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AstroNuts #1
AstroNuts Mission One: The Plant Planet
AstroWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk, and StinkBug are animals that have been hybridized to find other planets for humans to live on once we've ruined Earth. So off they rocket to the Plant Planet! Will that planet support human life? Or do Plant Planet's inhabitants have a more sinister plan?
220 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2019
59 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Jon Scieszka
257 books1,579 followersJon Scieszka is an American children's writer, best known for picture books created with the illustrator Lane Smith. He is also a nationally recognized reading advocate, and the founder of Guys Read – a web-based literacy program for boys whose mission is "to help boys become self-motivated, lifelong readers."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
October 30, 2019
I spotted this book at the library & pointed it out to my 11 & 9 year old. I was enticed by the bright colors and silly animals and science & thought they would too. Their eyes glazed over with a firm “pass”
Fine, I said, I’ll read it and tell you how great it was and then you’ll read it. But nope. They were right, so right.
This is extreme climate change propaganda masquerading as a children’s book.
Now, before we go further, yes, I think we should care for our planet, yes, we should use resources responsibly but I do not believe an entire 5 page spread of blame belongs in a children’s book. Educate, yes. Blame & scare, no.
Added to that the plot was nonsense and the characters were boring.
Fine, I said, I’ll read it and tell you how great it was and then you’ll read it. But nope. They were right, so right.
This is extreme climate change propaganda masquerading as a children’s book.
Now, before we go further, yes, I think we should care for our planet, yes, we should use resources responsibly but I do not believe an entire 5 page spread of blame belongs in a children’s book. Educate, yes. Blame & scare, no.
Added to that the plot was nonsense and the characters were boring.
January 12, 2026
I was at a pretty solid 3 stars until the end when my 6 year old said “you know, if everyone read this book I bet they would be a lot kinder to Earth”. I was impressed with all she took away from it, even if I found the layout really overwhelming to read aloud.
March 19, 2019
Trying to hard to get original and funny. Just a lot of nonsense and absurd stuff. Not good!
November 21, 2019
I read this with my eight year old. We liked picking parts and taking turns reading them.
There is a lot of color on the page and witty dialogue that kept us laughing.
The crazy crew of the ship is trying to find a livable planet after the earth is ruined and unlivable. The first planet to vet is Plant Planet.
The hilarity begins, but we also learn some interesting facts along the way.
There is a lot of color on the page and witty dialogue that kept us laughing.
The crazy crew of the ship is trying to find a livable planet after the earth is ruined and unlivable. The first planet to vet is Plant Planet.
The hilarity begins, but we also learn some interesting facts along the way.
October 1, 2019
I was, like many of my generation, a huge Scieszka fan (The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, etc), so I figured I’d be in for a weird and enjoyable ride. This one was a lot more weird than enjoyable – not his best. But it did have some fun aspects. My favorite thing about this was the Narrator, Planet Earth herself, and she is wildly passive-aggressive through the whole thing, commenting frequently on how humans are really destroying her. I can definitely get behind a planet on the offense. I also like that LaserShark was the most femme of the creatures, haha. She was delightful.
But isn’t it a little weird to craft a book about ecology and saving the planet where the main characters were basically animal experiments? I guess there’s something poetic to animals saving the day, but whenever I think of animals in space, I think of the actual animals we sent into space, and that just makes me sad.
And the format was just a little too bizarre, and the humor doesn’t totally land. It might land with Captain Underpants fans though.
But isn’t it a little weird to craft a book about ecology and saving the planet where the main characters were basically animal experiments? I guess there’s something poetic to animals saving the day, but whenever I think of animals in space, I think of the actual animals we sent into space, and that just makes me sad.
And the format was just a little too bizarre, and the humor doesn’t totally land. It might land with Captain Underpants fans though.
April 13, 2024
Incredibly impressed with this book. STUFFED with math and science, but also funny and has a really really important theme. Jameson picked this up and read all three in three days. And the artwork is really cool. He did collage with free artwork from the Rijksmuseum. It's really cool!
September 11, 2019
Quirky, chaotic humor mingles witch a dab of science to create an unique space adventure.
