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About The Book

“Space opera charm in a modern kid–sized package.” – BCCB (starred review)

Explore outer outer space where dastardly villains await in this hilarious and inventive illustrated middle grade novel.

Brooklyn, Earth. 1949.

Lily Lupino is going to be an astronaut when she grows up. For now, she’ll have to settle for listening to science fiction programs on the radio. But when certified Spacetronaut Kosmo Kidd crash lands his wind-up rocket ship in Lily’s kitchen, it’s a chance Lily can’t pass up!

Mistaking Lily for a boy, Kosmo agrees to take her back to his floating treehouse in the stars, but it doesn’t take long for the other Spacetronauts to figure out that Lily is a girl. Kosmo has accidentally broken Spacetronaut Rule #1: NO WIMMEN ALOWD!

Banished to the far reaches of Outer Outer Space, Lily and Kosmo explore exotic alien worlds, meet a menagerie of colorful creatures, and tangle with the vilest villain in space, The Mean-Man of Morgo. But Lily’s greatest challenge is proving to her new Spacetronaut peers that a girl from Brooklyn can hold her own among the galaxy’s unruliest rascals.

About The Author

Jonathan Ashley is an author, playwright, concept artist, and filmmaker from Arizona. He studied fine art at Boston’s Museum School and filmmaking at NYU. His illustrations and designs have been featured in films, commercials, comic books, and puppet shows. He lives with his wife and daughter in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge, on the Brooklyn side.

About The Illustrator

Jonathan Ashley is an author, playwright, concept artist, and filmmaker from Arizona. He studied fine art at Boston’s Museum School and filmmaking at NYU. His illustrations and designs have been featured in films, commercials, comic books, and puppet shows. He lives with his wife and daughter in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge, on the Brooklyn side.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (December 4, 2018)
  • Length: 208 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534413665
  • Grades: 2 - 5
  • Ages: 7 - 10
  • Lexile ® 790L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Raves and Reviews

"Humorous space opera with a distinct [Doctor] Who flavor."

– Kirkus Reviews

Ashley's... imaginative debut is embellished with humorous illustrations, including fish-bowl helmets, a tree fort, and toy ray guns—all things from which dream adventures are made.

– Booklist

This brilliantly silly story moves at a brisk pace with a lot of action, well-timed jokes, and detailed illustrations... 1940s space opera charm into a modern kid–sized package.

– BCCB, STARRED REVIEW

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