MICKEY MOONBEAM
by Mike Brownlow & illustrated by Mike Brownlow
A boy astronaut journeys in his spaceship to save an alien pen pal. Towheaded Mickey Moonbeam, his head sprouting multiple cowlicks, lives in Moonbeam City, a community under a bubble on a remote moon in outer space. When he gets a distress call from a green friend named Quiggle (they’ve corresponded but never met), he climbs into his spiffy blue spaceship and zooms, faster than a meteor, to Asteroid B 2672, where Quiggle’s space scooter has broken down. The Asteroid is bright yellow, with shallow craters and low hills. Mickey lands on a hill and has trouble walking on it—because it seems to be moving! It turns out to Quiggle’s helmet; he’s gigantic. They work together to repair Quiggle’s space scooter—that’s what friends are for—and zoom back to Moonbeam City to meet Mickey’s family. The author’s bright illustrations have a retro feel, which matches the sunny mood of the story. Prime sci-fi adventure for the very young. (Picture book. 3-7)