The astronuts are a very, very, very well kept secret of the NNASA (Not-NASA) and are kept hidden in a nose on Mount Rushmore. When the Earth has reached its limits thanks to global warning, these four very strange and unique creatures are sent into space on a mission to find a new home for humans. They have two weeks, which might seem tight, but they run into a possible planet right away. However, things may not be as friendly as they seem on this planet.
There isn't much of an introduction in this book. Rather, the adventure begins right away as the four astronuts launch from a stone nose into space on their mission to save the world. Information surrounding these creatures is kept very skim and only dribbled in as needed...which causes a little confusion but, on the other hand keeps action high for those with very short attention spans.
The entire book has the atmosphere of a comic explosion gone madly array. There is a plot. Of sorts, but humor is kept on center stage. Quirky humor, which bounces all over the place. There might be 220 pages, but by no means is this a heavy read. The text is sometimes more, sometimes almost non-existent. In any case, reluctant readers won't be scared away. It's the type of humor which is going to determine if a reader enjoys this one or not. I don't think it's for everybody, but those kids who do find it funny will be laughing their heads off.
The illustrations are bright and bold and carry the same quirky, over-the-top feel as the rest of the book. It's definitely never boring. As an extra side-note, the illustrator explains on the very last pages how he used real works found in museums and such to piece together some of the scenes in a collage. It's definitely an extra tidbit for art lovers.
Lastly, this is a book on a mission. The entire story evolves around the basic theory that the Earth has been ruined by man's pollution. Global warming hits front and center, and is presented through a moment of a bit more scientific explanation...or in that direction. The basics of what a planet requires to ensure life as we know it exists also runs along with the tale, giving kids a deeper insight on that end of things. So yes, there is science as well or, at least, something in that direction.
In any case, this is an unique read which is great for reluctant readers who enjoy quirky humor and an exciting, never-ever boring, space adventure.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts. I found this one a little difficult to rate, since it seriously needs to hit the right reader. Some will love it. Others won't. But it's definitely an adventure one doesn't see everyday.
The astronuts are a very, very, very well kept secret of the NNASA (Not-NASA) and are kept hidden in a nose on Mount Rushmore. When the Earth has reached its limits thanks to global warning, these four very strange and unique creatures are sent into space on a mission to find a new home for humans. They have two weeks, which might seem tight, but they run into a possible planet right away. However, things may not be as friendly as they seem on this planet.
There isn't much of an introduction in this book. Rather, the adventure begins right away as the four astronuts launch from a stone nose into space on their mission to save the world. Information surrounding these creatures is kept very skim and only dribbled in as needed...which causes a little confusion but, on the other hand keeps action high for those with very short attention spans.
The entire book has the atmosphere of a comic explosion gone madly array. There is a plot. Of sorts, but humor is kept on center stage. Quirky humor, which bounces all over the place. There might be 220 pages, but by no means is this a heavy read. The text is sometimes more, sometimes almost non-existent. In any case, reluctant readers won't be scared away. It's the type of humor which is going to determine if a reader enjoys this one or not. I don't think it's for everybody, but those kids who do find it funny will be laughing their heads off.
The illustrations are bright and bold and carry the same quirky, over-the-top feel as the rest of the book. It's definitely never boring. As an extra side-note, the illustrator explains on the very last pages how he used real works found in museums and such to piece together some of the scenes in a collage. It's definitely an extra tidbit for art lovers.
Lastly, this is a book on a mission. The entire story evolves around the basic theory that the Earth has been ruined by man's pollution. Global warming hits front and center, and is presented through a moment of a bit more scientific explanation...or in that direction. The basics of what a planet requires to ensure life as we know it exists also runs along with the tale, giving kids a deeper insight on that end of things. So yes, there is science as well or, at least, something in that direction.
In any case, this is an unique read which is great for reluctant readers who enjoy quirky humor and an exciting, never-ever boring, space adventure.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts. I found this one a little difficult to rate, since it seriously needs to hit the right reader. Some will love it. Others won't. But it's definitely an adventure one doesn't see everyday.
