Goofy comics abound for young kids and, in the adult section, Scott Pilgrim has conquered many hearts and minds, but it's been hard to find a title in the YA section that strikes that pitch-perfect balance of silly and serious. Astronaut Academy is here to change that.
Hakata used to be the leader of a team of superheroes, but now he's being forced to go to school like every other kid. The Astronaut Academy floats out in space and offers classes in fire throwing, "wearing cute hats" and advanced heart studies, but it turns out to be just like any other high school when it comes to unrequited crushes, boring classes and cliques. The plot starts with Hakata and loosely revolves around him (and his would-be robot assassin), but the heart of the book is in Roman's unveiling of the hero's classmates through a progression of short vignettes from many perspectives. Their friendships, rivalries and backstories are so well-written that the book feels twice its length. This combination of average high school drama with outer space superhero hijinx is potent and addictive, especially against the backdrop of Roman's art, which is definitely manga-inspired but has a life all its own.
It's a book that's got all the fun stuff--watches that stop time, a panda who teaches Spanish and, "randomly," a full panel of Tori Amos references--and all the good stuff, like love and friendship and learning what makes you happy, as well. --Stephanie Anderson, manager of WORD in Brooklyn, N.Y.