Abstract
Reviewed by: Lily & Kosmo in Outer Outer Space by Jonathan Ashley Wesley Jacques Ashley, Jonathan Lily & Kosmo in Outer Outer Space; written and illus. by Jonathan Ashley. Simon, 2018 [208p] ISBN 978-1-5344-1364-1 $16.99 Reviewed from galleys R* Gr. 3-6 In 1949 Brooklyn, Mr. and Mrs. Lupino desperately want their daughter Lily to put aside all of her "space baloney" and grow into a "decent, normal little lady." When her parents turn off her favorite radio serial, tear up all of her comics, and throw away everything she's collected that even mentions the stars, Lily cuts her hair short like her favorite space adventurer and runs off with her baby brother and a Spacetronaut. As one does. Seemingly emerging from out of thin air, Kosmo Kidd, the Spacetronaut, proves to be a delightful companion for this adventure in Outer Outer Space—where "Orion could loosen his belt"—and his ragtag gang are an eclectic homage to Peter Pan's Lost Boys but in space. Even there, though, Lily is underestimated for being a girl, both by the all-boy Spacetronauts and by Outer Outer Space's villainous anti-kid regime from the Murky Way; fortunately, Lily proves to be a capable adventurer, forcing everyone to reconsider the ridiculous limitations placed on girls on and off Earth. This brilliantly silly story moves at a brisk pace with a lot of action, well-timed jokes, and detailed illustrations; it's an affectionate sendup of the sci-fi pulp mags Lily loves while remaining accessible for those way too young for Buck Rogers to ring any bells. Lily returns her little brother home after outsmarting the adults in the Murky Way and earning the respect of the Spacetronauts—which is now a co-ed enterprise—but she finds that not much has changed in Brooklyn. A closing image of her shadowy, heroic silhouette against the window curtains as she leaves for more adventure encapsulates this novel's ability to squeeze a whole lot of 1940s space opera charm into a modern kid–sized package. WJ Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Published Version
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