April 23, 2020
Science and silliness: winning combination.
Visually a little challenging at times, but this may prove refreshing for some young readers too. This is an eco-era story of our human planet having become overheated and a new home planet necessary. It is the job of the AstroNuts (spelt wrongly on the paperwork, so the name has stuck) to travel off into space and find a suitable new planet in the Goldilocks zone for us silly people.
With four animal characters on the team, with different skillsets, children will see the kind of things scientists look at when investigating ecosystems - plant/intelligent life, food availability, habitats and shelters. The four aren't really given strong and separate characters but do work as a team, and do give a lot of information to the reader.
This story (first in the series) sees them land on a Plant Planet. No other life other than plants...hmm... and a lot of oxygen in the atmosphere, as well as methane (that'll come into it later...)... We have a lot of terminology used freely, to do with space exploration as well as their investigations on the surface of the planet - a glossary of terms and definitions would have been great at the end, though the teacher notes available from the website that is cited are helpful for this.
The story is a quirky plot in which readers will delight in seeing the twists coming. The science itself will stretch many, or will go over heads, though parents/teachers have a lot of opportunities here to teach/cover all sorts of related science topics (plant cells, climate change, speed of light, even report writing and interpreting graphs).
Readers will love the silly story, learn more than they'll be willing to admit, and get exposure to some slightly unusual layout/illustration/presentation styles.
I highly recommend using the teachers' guide on the Astronuts website, fantastic set of notes for using the text in various curriculum areas, it's very well thought-through.
One for solo readers of 8/9 and above, and great for anyone with an inclination towards science.
Visually a little challenging at times, but this may prove refreshing for some young readers too. This is an eco-era story of our human planet having become overheated and a new home planet necessary. It is the job of the AstroNuts (spelt wrongly on the paperwork, so the name has stuck) to travel off into space and find a suitable new planet in the Goldilocks zone for us silly people.
With four animal characters on the team, with different skillsets, children will see the kind of things scientists look at when investigating ecosystems - plant/intelligent life, food availability, habitats and shelters. The four aren't really given strong and separate characters but do work as a team, and do give a lot of information to the reader.
This story (first in the series) sees them land on a Plant Planet. No other life other than plants...hmm... and a lot of oxygen in the atmosphere, as well as methane (that'll come into it later...)... We have a lot of terminology used freely, to do with space exploration as well as their investigations on the surface of the planet - a glossary of terms and definitions would have been great at the end, though the teacher notes available from the website that is cited are helpful for this.
The story is a quirky plot in which readers will delight in seeing the twists coming. The science itself will stretch many, or will go over heads, though parents/teachers have a lot of opportunities here to teach/cover all sorts of related science topics (plant cells, climate change, speed of light, even report writing and interpreting graphs).
Readers will love the silly story, learn more than they'll be willing to admit, and get exposure to some slightly unusual layout/illustration/presentation styles.
I highly recommend using the teachers' guide on the Astronuts website, fantastic set of notes for using the text in various curriculum areas, it's very well thought-through.
One for solo readers of 8/9 and above, and great for anyone with an inclination towards science.
January 12, 2020
The AstroNuts are looking for another Goldilocks planet since Earth is soon going to become a little unpleasant to live on due to global warming. Their first stop is the Plant Planet, but can these explorers be observant enough to know whether or not the Plant Planet is a suitable Option B?
The AstroNuts are rather goofy characters that somewhat reminded me of the Bad Guys by Blabey. Their mission is completely different. Scieszka definitely has a mission with this series, to get readers to take better care of Earth. (Earth is the narrator and makes a lot of snide comments about humans' treatment of it.) That is fine, but it does make the book a teensy bit on the preachy side. The goofy main characters are a bit nervous on their first mission and so eager to find a new planet that they may miss the glaringly obvious that readers will easily notice. This was definitely too juvenile for middle school students, so it is aimed at decidedly the lower end of the middle grade audience. The book does introduce some good science topics, like needing a balanced ecosystem, what a Goldilocks planet is, etc. I found it somewhat entertaining but easy to put down. The most interesting part was the art style, a combo of old animal prints collaged into illustrations. (CeCe Bell likes to do similar stuff in the Inspector Flytrap Mysteries she illustrates for her husband.) Hand this to kids who like scifi and goofy humor.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. There is some malicious intent and accidental violence that results in a huge amount of destruction. Nothing gory.
