• Booklist Reviews : Booklist Reviews 2019 May #2
  Dedicated to Douglas Adams and positively abrim with Hitchhiker's Guide–style snark, Lubar's latest (Ghost Attack, 2017) sends an ignorant but game seventh-grader, a gerbil, and a package of hamburger—the latter two suddenly able to think and talk thanks to one of the many futuristic (not to mention, plot) devices on hand—on an intergalactic romp. The adventure begins when Nicholas, Henrietta the gerbil, and the hamburger (dubbed Jeef, for "Grass Fed") are kidnapped by caterpillar-like Craborzi for an episode of the popular reality show Let's Cut Things Up! From there, it careens onward past nick-of-time escapes, exploding planets, and encounters with wildly imaginative aliens (notably Morglob Sputum, Pflemhackian talent agent to the stars, described as "the world's largest sneeze"). All of this is related in sheaves of short chapters punctuated by side comments, Larkum's spot art (not seen), and Nicholas' favorite exclamation: "Roach brains!" In the end, Nicholas, Henrietta, and (in a sense) Jeef get back to Earth, set up for a planned sequel. A cosmically comic caper, no matter how you slice it. Grades 5-7. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.

Ever since DAVID LUBAR was little, he has traveled to alien planets, fantasy realms, and Earthly wonders by means of books. He’s thrilled he can help launch others on this journey through his own novels and short stories. In the past 25 years, he’s written more than fifty books for young readers, including Hidden Talents (an ALA Best Book for Young Adults), My Rotten Life, which is currently under development for a cartoon series, and the Weenies Tales short story collections, which have sold more than 2.7 million copies. He grew up in Morristown, NJ, and currently lives in Nazareth, PA with his awesome wife, and not too far from his amazing daughter and son-in-law. In his spare time, he takes naps on the couch.