Hazel Nutt, Alien Hunter

by David Elliot, True Kelley (Illustrator)

Aboard the starship Boobyprize, Captain Hazel Nutt and her intrepid crew land on the planet Wutt, where the Wutties charge the ship and deluge Hazel with an endless attack of puns.

Genres: Picture Books, Science Fiction, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2004

About the author

David Elliot is an award-winning illustrator and author who has achieved international success. After working as a zookeeper (Edinburgh Zoo), dishwasher (the Antarctic), interior designer and art teacher, in 1998 he became a full-time illustrator. David is a graduate of the Christchurch College of Education, and earned a Fine Arts Diploma from the University of Canterbury.

Reviews

[Melissa Chung · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've decided to do a spotlight on David Elliot because I loved his YA poetry re-tellings so much. What did I think about this picture book? I thought it was hilarious. I'm sure that David did not intend for the book to be funny in the way that I did, but it was funny none the less. Hazel Nutt is our main character and the captain of the starship Boobyprize. This made me laugh out loud for some reason. I know what a booby prize is, but at the same time....it had boob in it, so that made me laugh. Then I remembered I'm 40 and I need to stop laughing at kid jokes. But then the next page said, "Captain Hazel Nutt...her mission....to boldly go where no Nutt has gone before." I could have interpreted nut to be a person that is cuckoo, but instead I saw it as a verb, which made me giggle again. Lastly the planet that Captain Nutt lands on is the planet of Wutt and the aliens that live there are called wuttites, but I every time I went to read the word I saw "WHA... TITTIES!", then I was giggling again. True Kelley did a great job at the illustrations. They were fun, colorful, and had little hidden pictures through out the pages. One page you might even find Santa. This book would be good for 2nd or 3rd grade in the challenge of vocab and words on a page. Really liked it.

On to the next book....

[Rebeca Sanchez · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character- Hazel Nutt- is the Captain of her space ship and is on a mission to go as further than any other space explorer. When Hazel and her crew get caught in a "meator" shower, she has to make an emergency landing on the planet Wutt. As she was landing her ship, she accidentally lands on the leader of the planet. Hazel feels bad so she gives the aliens an offering. She finally leaves the planet and releases the leader when getting off her from the bottom of the ship. As much as I like space-puns, everything else was loosely written on the gift's importance. The illustrations are a good match with the story, but the story wasn't for me. Readers who are more into space adventures may enjoy the book, so they may like how the aliens are and their customs. The book was an okay read but it didn't have a clear message or plot that some books should by engaging readers.

[Meadow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hazel did not like this book as much as I thought she might. It cannot hold up to Berenstein Bears meet Santa Bear.

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just ok. Hazel and her two-headed first mate Igor travel space. They have to make an emergency landing on the planet Wutt.

[Andréa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a fan, but the kids will probably like it, and, after all, that's what it's all about.