The AstroNuts are rather goofy characters that somewhat reminded me of the Bad Guys by Blabey. Their mission is completely different. Scieszka definitely has a mission with this series, to get readers to take better care of Earth. (Earth is the narrator and makes a lot of snide comments about humans' treatment of it.) That is fine, but it does make the book a teensy bit on the preachy side. The goofy main characters are a bit nervous on their first mission and so eager to find a new planet that they may miss the glaringly obvious that readers will easily notice. This was definitely too juvenile for middle school students, so it is aimed at decidedly the lower end of the middle grade audience. The book does introduce some good science topics, like needing a balanced ecosystem, what a Goldilocks planet is, etc. I found it somewhat entertaining but easy to put down. The most interesting part was the art style, a combo of old animal prints collaged into illustrations. (CeCe Bell likes to do similar stuff in the Inspector Flytrap Mysteries she illustrates for her husband.) Hand this to kids who like scifi and goofy humor.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. There is some malicious intent and accidental violence that results in a huge amount of destruction. Nothing gory.
October 17, 2020
The first of a trilogy of graphic novels with a science focus by Scieszka and illustrator/son-in-law Steven Weinberg (not to be confused with the physicist SW)...
It is an emergency - Earth is in trouble with too much CO2. Not-NASA has called into action its four super-powered animal astronauts to look for a Goldilocks Planet; one that is not too hot, not too cold, just right for humans to live on. They are headed to the Plant Planet, where they are to investigate if it will be suitable. This is the episode about this adventure and their findings.
Scieszka is up to his usual zany antics, however it is not his best effort. While he packs in plenty of science-related information, he often throws in a one-liner joke on each two-page spread. Short chapters (2-6 pages each) make it feel a bit choppy. At 211 pages, he gives about 100 jokes too many and brings about potty humor tedium. This ain't his Time Warp Trio or any of his picture books. It is much looser and further out-of-this-world. For some kids, this will be a heavenly read, for others not so much. Weinberg's graphic novel approach, lots of illustrations, facts/factoids, and information compete for the reader's attention; what to read first? The science can be overwhelming. The mixed media artwork is intriguing, but not enough to salvage this book better than average.
Book number 2 takes them to a watery planet. For lesson plans and more, check out the books' website: https://www.astronuts.space/
There will be some kids who will find this to be 5-star, but not this reader.
Optional for grades 2-4.
It is an emergency - Earth is in trouble with too much CO2. Not-NASA has called into action its four super-powered animal astronauts to look for a Goldilocks Planet; one that is not too hot, not too cold, just right for humans to live on. They are headed to the Plant Planet, where they are to investigate if it will be suitable. This is the episode about this adventure and their findings.
Scieszka is up to his usual zany antics, however it is not his best effort. While he packs in plenty of science-related information, he often throws in a one-liner joke on each two-page spread. Short chapters (2-6 pages each) make it feel a bit choppy. At 211 pages, he gives about 100 jokes too many and brings about potty humor tedium. This ain't his Time Warp Trio or any of his picture books. It is much looser and further out-of-this-world. For some kids, this will be a heavenly read, for others not so much. Weinberg's graphic novel approach, lots of illustrations, facts/factoids, and information compete for the reader's attention; what to read first? The science can be overwhelming. The mixed media artwork is intriguing, but not enough to salvage this book better than average.
Book number 2 takes them to a watery planet. For lesson plans and more, check out the books' website: https://www.astronuts.space/
There will be some kids who will find this to be 5-star, but not this reader.
Optional for grades 2-4.
