Spaced Out

January 1, 2016
Another mystery presents itself on Moon Base Alpha. Twelve-year-old Dashiell Gibson has already solved one mystery on Moon Base Alpha, the colony on the moon he and his family call home (Space Case, 2014). Following the resolution of Dr. Holtz's murder, life has gone back to normal, with one exception: Zan Perfonic, a mysterious nonhuman life form that can project her consciousness into Dash's mind, is hanging out and trying her best to learn about humanity with Dash as her guide. The tutoring is put on hold when the base's commander, Nina Stack, goes missing without a trace. And of course, Dash was the last person to see Nina alive....Despite some solid humor and a functional mystery, there are two large problems with this sequel, and both stem from its position as a bridge from an opening volume to the series as a whole. The first is simple: this mystery is structured very similarly to its predecessor but isn't nearly as exciting. The first book had a dead body, where this one just has an absent one. The second issue is Zan's cliffhanging hint of a large catastrophe heading Earth's way. Since that concludes the narrative, the novel feels more like a place holder than a satisfying adventure in itself. Fans of the first book will find this a decent mystery but also a bit of a letdown; here's hoping things pick up again in the next volume. (Mystery. 9-14)

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May 1, 2016

Gr 5-8-The adventures of Dashiell "Dash" Gibson and the rest of the families on Moon Base Alpha, the first community on the moon, continue in this thrilling outing from popular author Gibbs. Life on the moon base is not going great for Dash. He's stressing out over his friendship with Zan Perfonic, an alien whom only he can see. He is terrorized by sibling bullies and, after defending himself, gets into trouble with Nina, the moon base's commander. When Nina goes missing one day, it's up to Dash and his friends to solve the mystery and get her back. A list of the residents of Moon Base Alpha precedes the story, making it more accessible to new readers. Gibbs also provides necessary backstory from the previous installment throughout. Excerpts from The Official Residents' Guide to Moon Base Alpha appear before each chapter, giving readers a hint of the space antics to come. Fantasy and mystery fans will find elements to enjoy in this fun, action-packed tale. An apocalyptic warning appears in the last chapter, ensuring more adventures in the near future.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
Just when Dash (Space Case) thinks things on Moon Base Alpha are getting back to normal (read: boring), the base commander goes missing. With help from his secret alien friend, Zan, Dash is determined to find the commander--after all, the base is the size of a soccer field! Realistic scientific details of lunar living make the mystery's unusual setting feel credible.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)