A Kirkus Reviews Best YA Science Fiction of 2018 Selection
"Walz’s art is accessible and deceptively simplistic, caught between being realistic and cartoony. It will appeal to kids who’ve come to love cartoons that have many of the same messages, from Steven Universe to Gravity Falls." —Paste Magazine
"A masterful sci-fi tale with relatable characters, skillful worldbuilding, and cinematically designed illustrations that convey his message."—Kirkus Review, starred review
"Strong character development, atmospheric art, villainous aliens, snappy banter, cheerworthy protagonists, and well-executed suspense should give this lots of broad appeal." —Booklist, starred review
"Messages about valuing all humans (from an author’s note: “Whatever the world sees as ‘different’ is exactly what the world needs”) add meaningful layers to this fast-paced adventure featuring a cast of likable heroes and creepy, memorable aliens." —Publishers Weekly
"An action-packed story with compelling art and dialogue and a cliff-hanger ending . . . A strong pick for reluctant readers. Give to fans of Margaret Peterson Haddix’s 'Shadow Children' series or Mark Siegel’s '5 Worlds' books." —School Library Journal
“The story stands out in asking readers to consider that 'the world often has a narrow view of what success looks like.' This fun and thematically meaningful comic would be a great addition to classroom and library shelves.” —VOYA Magazine
"With Last Pick, Jason Walz has created a beautifully crafted science fiction graphic novel that is heartfelt, filled with endearing characters, and all too timely." —New York Times bestselling author Jeff Lemire
★ 2018-08-20
Aliens invade, abducting almost everyone.
In this high-octane graphic novel series opener, creepy extraterrestrials have overrun Earth, deploying gargantuan robot "scoopers," collecting people ages 16 to 65. However, in addition to leaving children and the elderly, the aliens have also left behind anyone they deem useless, like the "disabled." Sixteen-year-old Sam and her twin brother, Wyatt, are in hiding, trying to rebuild the aliens' abandoned technological devices in order to ascertain where their parents might be located. With the help of a rough-and-tumble band of senior citizens, the twins make their way through an eerily analogous—albeit alien-run—landscape. Though never explicitly stated, Wyatt is seemingly on the spectrum. While sister Sam has always served as his protector, in a dramatic turn of events at one point in the story, it is up to Wyatt to become the hero. Cartoonist and teacher Walz (A Story for Desmond, 2015, etc.) tells his reader, "you might be surprised to find that whatever the world sees as 'different' is exactly what the world needs more of." Here he has created a masterful sci-fi tale with relatable characters, skillful worldbuilding, and cinematically designed illustrations that convey his message. Colorist Proctor has employed a muted earth-toned palette, using color to help easily distinguish flashbacks from present action. Sam and Wyatt are both white and fair-haired. Secondary characters are widely diverse in physical ability, age, and skin color.
Awesome. (author's note) (Graphic science fiction. 12-18)
