SPACE CADET TOPO

Space Cadet Topo and his trusty sidekick Tinny Bot Girl set off to rescue the universe after the sun goes dark and cold. DGPH represents the trio of Argentinean designers who created Molestown, an animated game on the Internet, images from which have been used in prints, toys, T-shirts and accessories worldwide. This, the first book in English to use Molestown characters, features a standard video-game plot and some very loose science, including the curious idea that the sun warms our whole galaxy. Several pages are devoted to introducing the neighborhood, Topo’s home in the Donut Station, his job and the robots that help him, but eventually the story, “Mission 215,” begins. Topo has one hour to turn on the sun. Full-bleed full-color cartoons show them zipping through deep space to the last planet in the galaxy to retrieve the burning matchstick called “the galactic flame” and back to descend deep into the sun, facing down the monster guardian of the sun’s core, in order to relight its fire. Only for pre-existing fans of the game and merchandise this book so nakedly shills. (Picture book. 4-7)