September 24, 2019
I was so grateful to get this book from @ChronicleKidsBooks. I’ve been a fan of Jon Scieszka since falling in love with The Stinky Cheese Man in elementary school. I’ve read many of his other books over the years, and was so happy to see he’s continuing the silliness. AstroNuts is a totally wacky book about four animals who were trained as astronauts to help find a new planet if/when humans wrecked Earth. Except there was a typo in the information, so instead of being skilled astronauts, the animals are AstroNUTS! They live up to their name and turn their adventure into a big crazy mess. The writing style of this book was so fun and easy to read, and the art style is amazing - collage and sketch, with explanations at the back of the book about how illustrator Steven Weinberg made the art. I’ve already loaned my copy to one student, who read it in one night. I have plans to use the book as a mentor text for creative writing lessons, because it shows that writing and art don’t have to be serious, and you don’t have to be “grown up” (no offense, Scieszka and Weinberg) to create a great book.
December 4, 2019
Four ASTRONUTS are off on their first mission to find a planet to support human life since the humans have destroyed Planet Earth.
(Yes, to answer your question. @jon_scieszka and @steven_draws have wrapped a dark and serious message in humor to both teach and entertain children from page 1.)
#sponsored
Four mutant animals hiding in Mt. Rushmore are charged with the mission. In their attempt to report Plant Planet as habitable, the Astro-Nuts found that the plant citizens are ready to defend their home.
Plenty of adventure and silliness for #middlegrade elementary level readers, but the witty absurdity will appeal to many levels of readers.
For teachers, ASTRONUTS can help dive into informational albeit comedic narrative for research writing assignments. The stories post-apocalyptic delve into some of the most important science of our time and this adventure (and our planet) are a big crazy mess.
For children showing interest in climate justice, this is a great way to help scaffold vocabulary and explore deep content in a way that can help them turn fear into action.
Thank you to @chroniclekidsbooks for our copy of the book.
(Yes, to answer your question. @jon_scieszka and @steven_draws have wrapped a dark and serious message in humor to both teach and entertain children from page 1.)
#sponsored
Four mutant animals hiding in Mt. Rushmore are charged with the mission. In their attempt to report Plant Planet as habitable, the Astro-Nuts found that the plant citizens are ready to defend their home.
Plenty of adventure and silliness for #middlegrade elementary level readers, but the witty absurdity will appeal to many levels of readers.
For teachers, ASTRONUTS can help dive into informational albeit comedic narrative for research writing assignments. The stories post-apocalyptic delve into some of the most important science of our time and this adventure (and our planet) are a big crazy mess.
For children showing interest in climate justice, this is a great way to help scaffold vocabulary and explore deep content in a way that can help them turn fear into action.
Thank you to @chroniclekidsbooks for our copy of the book.
March 20, 2019
This book was received as an ARC from Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Jon Scieszka's signature stories come to life once again. This time he takes a popular yet boring school topic and made it into such an interactive series that readers will not even know that they are learning. From the title I knew the book was going to be entertaining yet hysterical. I am excited to see this become a series and children of all ages will appreciate the humor associated with this book. I also found it very humorous that plants can be alive and have minds of their own thinking that they do not react well to unknown creatures such as The Nuts. I could not stop reading and laughing at the same time, I have never laughed so hard in my life.
We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
Jon Scieszka's signature stories come to life once again. This time he takes a popular yet boring school topic and made it into such an interactive series that readers will not even know that they are learning. From the title I knew the book was going to be entertaining yet hysterical. I am excited to see this become a series and children of all ages will appreciate the humor associated with this book. I also found it very humorous that plants can be alive and have minds of their own thinking that they do not react well to unknown creatures such as The Nuts. I could not stop reading and laughing at the same time, I have never laughed so hard in my life.
We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
May 22, 2019
I received this advance reader's copy through Baker and Taylor and the local library. First of all, Jon Scieszka is an angel who can do very little harm and I love him and I'm obviously definitely not biased at all, especially since my father definitely *didn't* read Scieszka to me before bed most nights as a child (that last bit is a blatant lie, I can still recite most of the Stinky Cheese Man).
With that being said, Astronuts was a really great dive into informational, comedic narrative. The story is mostly told from Earth's perspective, in a strange post-apocalyptic delve into the galaxy, hunting for a Goldilocks planet. It did a superb job offering concrete scientific fact in an understandable fashion (topics include Goldilocks planets, biodiversity, plant cell parts, ecosystems, and global warming, to name a few).
Read-alike: The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
Similar Audience: The Earth Before Us by Abby Howard
With that being said, Astronuts was a really great dive into informational, comedic narrative. The story is mostly told from Earth's perspective, in a strange post-apocalyptic delve into the galaxy, hunting for a Goldilocks planet. It did a superb job offering concrete scientific fact in an understandable fashion (topics include Goldilocks planets, biodiversity, plant cell parts, ecosystems, and global warming, to name a few).
Read-alike: The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
Similar Audience: The Earth Before Us by Abby Howard
September 5, 2019
This was such a delight! One would never guess from the cover featuring a pink dog, a dorky looking shark, a green buggish looking thing, and an orange hawk that this would end up being a story about global warming. With Earth as the narrator, there are a few asides about how humans have destroyed the planet, which is why the Astronuts are off looking for a Goldilocks planet to relocate to. It's a great introduction to how humans need to care more about the effects they are having on the earth, but it's also chock full of humor (plenty of bodily function jokes), action, and awesome graphics that tone down such a heavy topic. I can see this flying off the shelves at the library, and I'm so glad it's a series - will definitely read #2 whenever it comes out.
Also, you find out in the back that the book was created collage-style using images from a Dutch museum (all legal to use), and it features links to online templates kids can use to make their own collages. So cool!
Also, you find out in the back that the book was created collage-style using images from a Dutch museum (all legal to use), and it features links to online templates kids can use to make their own collages. So cool!
March 8, 2021
'AstroNuts Mission One: The Plant Planet' by Jon Scieszka with illustrations by Steven Weinberg is a book for young readers about a mission to find another planet and the wacky things that happen there.
When the Earth is endangered by humans, four hybrid animals named AstroWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk and Stinkbug, are sent to find a new planet. Plant Planet seems ideal as there is no life on it except plants. The animals soon learn why there are no animals on the planet and hijinks ensue.
When you see Jon Scieszka on the cover, you know you are in for a silly ride, and this book is no different. From the goofy animals to their rocket ship made from Lincoln's nose on Mount Rushmore. There is some science and a lot of fun. The illustrations are made from collages from old books and museums are are lively and fun.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Chronicle Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
When the Earth is endangered by humans, four hybrid animals named AstroWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk and Stinkbug, are sent to find a new planet. Plant Planet seems ideal as there is no life on it except plants. The animals soon learn why there are no animals on the planet and hijinks ensue.
When you see Jon Scieszka on the cover, you know you are in for a silly ride, and this book is no different. From the goofy animals to their rocket ship made from Lincoln's nose on Mount Rushmore. There is some science and a lot of fun. The illustrations are made from collages from old books and museums are are lively and fun.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Chronicle Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
November 12, 2021
This was a sneaky little book. I expected a fun, energetic reading experience and I found it. But what I didn’t expect was the education I received through the pages and the call to action it evoked in me. Scieszka takes us on a literal journey through space and time with the AstroNuts, four superpowered animal astronauts activated to investigate a new planet once the humans have crossed the big red line of carbon dioxide production. We follow their spirited adventures and learn about the delicate balance of the ecosystem and the consequences of imbalance along the way. The fun illustrations blended with artwork from the Dutch national museum create inviting collages to immerse the reader in the whimsical, yet informative, experience. Now, onto the next book in the series: AstroNuts Mission Two: The Water Planet.
June 10, 2019
A new series that is sure to be wildly popular with fourth and fifth graders, this one imagines a future that might be all that far in the distance. LaserShark, AstroWolf, SmartHawk, and StinkBug are mutants that have been created by Not-NASA with the sole purpose of finding a place that can sustain life for Earthlings. The four Astronuts begin their mission by exploring the Plant Planet, which seems to offer strong possibilities as a future home. Could it be that they've found the Goldilocks planet in their first attempt? Readers who like their science mixed up with a dash of humor will enjoy this title and all the trouble that the Astronuts run into on their mission. As it turns out, there is trickery and deception even among plant life.
October 10, 2019
I love Jon Scieszka, he is my childhood hero author, but this is not my favorite work of his. It felt drawn out and the repetition from the glitchy computer was actually annoying, like listening to a dial up, lol. However, this book was written for kids and not adults, and I think a goofy kid who was into science would really love it. It kind of combines fiction with nonfiction, but just wasn’t my thing. I do however, think it would be a great teaching tool! It would be great for teaching kids what components are needed for life on a planet, and it would also be great for teaching a few elements from the periodic table, and plant cells too.
Great book to make learning science fun, not so great for leisure reading.
Great book to make learning science fun, not so great for leisure reading.
December 8, 2019
With planet Earth in trouble with Climate Change, the government has a top-secret project inside of Mount Rushmore. And it’s time for this project to blast off into space in search of a habitable planet. Reporting for duty?
AlphaWolf, Mission Leader. Objective: to search for intelligent life on the new planet.
SmartHawk, AstroPlan Planner. Objective: to keep everyone on schedule and to test the ecosystem and climate of the new planet.
LaserShark, Mission Nurse, Cook and Security. Objective: to fine food on the new planet.
Stinkbug, Mission Pilot and Tech Officer. Objective: Find shelter
But when they land on the Plant Planet, at first everything seems like a good fit for humans. But the more they research, the more they feel like there’s something wrong.
AlphaWolf, Mission Leader. Objective: to search for intelligent life on the new planet.
SmartHawk, AstroPlan Planner. Objective: to keep everyone on schedule and to test the ecosystem and climate of the new planet.
LaserShark, Mission Nurse, Cook and Security. Objective: to fine food on the new planet.
Stinkbug, Mission Pilot and Tech Officer. Objective: Find shelter
But when they land on the Plant Planet, at first everything seems like a good fit for humans. But the more they research, the more they feel like there’s something wrong.
February 20, 2020
An adventurous sci-fi story about super animals that are on the search for a new planet for the human race since earth is nearly destroyed by global warming. In this first book, the animals explore the plant planet testing different qualities to see if it can support life. Although a very serious premise the book is wildly silly. It reminds me a lot of The Bad Guys: Episode 1, although I think I liked the Bad Guys more. The art in this is pretty cool. It uses collage from classic Dutch paintings. An interesting choice for such a silly book.
April 18, 2020
*I received a free review copy of this book from the publisher*
This one just didn't quite work for me. I thought the concept was interesting and the bright color scheme and humor will probably draw a lot of kids. Unfortunately, the text was sometimes a bit hard to follow because of the way it was spread across the page. There was some spot on humor, but sometimes it was just a bit forced. I also thought the random series of pages where Earth went on a rant about how humans are ruining the earth was dissonant with the story and would probably lose some readers. I might add this review copy to my library, but I don't think I'll buy any sequels.
Some of the collage artwork was pretty cool and I enjoyed reading the illustrator note in the backmatter.
This one just didn't quite work for me. I thought the concept was interesting and the bright color scheme and humor will probably draw a lot of kids. Unfortunately, the text was sometimes a bit hard to follow because of the way it was spread across the page. There was some spot on humor, but sometimes it was just a bit forced. I also thought the random series of pages where Earth went on a rant about how humans are ruining the earth was dissonant with the story and would probably lose some readers. I might add this review copy to my library, but I don't think I'll buy any sequels.
Some of the collage artwork was pretty cool and I enjoyed reading the illustrator note in the backmatter.
December 4, 2021
This was a mediocre book. There were a lot of science facts and information in this book, but just a few jokes here and there. The pages were dense, which might make this a difficult read for children. Weinberg's graphic visuals, facts, and information, compete for the reader's attention. The science can be confusing. The mixed media artwork is interesting, but not enough to raise this book above ordinary. I thought the concept was intriguing, and the bright colors and comedy would likely appeal to a large number of children. Unfortunately, due to the way the content was laid out on the page, it was sometimes difficult to understand. There was some good humor, although it felt a little forced at times.
March 20, 2020
"And that's how the AstroNuts SnotRocketed out of their Thomas Jefferson Nose and right into their investigation of the Plant Planet."
