Oh No, Astro! by Matt Roeser, illustrated by Brad Woodard

Astro is just fine in his own orbit with no intruders, thank you very much. But then a satellite gets closer. And closer. And oh no! Astro is off on a crazy journey. Will he survive the giant SMASH! that awaits him?

Back matter to this fun picture book includes a series of related space facts and information about asteroids as well as a few suggestions for further reading.

The art is bright and eye-catching, with lots of sharp edges and splashes of color against the blackness of space. Astro zips merrily through the cosmos with a flaming trail of fire (and lost belongings).

This was hilarious and I loved it! There are so many ridiculous jokes that I giggled through the whole book, from Astro requesting that "his personal outer space...be respected" to his wail of "I don't like confrontation!" as he whizzes towards the earth. Cheerful, bright pictures, lots of funny jokes, and a useful compendium of back up facts make this the perfect book for space storytimes or kids interested in space.

Verdict: Funny, informative, just the right length, and all together delightful. I also appreciated Nova, the little girl who's clearly on her way to be a scientist. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781481439763; Published 2016 by Simon and Schuster; Borrowed from another library in my consortium