FLIGHT EXPLORER

A welcome addition to the still-thin ranks of graphic fiction for younger children, this collection offers ten entertaining new tales from as many authors. The plots range from a child’s snowy romp with a purple monster (Kean Soo’s “Jellaby—First Snow”) and the discomfiting results of having idle wishes come true (Ben Hatke’s “Zita the Spacegirl—Wishing Socks”), to Jake Parker’s more conventional battle between a snarky hero mouse and a huge commando droid in “Missile Mouse—The Guardian Prophecy.” Texts are terse or, in several cases, nonexistent, and the colorful, crisply reproduced art has a consistent look throughout; even less able readers should have no trouble following the action and appreciating the humor. Like Kibuishi’s Flight series for adults, this is likely to “fly” off library shelves—and also set up a clamor both for future volumes and for the full-length ones in which many of these characters already star. (Graphic short stories. 7-10)