Blake Laser

by Keith Marantz, Larissa Brown (Illustrator), Larissa Brown

Overview

In this middle grade graphic novel adventure story perfect for fans of Zita the Spacegirl, a family vacation through the cosmos turns into a fight for all humankind.

Blake Laser. Daughter. Sister. Genius. 

Blake and her family are headed for a vacation out in deep space for some rest, relaxation, and a whole lot of family bonding time. It’s uncharted territory, and Blake is excited for the new adventure.

But the trip is cut short when the Interplanetary Space Control Center flags them down to warn them of danger. Someone—or something—is draining energy from the sun, threatening to plummet Earth to unlivable temperatures in just under forty-eight hours. Blake and her family are the only ones close enough to investigate. They must put their trip on hold to figure out what’s going on and, more importantly, stop it. If they don’t, the fate of the entire planet hangs in the balance.

Luckily, Blake Laser has a few clever gadgets and a few more bright ideas up her sleeve that just might save the day...and the world.  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063009660
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/03/2024
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Keith Marantz is a self-proclaimed sci-fi/comedy nerd. Seeing the movies Star Wars and Airplane! in theaters as a child was life-changing for him. And because of that, his writing often gravitates (get it?) toward a blend of those two genres. In addition to writing, Keith has a passion for music. He was a music producer and a member of the Recording Academy for over a decade, and he still performs as a DJ at retro events, playing disco and '80s music using only vinyl records. Keith lives in Orange County, California.

Larissa Brown is a Disney fine artist whose works are displayed in the galleries of Disneyland Resorts. She is also a former animation artist for Nickelodeon's Rugrats and Rocket Power and has illustrated almost a dozen books for Nickelodeon's licensed properties, including Avatar: The Last Airbender. She has taught art and comics to folks at Cartoon Network, Google, and LinkedIn, as well as thousands of children, teens, and adults all over the world through her educational company, OC Art Studios. Her favorite color is yellow, and she loves doing yoga and eating brownies, but not at the same time. Larissa is the illustrator and cocreator of the Clyde the Hippo picture book series, published with Penguin Workshop.

Larissa Brown is a Disney fine artist whose works are displayed in the galleries of Disneyland Resorts. She is also a former animation artist for Nickelodeon's Rugrats and Rocket Power and has illustrated almost a dozen books for Nickelodeon's licensed properties, including Avatar: The Last Airbender. She has taught art and comics to folks at Cartoon Network, Google, and LinkedIn, as well as thousands of children, teens, and adults all over the world through her educational company, OC Art Studios. Her favorite color is yellow, and she loves doing yoga and eating brownies, but not at the same time. Larissa is the illustrator and cocreator of the Clyde the Hippo picture book series, published with Penguin Workshop.

Editorial Reviews

2024-09-14
A family vacation among the stars becomes a mission to save the solar system.

In the year 2354, 12-year-old Blake McClain is on a spaceship with her family—her mom, who reads Black, her dad, who appears white, and her big brother, Brody. They’re on their way to a stellar vacation home, but their trip is sidelined when they discover that the sun is rapidly being drained. Clues point to a nearby asteroid. Hijinks ensue involving Zagbar and Karl, a pair of bumbling, blue-skinned aliens. The McClains’ family dynamics are wholesome and positive, with the parents showing affection for each other and the siblings playfully teasing each other. Blake and Brody learn to combine her science and his art in a standout scene. Blake’s parents are initially skeptical of her abilities, but they eventually recognize her scientific gifts and ability to handle responsibility despite her young age. Disappointingly, new classmate Sherman Klein, a chubby white-presenting boy, receives the opposite treatment, with Blake and her friend Anusha Gupta, who’s cued South Asian, joking about his weight and unkindly calling him a nerd. Blake says they’re “just playing,” but this behavior undermines her later heroism. Despite a flat quality to the illustrations, readers looking for an adventurous girl surrounded by science-fiction tech, spaceships, and dangerous robots will be well served, but the future looks regressive for nerdy friendship.

A STEM-friendly interstellar adventure.(Graphic science fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews