What do you think?
Rate this book
Galaxy Games #1
The Challengers
Galaxy Games: The Challengers by Greg Fishbone, illus. by Ethen Beavers, introduces Tyler Sato, a boy who is destined to become Earth's champion in the Galaxy Games. But first, Tyler must survive Earth's first encounter with alien life forms.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
3 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Greg R. Fishbone
5 books39 followersGreg R. Fishbone is an author of science fiction and mythic fantasy for young readers. His works include a contemporary fantasy from Blooming Tree Press and the critically acclaimed Galaxy Games series from Lee & Low Books and Spellbound River Press. He is the founder and author-in-residence at Mythoversal, which is bringing equity, inclusion, and diversity to classical texts.
From 2001 to 2018, Greg served as Assistant Regional Advisor for the New England regions of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. He has presented workshops on a variety of craft and career development topics and has co-directed regional conferences for SCBWI in New England.
Greg was president of the groundbreaking "Class of 2k7" group of debut authors and mentored several follow-up author groups.
For more information, visit his website at http://gfishbone.com
From 2001 to 2018, Greg served as Assistant Regional Advisor for the New England regions of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. He has presented workshops on a variety of craft and career development topics and has co-directed regional conferences for SCBWI in New England.
Greg was president of the groundbreaking "Class of 2k7" group of debut authors and mentored several follow-up author groups.
For more information, visit his website at http://gfishbone.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 31, 2016
This was a fun (and funny) as well as a quick read.
I was laughing all the way through this book. The heroes and most of the characters are 11 year olds. Imagine a universe where all intergalactic relations are handled by games played by 11-year olds. That's right. No weapons. No wars. Just kids playing... well, I'll let you find that out.
This is also a multicultural book. You have Japanese, Japanese-American, and Shoshone characters. There's astronomy, video games, manga, etc. This is a wonderful book. I can't wait to read book #2.
I was laughing all the way through this book. The heroes and most of the characters are 11 year olds. Imagine a universe where all intergalactic relations are handled by games played by 11-year olds. That's right. No weapons. No wars. Just kids playing... well, I'll let you find that out.
This is also a multicultural book. You have Japanese, Japanese-American, and Shoshone characters. There's astronomy, video games, manga, etc. This is a wonderful book. I can't wait to read book #2.
September 1, 2011
Galaxy Games: The Challengers by Greg R. Fishbone is a children's book due for release on September 28 2011. Tyler Sato is thrilled to have finally turned eleven. Despite some serious effort from his older sister, Tyler has a great birthday which includes a star named after him from his family in Japan. When his astronomer father brings Tyler and his friends to the observatory for a pizza party and chance to chart the star, something unexpected happens. The star seems to have appeared very recently, and his father starts studying the star. Soon astronomers around the world are watching, because the object dubbed TY SATO seems to be hurdling through space towards Earth. Meanwhile, up in space young M'Frozza is on a mission to find a team to take on the challenge of the Galaxy Games in place of her world's team, saving their planet from being dishonored in a universal sporting event. Can Tyler and M'Frozza, and maybe members of the human race, all come together in the honor and sportsmanship of the Galaxy Games?
See my complete review on Associated Content.
See my complete review on Associated Content.
October 28, 2011
For his 11th birthday, Ty Sato's Japanese's relatives named a star after him. Ty's father an astronomer, takes Ty and his friends to the observatory to see his star. Soon it becomes clear that Ty's star is something else but no one knows what. As Ty Sato moves closer to earth at a very fast speed everyone begins to panic. Ty doesn't like all the attention from his name sake.
The chapters alternate between Ty Sato in Nevada, his cousin Daiki in Japan and an alien girl named M'frozza. Ty Sato is a silver spaceship from M'Frozza planet, Mrendaria. M'Frozza is desperate to protect the honor of the Mrendarians in the galaxy games and she needs help from the primitive planet of earth. The galaxy games are universally accepted competition amongst kids to settle all conflicts. Ty Sato is unknowingly becomes a part of the galaxy games.
Fishbone created great characters with excellent dialogue and chapter transitions. The three main characters - Ty, Daiki and M'Frozza are all well delevoped and likeable. There are a few illustrations sprinkled throughout the novel. Galaxy Games was a lot of fun and very well done. An excellent choice for reluctant readers.
The chapters alternate between Ty Sato in Nevada, his cousin Daiki in Japan and an alien girl named M'frozza. Ty Sato is a silver spaceship from M'Frozza planet, Mrendaria. M'Frozza is desperate to protect the honor of the Mrendarians in the galaxy games and she needs help from the primitive planet of earth. The galaxy games are universally accepted competition amongst kids to settle all conflicts. Ty Sato is unknowingly becomes a part of the galaxy games.
Fishbone created great characters with excellent dialogue and chapter transitions. The three main characters - Ty, Daiki and M'Frozza are all well delevoped and likeable. There are a few illustrations sprinkled throughout the novel. Galaxy Games was a lot of fun and very well done. An excellent choice for reluctant readers.
October 26, 2011
The opening book of the Galaxy Games trilogy finds 11-year-old Tyler Sato at the center of a crisis neither he nor the world expected: a star named after him has turned out not to be a star but an object heading for Earth. The object proves to be a starship bearing some startling news: Earth has declared a challenge against an alien world, one that can only be resolved through a game. Tyler is drafted to lead an international group of young athletes in a contest where he has to learn the rules as he goes along, and hope somehow he doesn't ruin Earth's first contact with the stars.
Greg Fishbone has long displayed a gift for blending likeable characters, just-this-side-of-ludicrous situations, fast-paced action, and humor that both kids and adults will enjoy. (Hey, I was grinning and sometimes laughing out loud, and there wasn't a middle schooler anywhere around.) I was reminded of both the fun adventure feel of the Lucky Starr books I enjoyed as a kid and the character-driven humor of the Discworld books, though the story itself is derivative of neither. I'm definitely looking forward to the next volume.
Greg Fishbone has long displayed a gift for blending likeable characters, just-this-side-of-ludicrous situations, fast-paced action, and humor that both kids and adults will enjoy. (Hey, I was grinning and sometimes laughing out loud, and there wasn't a middle schooler anywhere around.) I was reminded of both the fun adventure feel of the Lucky Starr books I enjoyed as a kid and the character-driven humor of the Discworld books, though the story itself is derivative of neither. I'm definitely looking forward to the next volume.
September 26, 2011
This is a totally cute, totally funny book. I actually laughed out loud several times and shared it with my husband. There was a little bit in the middle where I wondered where the story was going as more characters on the team are introduced--important setup for future novels, I'm sure--but as soon as those things came together, I was back and enjoying the story. I absolutely LOVED the ending. We're not actually told what sport is played in the Galaxy Games until the end of the book--and the surprise is hilariously worth it!! Oh man, too funny and just my sort of humor. I also really enjoyed the cover of the book and the great illustrations throughout. (Well to be honest I wished there were even more illustrations and wished the whole thing could've been a graphic novel, but a delightfully hilarious novel is good too. :) )
May 25, 2015
This is a very humorous science fiction book. The main character, Ty Sato turned 11 years old. Hid Japan family named a star after him. There were very interesting things that happened in the story that you shouldn't miss. Ty was sent to play game in order to prevent their planet to be dishonored. It's a very nice story for 4th to 5th grade children to read.
July 21, 2011
What a fun, fun book. A wonderful diverse cast, laugh-out-loud humor and a clever plot. I'm looking forward to book 2.
November 14, 2011
Some of the funniest science fiction I've read in a while.
Read
June 2, 2016just good good [the expression is so diplomatic for young readers and irrelevant sounds so silly[:]
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews