THE SEARCH FOR OUR COSMIC NEIGHBORS

A space mission has a surprising outcome.

The title page of this delightful English import portrays a familiar scene: the ground crew clustered around their screens at the launch of a new space expedition. But Savage—creator of two previous tongue-in-cheek ocean searches, beginning with The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish (2023)—offers an artful twist as she sends her explorers into space. Headed by pale-skinned Commander Julia, the bored and homesick crew of Mission Star Drifter have been searching for life in the universe for 10 long years before finally landing on what seems to be yet another deserted planet. As the crew fan out after their landing to explore, creatures living underground are fully aware of the earthlings’ presence and track their movements, making first contact with the ship’s dog, Khan. There’s such joy in this world that the crew decides to stay. As in previous titles, Savage’s graceful ink-and-watercolor illustrations, with their delicate washes of color, are filled with enchanting details, like the lightly anthropomorphized spaceship, which appears by turn nervous and, by book’s end, content. Savage’s witty text often contrasts with her images as readers realize that this “desolate wasteland” is anything but—a rather sophisticated commentary on the dangers of making assumptions. The Mission Star Drifter is helmed by a woman and staffed by a diverse crew, sending a subtle yet potent message that science and space exploration are for everyone.

Clever, funny, and worth discussing.