Silly and fun with a Green Save the Earth angle. Definitely a great one for boys in 4th grade and up.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Best For: 9 and up, fans of silly and fun and Scieszka's other books.
# of Pages: 220
Clean Read: Yes.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: Maybe
Some other fav quotes:
"The balance of a planet is key to its survival. And existing life is key to its balance. So, if you are ever exploring an unknown planet, it would be smart of you to be very careful about not messing up existing life on that planet."
Silly and fun with a Green Save the Earth angle. Definitely a great one for boys in 4th grade and up.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Best For: 9 and up, fans of silly and fun and Scieszka's other books.
# of Pages: 220
Clean Read: Yes.
Worth a Check Out: Yes.
Buy It or Not: Maybe
Some other fav quotes:
"The balance of a planet is key to its survival. And existing life is key to its balance. So, if you are ever exploring an unknown planet, it would be smart of you to be very careful about not messing up existing life on that planet."
April 27, 2025
Bright illustrations introduce the Astro-Nuts who seek a new planet as Earth's atmosphere is not going to sustain life much longer. The antics of these superior animals are funny. The science appears okay. I could not get past the font which is made to look like old typewriter/computer and just does not flow well. The planet they land on is mostly plants and uninhabited. At least, they thought it was uninhabited.
Despite the science of which there is a great deal, this is a long graphic novel that does not flow well. Scieszka is a genius for children's books, but not all of his work is as legendary as some of it.
Despite the science of which there is a great deal, this is a long graphic novel that does not flow well. Scieszka is a genius for children's books, but not all of his work is as legendary as some of it.
January 1, 2021
Meh. I was a bit disappointed. Didn’t find it funny, and thought most of the art was odd. Did like the underlying message-help save our earth and did like the fact the art is based on real art from a museum in Denmark that encourages people to create their own art from the items in the museum’s collection-no copyright worries!! However, not sure who will read this-the sloppy art is more likely to appeal to my younger readers and the content is definitely for older elementary students. Afraid it won’t get read but I’ll try!
September 4, 2025
This is a wacky book for a younger middle-grade audience, but still one with an important message. The plot was interesting, and so were the characters, but the jokes were mostly bland.
Fans of series like Dog Man, and The First Cat in Space will enjoy this more than I did.
Don’t listen to the reviews stating that this is somehow propaganda. It is not propaganda to teach children to care about the planet.
Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.
August 26, 2019
Thank you to Chronicle Books for the review copy!
2.5 stars. ASTRONUTS is the start to a whimsically ridiculous new series. What worked for me is the real science sprinkled into the laser-sharks and planet-leveling farts. The book is totally weird but it will work for the right type of weird-loving reader. It wasn't a book that was made for me, but the right audience will love it. And the illustrations are a lot of techno-colored fun!
2.5 stars. ASTRONUTS is the start to a whimsically ridiculous new series. What worked for me is the real science sprinkled into the laser-sharks and planet-leveling farts. The book is totally weird but it will work for the right type of weird-loving reader. It wasn't a book that was made for me, but the right audience will love it. And the illustrations are a lot of techno-colored fun!
October 18, 2019
I actually would give this a 4.5 just because Scieszka's memoir "Knucklehead," is one of my top faves of all time, and this one isn't quite it.
LOVED Astronuts. Love Scieszka's creativity and humor. This one was also packed with science, about what happens when you poison a planet's atmosphere. Some really knowledgeable facts about methane and CO2 levels, for example.
Should be on every kid's to read pile.
LOVED Astronuts. Love Scieszka's creativity and humor. This one was also packed with science, about what happens when you poison a planet's atmosphere. Some really knowledgeable facts about methane and CO2 levels, for example.
Should be on every kid's to read pile.
April 26, 2020
Too silly for my taste, but I can imagine fans of silly books might like this. Hybridized animals are blasted off into space to find a Goldilocks Planet since Earth is quickly meeting its demise. They fly in a nose rocket - be prepared for sneezing and snorting- and encounter some aggressive plant life on Plant Planet. Earth makes commentary throughout the story and reminds readers about climate change in a snarky way.
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