School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7-This graphic novel takes the school story into outer space with humor, a bit of action, and a cast of unusual characters. Fish-out-of-water Bud catches the wrong bus and ends up far, far from home at Cosmos Academy, where Earthlings are not welcome. He befriends lime-green alien Gort, who shows him the ropes of the school. Posing as a Tenarian, Bud must figure out how to get back to his home planet while avoiding the wrath of Principal Lepton, a Lanthornoid fearful of Earthlings. The tone of the book stays on the lighter side while still touching on themes of fitting in and fear of the unknown. Bud's quest to return to Earth is full of secrecy, adding a splash of tension to the story. The book looks great, with vibrant, full-color artwork rendered in pencil drawings that have been digitally inked and colored. The panel layouts are basic and clear, adding to the inviting package. Fans of UFOs and aliens will enjoy this one.-Travis Jonker, Wayland Union Schools, MI (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
After catching the wrong bus, young Bud finds himself at a school that's out of this worldliterally.On what is to be his first day at his new school, Bud accidentally finds himself on a spaceship school bus on the way to the Cosmos Academy, where Earthlings are the most feared creatures in the galaxy. He is quickly befriended by lovable green alien computer geek Gort McGortGort. At the Academy, it is quickly apparent that the current administration is up to no good. They are suspicious of Bud, who is being passed off as a Tenarian, an alien race that excels at ZeroBall. Bud, desperate to get home, and Gort devise a plan to hitch a ride back to Earth by winning the ZeroBall tournament, a near-impossible feat. The classic underdogs must fight their way against bullies both young and olda well-trod storyline. Fearing adds appealing touches, such as the Transchip, a nod to Douglas Adams' Babel Fish, which makes all languages understandable, or the Blip, a handheld computer that's "a map, runs homework modules...has video chat, staff directory..." Couple this with vibrant cartoon art and a surprise happy ending for an easy, feel-good read. A fun, intergalactic buddy story that may not reinvent the wheelor the UFObut works well here, nonetheless. (Graphic science fiction. 9-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
What's worse than being the new kid at a new school? Being the new kid at an intergalactic school where everyone views earthlings as enemies! When Bud accidentally gets on the wrong bus, he finds himself transported to one of the best schools in the galaxy Cosmos Academy. There he discovers that earthlings are the most feared beings in the universe. To avoid detection, Bud pretends to be a Tenarian exchange student. Unfortunately, Tenarians are known to be awesome Zeroball players, and Bud is more of a sports fan than an athlete. Bud needs to keep up appearances, though, to avoid suspicion. How will Bud deal with bullies, survive his new school, and, most of all, return to earth in one piece? The bright colors, bold strokes, and fun dialogue will appeal to budding fans of science fiction and readers of the growing body of zany, space-caper graphic novels, such as Ben Hatke's Zita the Spacegirl, Dave Roman's Astronaut Academy, and Mike Deas' Dalen & Gole: Scandal in Port Angus (all 2011).--Mack, Candice Copyright 2010 Booklist
