Rocket and Groot
Stranded on planet strip mall

1. This book is based on two characters in Guardians of the Galaxy. A cybernetic raccoon named “Rocket” and a talking tree that just keeps saying “I am Groot.”

2. The two of them and a talking tape dispenser are stranded on a planet that is surrounded by space piranhas, annoying robots, and alien eating toilets that send people down to a hungry beast within the core of the planet.

By: Samuel Wright

While Rocket and Groot are fighting alien space piranhas they crash land on a uncharted small strip mall planet. They start exploring with a tape dispenser named Veronica needing food, water, and soil to survive with an urge to use a bathroom. In the first shop they go into the robot owner asks them if they want to use a bathroom and agree, realizing that the planet had killer toilets and the shop blew up. This then repeats for a couple more times and the robots will activate battle mode if Rocket, Groot or Veronica don't use the toilet. They then find Rocket's old ship the "Rakk' n Run" and find the robot versions of The Guardians of the Galaxy ending up fighting them. Then Rocket, Groot, and Veronica bring the "Rakk' N Run" up to shape and discover that there's a space monster inside the planet and decide to try to defeat it. Going down the killer toilets and landing in the heart of the planet they then duke it out with Groot growing to supersize beating up the monster. Then they leave on the "Rakk' n Run" and realize the monster wasn't actually defeated with the monster ending up eating the alien space piranhas. Then Rocket, Groot,and Veronica went by the monster grateful for the food with them then leaving the planet.

I thought this book was pretty good because overall it was really funny. I also enjoyed it because of how they had killer robots and you would be attacked it you didn't use their toilets. It was also funny when Veronica would say "Captain Slog is not a listed contact" when Rocket really said Captain's Log and it's consistent throughout the whole book. I also thought it had a nice ending because they were attacking alien space piranhas and in the end the alien space piranhas got eaten by the monster in the planet's heart. Personally I enjoyed how they had random conversations about Groot’s yo-yo skills, the water at the center of the planet being very nutritious and other things as well. Overall the book was pretty good and the bizarreness or humor making me enjoy my read overall. ( )

The tape dispenser steals the show! ( )

STRANDED ON PLANET STRIP MALL by Tom Angleberger is the first chapter book in the new Rocket and Groot trilogy for middle grade readers.

Rocket Raccoon and his giant plant sidekick Groot have crash landed on a planet that’s a giant strip mall. Filled with slapstick comedy, this unlikely duo face raccoon-eating toilets, bizarre robots, and other strange shopping related hazards. This wacky adventure features non-stop action for fans of silliness and the galaxy’s most dangerous super intelligent tape dispenser.

Librarians will find fans of Angleberger’s Origami Yoda books flocking for this new science fiction trilogy. The book will appeal to reluctant readers who enjoy the varied fonts and small chunks of text interwoven with simple artwork. With the popularity of the Guardians of the Galaxy comics and movies, this title with be popular with younger readers who want to feel connected to this media franchise.

Published by Disney-Marvel on March 8, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher. ( )