May 9, 2022
Bumpfizzle the Best, a snout-nosed, four-legged alien explorer hailing from Planet Plonk, records his Earthly observations while posing as white 10-year-old human Daniel in Forde’s (The Last Lie) humorous illustrated fictional diary. After altering the memories of his white host family—which includes 11-year-old William, Mother, Father, and house cat Sooty—Bumpfizzle surveys Earth culture while navigating the group’s shifting dynamics when baby Sam is born. Bumpfizzle’s antics—including his perplexing encounters with Earthen cuisine such as cat food, and his crush on an athletic girl at school—highlight his comedic missteps. He grapples with his growing fondness for the family and his loyalty to Planet Plonk, especially after discovering what the aliens have planned for Earth. “Annoying Baby Trait” vignettes (“The baby talks utter rubbish... the hoover has a better line in conversation”) are interspersed throughout, providing further insight into the family’s relationships. Braslina’s (Early One Morning) sketch-like b&w illustrations handily depict comical situations, including Bumpfizzle attempting to fight an unsuspecting cow. While it’s unclear whether Bumpfizzle is actually an alien invader or a human child’s inventive coping mechanism for new siblinghood, his purportedly extraterrestrial perspective and bombastic voice propel this tongue-in-cheek misadventure. Ages 7–10.
April 22, 2022
Gr 3-7-A story generated from the imagination of a middle child named Daniel. Ten-year-old Daniel imagines that he is a vicious alien warrior named Bumpfizzle the Best, and this is his diary. It is made up as official field reports to the Great Master Hornswoggle of Planet Plonk. Daily happenings turn into misadventures, especially as he struggles with Sam, his new baby brother, and the ongoing wishes of his parents. He remembers life before the baby. He thinks that even Sooty, the pet cat, is very much like baby Sam. There is some disturbing content regarding their treatment: Daniel throws Sooty into the trash, and is disappointed the cat survives; he later takes his baby brother outside in the dark near a busy road but thankfully, his mother comes to the rescue. Mishaps abound and, when interpreted though the eyes of a warrior, turn incredible. Readers will wonder about Daniel, who madly scribbles his annoyances and sings self-aggrandizing praise songs. Daniel concludes that humans are very strange. Big changes and the torment that comes with them are given new life on these pages. The accompanying black-and-white illustrations by Braslina are engaging and serve to convey Daniel's frustrations. VERDICT Readers, especially middle children, may relate to how alien it can feel when making room for a new addition to the family.-Lisa Gieskes
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