anything fun, just talk about boys and makeup. But what Avani doesn't know is that, quite a ways away, another girl is having a hard time fitting into her scout troop...and only has a few minutes to pick up her specimen for her badge!

Turns out, she picked Avani. At first she's shocked, but Avani figures out pretty fast that she'd much rather be a member of the Star Scouts, even if her troop has some.... issues... than the Flower Scouts back home. But it's not long before things start getting dangerous, with a rivalry with the methane-breathers and a challenge to Avani belonging in the Star Scouts. After all, Earth isn't a member of the Galactic Union!

Will Avani be able to stay in the Star Scouts - and will she figure out how to be a good friend (not to mention survive?)

There's an easy sense of diversity throughout this graphic novel. Avani doesn't automatically team up with the only other non-white girl in her earth troop. Although it turns out they have some interests in common, she has to get past her dislike of anyone with different tastes and how easily she dismisses the other girls. The aliens themselves have a huge variety of tentacles, colors, and personalities but there's still prejudice against differences and some rough competition. Avani learns that there's still a lot she needs to know about teamwork and friendship before she can truly fit into the galactic universe.

Lawrence has a crisp style that will attract fans of Telgemeier and Hatke along with a sense of humor that will appeal to Captain Underpants readers. This isn't quite the book for readers who want a more sophisticated story of interpersonal emotions - there's too many fart jokes - but it's just the right book for kids who like adventures and funny stories and are navigating the shift to upper grades in school, different rates of maturity, and changing interests among their friends.

Verdict: A funny and exciting story, it might need a little booktalking to get it to the exact right audience, but once you've found them it's sure to be a hit! Also, accidental alien abduction is never not funny. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781626722804; Published 2017 by First Second; Purchased for the library